First Line Index

First Line Author Title Last Line Library Shelfmark Folio

Alas, what pains, what racking thoughts he proves Who lives retir'd from her he dearest loves Congreve, William Absence When love a while the fruitfull show'r restrains The feild on his return a brighter verdure gains U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 1r,2r,3r,4r

Ambition, rage, our warmest passions cease From all but love we can regain our ease Anonymous To the god of love My muse shall then raise trophies to thy name And love and pleasure be my endless theme U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 28r,29r

And must I then a loathsome carcass be Stench and corruption, and abhor'd like thee? Anonymous Upon the sight of these words writ on a grave stone: As I am so shalt thou be But having lain a while dissolv'd in rest I shall awake again amongst the blest U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 38r-v

Beauty what art thou we so much admire Thou art no real but a seeming fire Anonymous Written in a lady's common prayer book [title apparently shared with BCMSV 6062] Within thy guilty beams lurk cruel fates To peacefull familys and warring states U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 47r

Beauty, whose flames but meteors are; Short lived and low, tho thou wouldst seem a star Anonymous Had you less beauteous been you'ad known less care; Ladies are happiest moderately fair U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 5r,6r

Behold what lusters now adorn The glowing beauties of the morn Anonymous Advice to a young lady Now whilst you absolutely reign Your influence past will ne'er return again U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 33r-v

Bless'd glorious man, to whom alone kind heaven An everlasting soul has freely given Wilmot, John, Earl of Rochester Man The flame of life will as a lambent fire Or ev'ning meteor shine and strait expire U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 12r,13r,14r,15r,16r

Farewell my only joy farewell How I have lov'd thee only I can tell Anonymous Song Stay reader stay be not afraid, Here lies a constant, constant lover dead U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 16r

Fate as if carefull of your future praise Has placed your birth amidst those halcyon days Anonymous To a lady on her birthday, July 19 1720 Shall rob our earth to make their heavens fair Sink down a beauteous corps and rise a star U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 61r,62r

Fear not, Hortensia, give a loose to love, Let my warms [sic] vows those icy thoughts remove Anonymous On fear Each tender accent shall some joy repeat And if Hortensia smile I fear no schock from fate U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 19r

Forsaken Strephon in a lonesome glade By nature for despairing sorrows made Villiers, George, 2nd Duke of Buckingham The lost mistress Whose flattring comfort prov'd both short and vain Refresh'd like slaves from racks to greater pain U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 58r,59r,60r

Fortune's a jilt, and so often doth vary That fools may succeed and wise men miscarry Anonymous U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 57r

Fortune's made up of toys and impudence That common jade that has not common sense Villiers, George, 2nd Duke of Buckingham On fortune I'll marry honesty tho ne'er so poor Rather then follow such a dull blind w---e U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 57r

Go check the blooming glories of the spring Forbid the tunefull nightingale to sing Anonymous To a freind who dissuaded me from loving Celinda May sooner grasp the thunder of the sky And cloath his mortal frame with immortality U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 21r

Happy that I in any sense can please Tho' but to drive away a dull disease Anonymous To a lady who told her lover, he only serv'd to divert her spleen Nor shall my fate alone in this be seen Lovers like fools are physick for the spleen U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 28r

He that on earthly things doth trust Dependeth upon smoke and dust Anonymous U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 48r

High on the land that bound the Kentish shore On whose rough strand alternate tempest roar Anonymous The happy man Then shakes his head with pity at their fate And hugs himself in his more happy state U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 25r-v

Hope is a friendly passion of the mind Which to the miserable still is kind Anonymous On hope But strength of hope? That bids the lover live And in the midst of pain do's still some pleasure give U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 20r

I love but dare not let that love be known To that dear creature has the conquest won Anonymous U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 19r

If 'tis not love, what is it that I feel? If 'tis, well might the antients paint him blind Hill, Aaron The amorous scrutiny But when in veiw of death I'd fain be free Freezing in summer, I in winter fry U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 37r-v

If from the fair the weeping Myrrha came That aromatic gum which bears her name Anonymous On tears shed by a lady Till their first nature seems intirely gone, And the next age surpriz'd confess them solid stone U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 17r-v

