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Home  »  The Poems of John Dryden  »  “Farwell ungratefull Traytor,” from The Spanish Fryar

John Dryden (1631–1700). The Poems of John Dryden. 1913.

Songs from the Plays

“Farwell ungratefull Traytor,” from The Spanish Fryar

I
FARWELL ungratefull Traytor,

Farwell my perjur’d Swain,

Let never injur’d Creature

Believe a Man again.

The Pleasure of Possessing

Surpasses all Expressing,

But ’tis too short a Blessing,

And Love too long a Pain.

II
’Tis easie to deceive us

In Pity of your Pain,

But when we love you leave us

To rail at you in vain.

Before we have descry’d it,

There is no Bliss beside it,

But she that once has try’d it

Will never love again.

III
The Passion you pretended

Was onely to obtain

But when the Charm is ended

The Charmer you disdain.

Your Love by ours we measure

Till we have lost our Treasure,

But dying is a Pleasure,

When Living is a Pain.