Book 2 — NAMES[318:1]
Reading edition
NAMES[318:1]
[FROM LESSING]
I ask'd my fair one happy day, What I should call her in my lay; By what sweet name from Rome or Greece; Lalage, Neaera, Chloris, Sappho, Lesbia, or Doris, 5 Arethusa or Lucrece. 'Ah!' replied my gentle fair, 'Belovéd, what are names but air? Choose thou whatever suits the line; Call me Sappho, call me Chloris, 10 Call me Lalage or Doris, Only, only call me Thine.'
1799.
FOOTNOTES:
LINENOTES:
Title] Song from Lessing M. P., Essays, &c.: From the German of Lessing P. R.: Epigram Keepsake, 1829, Cottle's Early Recollections.
[
1
]
fair] love Cottle, E. R.
[
4
]
Iphigenia, Clelia, Chloris,
M. P., Cottle, E. R., P. R.
Neaera, Laura, Daphne, Chloris,
Keepsake.
[
5
]
Laura, Lesbia, or Doris,
MS. 1799, M. P., Cottle, E. R.
Carina, Lalage, or Doris,
Keepsake.
[
6
]
Dorimene, or Lucrece, MS. 1799, M. P., Cottle, E. R., P. R., Keepsake.
[
8
]
Belovéd.] Dear one Keepsake.
[
9
]
Choose thou] Take thou M. P., P. R.: Take Cottle, E. R.
[
10
]
Call me Laura, call me Chloris MS. 1799, Keepsake.
[
10-11
]
Call me Clelia, call me Chloris, Laura, Lesbia or Doris
M. P., Cottle, E. R.
[
10-12
]
Clelia, Iphigenia, Chloris, Laura, Lesbia, Delia, Doris, But don't forget to call me thine.
P. R.