| Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900. |
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| John Dryden. 1631–1700 |
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| 400. Ah, how sweet it is to love! |
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| AH, how sweet it is to love! | |
| Ah, how gay is young Desire! | |
| And what pleasing pains we prove | |
| When we first approach Love's fire! | |
| Pains of love be sweeter far | 5 |
| Than all other pleasures are. | |
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| Sighs which are from lovers blown | |
| Do but gently heave the heart: | |
| Ev'n the tears they shed alone | |
| Cure, like trickling balm, their smart: | 10 |
| Lovers, when they lose their breath, | |
| Bleed away in easy death. | |
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| Love and Time with reverence use, | |
| Treat them like a parting friend; | |
| Nor the golden gifts refuse | 15 |
| Which in youth sincere they send: | |
| For each year their price is more, | |
| And they less simple than before. | |
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| Love, like spring-tides full and high, | |
| Swells in every youthful vein; | 20 |
| But each tide does less supply, | |
| Till they quite shrink in again: | |
| If a flow in age appear, | |
| 'Tis but rain, and runs not clear. | |
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