For love ev'ry creature is formed by his nature: No joys are above the pleasures of love.
King Arthur or The British Worthy
A play - incidental music by Henry Purcell (1658/9 - 1695)
. For love ev'ry creature
Authorship:
- by John Dryden (1631 - 1700) [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
Set by by Henry Purcell (1658/9 - 1695), Z. 628 (1691)Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
9. Come if you dare  [sung text checked 1 time]
Come if you dare, our trumpets sound. Come if you dare, the foes rebound. We come, says the double beat of the thund'ring drum. Now they change on amain, Now they rally again; The Gods from above the mad labor behold, And pity mankind that will perish for gold, The fainting Saxons quit the ground, The trumpets languish in the sound. They fly! Victoria! the bold Britons cry. Now the victory's won, To plunder we run; We return to our lasses, like fortunate traders. Triumphant with spoils of our vanquish'd invaders.
Authorship:
- by John Dryden (1631 - 1700)
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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]16. Shepherd, leave decoying  [sung text checked 1 time]
Shepherd, shepherd, leave decoying: Pipes are sweet on summer's day, But a little after toying, Women have the shot to pay. Here are marriage-vows for signing: Set their marks that cannot write, After that, without repining, Play, and welcome, day and night.
Authorship:
- by John Dryden (1631 - 1700)
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Researcher for this page: Siân Goldthorpe20. What power art thou  [sung text checked 1 time]
What power art thou, who from below Hast made me rise unwillingly and slow From beds of everlasting snow? See'st thou not how stiff and wondrous old Far unfit to bear the bitter cold, I can scarcely move or draw my breath? Let me, let me freeze again to death.
Authorship:
- by John Dryden (1631 - 1700)
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Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Quelle puissance es-tu", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
35a. You say 'tis Love  [sung text checked 1 time]
You say 'tis Love creates the pain, Of which so sadly you complain; And yet would fain engage my Heart, In that uneasy cruel part; But how alas, think you that I Can bear the wounds of which you die? 'Tis not my passion makes my care, But your indifference gives despair: The lusty Sun begets no Spring, Till gentle show'rs assistance bring, So love that scorches and destroys, Till kindness aids can cause no joy. Love has a thousand ways to please, But more to rob us of our ease; For waking nights and carefull days, from hours of pleasures he repays; But absence soon, or jealous fears, O'er flows the joys with floods of tears. But one soft moment makes amends For all the torment that attends. Let us Love, and to happiness hast. Age and wisdom comes too fast; Youth for loving was design'd. You be constant, I'll be kind. I'll be constant, I'll be kind. Heav'n can give no greater blessing Than faithful Love, and Kind possessing.
Authorship:
- by John Dryden (1631 - 1700)
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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]38. Fairest Isle  [sung text checked 1 time]
Fairest isle, all isles excelling, Seat of pleasure and of love Venus here will choose her dwelling, And forsake her Cyprian grove. Cupid from his fav'rite nation Care and envy will remove; Jealousy, that poisons passion, And despair, that dies for love. Gentle murmurs, sweet complaining, Sighs that blow the fire of love Soft repulses, kind disdaining, Shall be all the pains you prove. Ev'ry swain shall pay his duty, Grateful ev'ry nymph shall prove; And as these excel in beauty, Those shall be renown'd for love.
Authorship:
- by John Dryden (1631 - 1700)
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Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Plus belle des îles", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- GER German (Deutsch) [singable] (Bertram Kottmann) , "Schönstes Eiland", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- SPA Spanish (Español) (Mercedes Vivas) , "La isla más hermosa", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission