MUTUAL KISSING.

WHEN o'er the virgin cheek we meet Health's tender-blooming roses spread;

To kiss those roses may be sweet,

To kiss them on their native bed!

Full well experienc'd lovers know,
And chief the few who blissful burn,
That kiss is lifeless we bestow

On charms that yield no kind return:

But sure those kisses breathe delight,
Where love the sweetly-vengeful dart
Exchanges, while fond lips unite,
Lips echoing-soft as kisses part.

When one warm wish inflames the pair, Not less endearing kisses prove; Each gives, each takes an equal share; Sweet interchange of sweetest love!

Baci

bocca curiosa, e scaltra

pur

O seno, ò fronte, ò mano; unqua non fia

Che parte alcuna in bella donna baci,
Che baciatrice sia

Se non la bocca, ove l' uni' alma, e l'altra

Corre, e si bacia anch' ella, e con vivaci Spiriti pellegrini

Da vita al bel tesoro

De bacianti rubini:

Si che parlan trà loro

Quegli animati, et spiritosi baci,
Gran cose in picciol suono,

E segreti dolcissimi, che sono

A lor solo palesi, altrui celati.

Tal gioia amando prova; anzi tal vita,

Alma con alma unita:

E son come d'amor baci baciati

Gli incontri di duo cori amanti amati.

GUARINI. Pastor Fido. Atto II.

Kiss the dear lip, the swelling breast,

The snow-white hand, the forehead kiss; 'Tis by the lip the joy's exprest,

'Tis the kind lip repays the bliss.

When lover's lips in transport join,
Their souls to share that transport fly;
And, as their mingling breaths combine,
The purple gems with life supply:

Then each inspired kiss imparts,

In sounds half utter'd, half supprest, The tender secrets of their hearts, Secrets to lips alone confest!

Where soul is thus with soul intwin'd,

The living rapture is improv'd;

'Tis rapture of the sweetest kind,

To kiss when kiss'd, to love when lov'd!

D'UN BACIO.

UN bacio solo à tante pene, cruda ?
Un bacio à tanta fede?

La promessa mercede

Non si paga, baciando: il bacio è

Di futuro diletto;

E

segno

par, che dica anch' egli, i' ti prometto

Con si soave

pegno:

In tanto hor godi, e taci.

Che son d'amor mute promesse i baci.

These Italian lines, which, as well as the foregoing, are from Guarini, seem to have been imitated rather happily by Randolph :

Are kisses all? they but forerun

Another duty to be done.

What would you of that minstrel say
That tunes his pipes and will not play?
Say what are blossoms in their prime,
That ripen not in harvest time?

Or what are buds that ne'er disclose
The long'd-for sweetness of the rose?

So kisses to a lover's guest

Are invitations, not the feast.

RANDOLPH. A Pastoral Courtship.

ON A KISS.

AH! canst thou, cruel nymph! suppose One kiss rewards thy am'rous youth; Enough rewards his tender woes;

His long, long constancy and truth?

Think not thy promis'd kindness paid
By simple kissing; for the kiss
Is but an earnest, beauteous maid!
Of more substantial, future bliss:

Sweet kisses only were design'd

Our warmer raptures to improve; Kisses were meant soft vows to bind, Were silent pledges meant of love.