| John Dryden (1631–1700). The Poems of John Dryden. 1913. | | | | Songs, Odes, and Lyrical Pieces | | The Fair Stranger |
| | A Song
1 HAPPY 1 and free, securely blest, | |
| No Beauty could disturb my Rest; | |
| My am’rous Heart was in Despair, | |
| To find a new victorious Fair: | |
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2 Till you, descending on our Plains, | 5 |
| With foreign Force renew my Chains; | |
| Where now you rule without Controul, | |
| The mighty Sov’reign of my Soul. | |
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3 Your Smiles have more of conqu’ring Charm | |
| Than all your Native Country’s Arms: | 10 |
| Their Troops we can expel with Ease, | |
| Who vanquish only when we please. | |
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4 But in your Eyes, oh, there’s the Spell! | |
| Who can see them, and not rebel? | |
| You make us Captives by your Stay, | 15 |
| Yet kill us if you go away. | |
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