Emily Kollars

Lyrics

Sylvia

(lyrics from the poem Sylvia the Fair by John Dryden)

Sylvia, the fair, in the bloom of fifteen,
Felt an innocent warmth as she lay on the green;
She had heard of a pleasure, and something she guess’d
By the towzing, and tumbling, and touching her breast.
She saw the men eager, but was at a loss,
What they meant by their sighing, and kissing so close;
By their praying and whining
And clasping and twining,
And panting and wishing,
And sighing and kissing,
And sighing and kissing so close.

“Ah!” she cried, “ah! For a languishing maid,
In a country of Christians, to die without aid!
Not a Whig, or a Tory, or a trimmer at least,
Or a Protestant parson, or a Catholic priest,
To instruct a young virgin, that is at a loss,
What they meant by their sighing, and kissing so close!
By their praying and whining
And clasping and twining,
And panting and wishing,
And sighing and kissing,
And sighing and kissing so close.

Cupid, in the shape of a swain, did appear,
He saw the sad wound, and in pity drew near;
Then show’d her his arrow, and bid her not fear,
For the pain was no more than a maiden to bear.
When the balm was infus’d, she was not at a loss,
What they meant by their sighing and kissing so close;
By their praying and whining
And clasping and twining,
And panting and wishing,
And sighing and kissing,
And sighing and kissing so close.

By their praying and whining
And clasping and twining,
And panting and wishing,
And sighing and kissing,
And sighing and kissing so close.