Musing on cares of human fate,
In a sad cypress grove,
A strange dispute I heard of late,
'Twixt Virtue, Fame and Love.
A pensive shepherd ask'd advice,
And their opinions crav'd,
How he might hope to be so wise
To get a place beyond the skies,
And how he might be sav'd.

Nice Virtue preach'd religion's laws,
Paths to eternal rest;
To fight his king's and country's cause,
Fame counsell'd him was best.
But Love oppos'd their noisy tongues,
And thus their votes outbrav'd,
"Get, get a mistress fair and young,
Love fiercely, constantly and long,
And then you shalt be sav'd."

Swift as thought, the amorous swain
To Sylvia's cottage flies,
In soft expressions told her plain
The way to heavenly joys.
She, who with piety was stor'd
Delays no longer crav'd;
Charm'd by the god whom they ador'd
She smil'd and took him at his word,
And thus they both were sav'd.