Richard Bellamy
(?1743 - 1813)

Haste, Celia, haste
(A.T.B.)
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From Bellamy's collection of glees published in 1789.

Bellamy was one of the most prominent basses of his day, appointed a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal (1771), a lay vicar of Westminster Abbey (1773), and a vicar choral of St Paul's Cathedral (1777), where he was also Master of the Choristers. He was dismissed from all his posts in 1800 for "great indecency" with some of the choirboys. "Drunkenness, I suppose, brought on a temporary insanity, foolishness! and beastliness!" according to R.J.S. Stevens.
Lyrics: Matthew Prior

Haste, Celia, haste, while youth invites,
Obey kind Cupid's present voice;
Fill every sense with soft delights,
And give thy soul a loose to joys:
Let millions of repeated blisses prove
That thou all kindness art, and I all love.

Be mine, and only mine; take care
Thy looks, thy thoughts, thy dreams, to guide
To me alone; nor come so far,
As liking any youth beside:
What men e'er court thee, fly them, and believe
They're serpents all, and thou the tempted Eve.

So shall I court thy dearest truth,
When beauty ceases to engage;
So, thinking on thy charming youth,
I'll love it o'er again in age;
So time itself our raptures shall improve,
While still we wake to joy, and live to love.