A Dialogue between Thyrsis and Dorinda

DORINDA When death shall part us from these kids, And shut up our divided lids, Tell me, Thyrsis, prithee do, Whither thou and I must go. THYRSIS To the Elysium. DORINDA Oh, where is’t? THYRSIS A chaste soul can never miss’t. DORINDA I know no way but to our home, Is our cell Elysium? THYRSIS Turn thine eye to yonder sky, There the milky way doth lie; ’Tis a sure but rugged way, That leads to everlasting day. DORINDA There birds may nest, but how can I That have no wings and cannot fly? THYRSIS Do not sigh, fair nymph, for fire Hath no wings yet doth aspire Till it hit against the Pole: Heaven’s the centre of the soul. DORINDA But in Elysium how do they Pass eternity away? THYRSIS Oh, there’s neither hope nor fear, There’s no wolf, no fox, no bear. No need of dog to fetch our stray, Our Lightfoot we may give away; No oat-pipe’s needful; there thy ears May sleep with music of the spheres. DORINDA Oh sweet! Oh sweet! How I my future state By silent thinking antedate: I prithee let us spend our time to come In talking of Elysium. THYRSIS Then I’ll go on. There sheep are full Of sweetest grass and softest wool; There birds sing consorts, garlands grow, Cool winds do whisper, springs do flow. There always is a rising sun, And day is ever but begun. Shepherds there bear equal sway, And every nymph’s a Queen of May. DORINDA Ah me, ah me! THYRSIS Dorinda, why dost cry? DORINDA I’m sick, I’m sick, and fain would die. Convince me now that this is true By bidding with me all adieu. THYRSIS I cannot live without thee, I, I’ll for thee, much more with thee, die. CHORUS Then let us give Corillo charge o’ the sheep, And thou and I’ll pick poppies, and them steep In wine, and drink on’t even till we weep, So shall we smoothly pass away in sleep.