If Rome can pardon sin as Romans hold And if these pardons can be bought and sold Rochester, John Wilmot, Earl of Romes pardon Did certainly this sly invention brew To gull them of their souls and money too U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 53r

In vain you talk ambition is a toy, Empire a trifle which affords no joy Anonymous Love the most prevailing passion Like Anthony no other bliss I'd known But for a smile the globe itself had gone U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 23r

Learn ye blooming fair Rightly to know your worth and match with care Anonymous Justly they weigh your charms and sweetly pay Your soft submission with permitted sway U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 55r

Long time plain-dealing in the haughty town Wandring about tho' in a thread-bare gown Rochester, John Wilmot, Earl of Plain-dealings downfall When weeping sighing fainting down she fell Whilst knavery laughing rung her passing bell U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 52

Lord what a coil is here and what a pother To save and get to scratch and scrape together Anonymous He that on earthly things doth trust dependeth upon smoke and dust (=BCMSV 6063 1) This is my mind if wrong you think I've done them Be fools and at your peril dote upon them U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 48r,49r

Love is a god and like a god should be Inconstant; with unbounded liberty Anonymous Inconstancy Fool not to know that love endures no tie And Jove but laughs at lovers perjury U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 10r,11r,12r

Love the most prevailing passion of the mind The softest refuge innocence can find Anonymous Love For none did e'er so sull and stupid prove But felt a God and blest his power in love U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 62r-v

No more, vain wretch such trifling arts pursue These publick fooleries will never do Anonymous To a gentleman who blow'd kisses to a lady in the playhouse But when in publick form your actions move You tread the paths of folly not of love U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 20r

Not gain you! Yes, if truest love may dare To hope for any favour from the fair Anonymous To a lady who said she was not to be gain'd the common way But tho' with truth you shall be serv'd I'm not by merit, but your charms preserv'd U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 30r

Nothing thou elder brother even to shade Who hadst a being e'er the world was made Wilmot, John, Earl of Rochester Upon nothing Kings promises whores vows towards thee bend Flow swiftly into thee and in the never end U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 33v,34v,35v,36v,37v,38v

O sleep! thou flatterer of happy minds How soon a troubled breast thy falshood finds Congreve, William To sleep: an elegy So wait there for her morn; then gently rise And to the world restore the day break of her eyes U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 44r,45r,46r

Oh envious time what make you fly so fast When I am from her you ne'er make such hast Anonymous You never keep no rule nor equal go But always are too fast or else to slow U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 55r

Short are the triumphs of the fate alone Where conduct fails how tott'ring is the throne Anonymous Without this vertue womans weakly crown'd Our minds fix government our eyes but found U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 24r

Sweet nymphs that dwell on Pindus' verdant side And o'er woods without a blush preside Whaley, John To Mrs Page Since then too once must fall to death a prey Mayst then like Walpole meet the fatal day U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 63r-66v

Teach me O love! In sweetest sounds to tell What in my breast I for Liberia feel Anonymous To a lady who askt, to describe the pleasure of loving her Then think O think of something more divine! 'Tis that I feell, that more than pleasure mine U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 32r

That passion which mistaken men improve With so much tenderness and think it love Anonymous A description of true love attempted in the following lines Nay tho' repeated storms should blast the plains Leaves only fall, the solid thrunk [sic] remains U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 26r

The bride at length, the care of love, appears, Mature for man and in her blooming years Anonymous Bride and bridegroom Least still some intervening chance should rise, Leap forth at once and snatch the glorious prize U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 8r,9r

The gaining of a rich estate Seems many times restrain'd by fate Anonymous U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 49r

The want of wit from riches barreth some; Some cannot rich because of sloth become Anonymous The gaining of a rich estate seems many times restrain'd by fate (=BCMSV 6064 1) And these indeed doe come to be those fates Which keep most men from getting large estates U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 49r

There's not a thing on earth that I can name So foolish and so false as common fame Wilmot, John, Earl of Rochester Fame These things consider'd makes me (in despight Of idle humour) keep at home and write U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 60r

This book like you will useless be Unless you learn to love like me Anonymous Written in a lady's common prayer book Your prayers can never reach the skys If you still murder with your eyes U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 47r

Tho' I so foolishly withdrew From all my joys from love and you Anonymous The fugitive return'd It is oh tis most lovely fair Too exquisite for sense to bear U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 35r

Thou watchful taper by whose silent light I lonely pass the melancholy night Congreve, William To a candle Nor dare their light before her eyes disclose, From whose bright beams their being first disclose [sic] U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 9r,10r

Thus loose I move, Free and unbound taste the sweets of life Anonymous Batchelour But when oblig'd to kiss men soon grow tir'd And hate those pleasures they before admir'd U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 7r,8r

Thus on some rock the shipwrack'd sailor stands, And veiws with weeping eyes and wringing hands Anonymous On a lovers attempting to kiss his mistress thro' a glass window Cold breaths of wind divide the joyning pair And the lost phantom vanishes to air U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 18r

Tis strange dear Temple how it comes to pass That no one man is pleas'd with what he has Congreve, William Of pleasing; An epistle to Sr Rd T--e [Sir Richard Temple] Rules for good verse they first with pains indite Then shuo us what are bad by what they write U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 39r-43v

Tis true my sufferings lately were complete My jealousies severe my torments great Anonymous The recovery Yet I the wondrous Phoenix birth acquire And can with comfort boast another heart entire U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 24r

To Sylvia long my vows I had confess'd With sighs might peirce an admantine breast Anonymous The surprize Sunk in death's cold embrace and gloomy night But ah! too soon again return'd to hated light U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 31r,32r

To what intent or purpose was man made Who is by birth to misery betrayed Anonymous On an unregenerate man T'were better then that man had never been Than thus to be perplex'd. God save the King. U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 54r

Were [I] to choose what sort of corpse I'd wear Nor Baron dog, Lord monkey, or Earl bear Anonymous An answer to the satire on man That is not man dog bear nor monkey neither But a rare something of them altogether U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 19v,21v,22v,23v,24v,25v,26v,27v,28v,29v,30v,31v,32v

What pleasures can the gaudy world afford? What true delights dos teaming nature hoard Anonymous Consideratus considerandus. roc. With which damn'd hippocrites the world delude As we on Indian glass for gems intrude U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 50r,51r

What shall I do ye powers above behind Some counsel give to my distracted mind Anonymous There is a fate in love as well as war Some though less carefull more successfull are U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 22r

What! Still these mournful plaints and flowing eyes These direfull peircing groans and scalding sighs Anonymous Advice to a lady upon the death of her lover And sighs and tears shall ne'er afflict you more Fill'd with tumultuous joys you ne'er felt before U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 36r

What, shed a tear! Tho' it speaks much regard No lover's greif could merit that reward Anonymous To a lady who shed tears at the misfortune of her lover Strange force have water in a fair one's eye To raise a lover's flame which makes all others die U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 29r

When first I saw her I no charms could find But what might well belong to woman-kind Anonymous But 'tis but oh! I cannot tell you what Think all that's charming and she merits that U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 56r

When objects please lovers in every vein Confess a fund of sweetness, know no pain Anonymous Why love is the greatest pleasure and the greatest pain This mixture of the passions makes it plain That love's the greatest pleasure and the greatest pain U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 27r-v

Where I who to my cost already am One of these strange prodigious creatures man Wilmot, John, Earl of Rochester A satire on man If such there are yet grant me this at least Man differs more from man than man from beast U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 1v,2v,3v,4v,5v,6v,7v,8v,9v,10v,11v,12v,13v,14v,15v,16v,17v,18v

Why Chloe why this voluntary tear? No, mistress, such spontaneous throbs endear Anonymous On a lady who could command her tears Tho' his bright mother did in ocean thrive Yet little Cupid has not learnt to dive U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 22r

With utmost force and stratagem I strove To stop the progress of invading love Anonymous The acknowledgement Disdains my suit and shuns my chaste desire I Salamander-like am doom'd to live by fire U. Leeds, Brotherton Lt 110 f. 34r

Union First Line Index of English Verse

13^th-19^th Century (bulk 1500-1800)

Union First Line Index of English Verse

13th-19th Century (bulk 1500-1800)

13^th-19^th Century (bulk 1500-1800)