TAYLOR.

In a Miscellany, being a collection of Poems, by several Hands, published by Aphra Behn, in 1685, are the three following pieces, "made by Mrs. Taylor," of whom I can give no account.

SONG.

YE virgin powers, defend my heart
From amorous looks and smiles,
From saucy Love, or nicer Art,
Which most our sex beguiles;

From sighs, and vows, from aweful fears
That do to Pity move,

From speaking silence, and from tears,

Those springs that water Love.

But if thro' Passion I grow blind,
Let Honour be my guide,

And where frail Nature seems inclin'd,

There fix a guard of Pride.

A heart whose flames are seen tho'

Needs every Virtue's aid,

pure,

And those who think themselves secure,

The soonest are betray'd.

To MERTILL, who desired her to speak to CLORINDA of his Love.

MERTILL, tho' my heart should break
In granting thy desire,

To cold Clorinda I will speak,
And warm her with my fire.

To save thee from approaching harm,
My death I will obey;

To save thee sinking in the storm,
I'll cast myself away.

May her charms equal those of thine,

No words can e'er express,
And let her love be great as mine,
Which thee would only bless!

May you still prove her faithful slave
And she so kind and true,

She nothing may desire to have,

Or fear to lose-but you.

SONG.

STREPHON has fashion, wit, and youth,
With all things else that please,
He nothing wants but love and truth,
To ruin me with ease.

But he is flint, and bears the art
To kindle strong desire,

His power inflames another's heart,
Yet he ne'er feels the fire.

Alas! it does my soul perplex,
When I his charms recall,

To think he should despise the sex,
Or what's worse, love 'em all.

My wearied heart, like Noah's dove,
In vain may seek for rest,
Finding no hope to fix my love,

Returns into my breast.

APHRA BEHN,

died 1689.

This celebrated woman, whose maiden name was Johnson, was born in the reign of Charles the First. When very young, she accompanied her family to Surinam, of which her father (who died on the voyage thither) had been appointed lieutenant-governor. There she became acquainted with Oroonoko, whose adventures she turned into a novel, which afforded materials for Southern's pathetic tragedy. Having returned to London, she married Mr. Behn, a merchant of Dutch extraction. She then appeared at court; and so favourable an opinion did Charles the Second conceive of her abilities, that he intrusted her with the management of some important affairs during the Dutch war. She, in consequence, went to Antwerp, where having found out the design of the Dutch, to sail up the Thames, and burn the English ships in their harbours, she communicated her discovery to the British government. Her intelligence, which the event shewed to be well grounded, being only laughed at, Mrs. Behn abandoned political intrigues, and, returning to England, devoted the rest of her life to literature. Her fame is chiefly founded on her plays, in which many

humorous scenes occur, but which are scarcely exceeded in licentiousness by those of any of her contemporary dramatists: their grossness does not consist of

occasional blots and incrustations on the surface, but forms an essential and inseparable portion of the composition. Some of her songs are spirited; the first of the following specimens, had it proceeded from the pen of Moore, would have been admired in the present day.

SONG

(In Abdelazer, or the Moor's Revenge).

LOVE in fantastic triumph sat,

Whilst bleeding hearts around him flow'd, For whom fresh pains he did create,

And strange tyrannic power he shew'd. From thy bright eyes he took his fires, Which round about in sport he hurl'd; But 'twas from mine he took desires, Enough t' undo the amorous world.

From me he took his sighs and tears,
From thee his pride and cruelty;
From me his languishment and fears,
And every killing dart from thee :
Thus thou, and I, the God have arm'd,
And set him up a deity;

But my poor heart alone is harm'd,

Whilst thine the victor is, and free.