"Oh Sight, the Mother of Desires," from King Arthur. Songs from the Plays. John Dryden. 1913. The Poems of John Dryden

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

Songs from the Plays

“Oh Sight, the Mother of Desires,” from King Arthur


Man sings Oh SIGHT, the Mother of Desires,
What Charming Objects dost thou yield!
’Tis sweet, when tedious Night expires,
To see the Rosie Morning guild
The Mountain-Tops and paint the Field!	5
But when Clorinda comes in Sight,
She makes the Summers Day more bright;
And when she goes away, ’tis Night.

Chorus. When fair Clorinda comes in Sight, &c.

Woman sings ’Tis sweet the Blushing Morn to view;	10
And Plains adorn’d with Pearly Dew:
But such cheap Delights to see,
Heaven and Nature
Give each Creature;
They have Eyes, as well as we.	15
This is the Joy, all Joys above,
To see, to see,
That only she,
That only she we love!

Chorus. This is the Joy, all Joys above, &c.	20

Man sings And, if we may discover,
What Charms both Nymph and Lover,
’Tis, when the Fair at Mercy lies,
With Kind and Amorous Anguish,
To Sigh, to Look, to Languish,	25
On each others Eyes!

Chorus of all Men and Women And if we may discover, &c.