Few Suns have ris'n since I was Blest Of God like Liberty possest But Slave t'Employment now without Repose I 'm Ghost-like hurry'd where my Daemon goes III. But Business to Preferment will direct And 't is ev'n necessary to be Great Ah have I then no more than this t' expect My stinted Hopes will starve on such thin meat Impertinents Content I crave And wildly you of Grandieur Rave If Life 's at best a tedious rugged Road What must it be with Grandieur's cumbring Load IV. Condemn'd to th' Town-Noise and Impertinence Where Mode and Ceremony I must view Yet were the sight all Strephon cou'd dispense But He must there be Ceremonious too I fear my rural Soul 's too plain To Learn the Towns dissembling strein For whilst I practize the slie Courtiers Art I shall forget my self and speak my Heart V. When first th' unwelcome Tidings I receiv'd Summon'd to bid my peaceful shades Adieu Scarce was I by my Fellow-Swains believ'd 'Till streaming Tears prov'd my sad story True Then pensive they my Doom resent As 't were to Death or Banishment But oh my Panalthaea's passionate moan Surpast her Sexes kindness and her own VI. Thus spake She with a forc't frown on her Brow Will you be gone false Strephon will you go Then go thy way go for I Hate thee now But tell me are you serious Swain or no This is some new-found wile to prove Ridiculous Jealousie my Love But whilst of mine this feign'd suspect is shown You wou'd suggest that you 've renounc'd your Own VII Thy Love chast Nymph deep in my Breast I laid When first the precious Pledge I did receive Nor have I thence the sacred store convey'd Here force the Cabinet ope and you 'l believe You 'l see with what a bleeding Heart From these dear Shades and thee I part But rig'rous Fate then on her Virgin Breast I lean'd my drooping Head and wept the Rest. VIII Oh Floods and Groves beneath whose sacred shade I 've sat as Happy as first Mortals were For when Distractions did my breast invade Some rapt'rous Shepheard's Song redrest my Care But 'bove the Flights of other Swains I priz'd my Astragon's soft streins For Turtle-like my pensive Astragon Is sweetly Sad and charming in his Moan The Gold-hater WEll I perceive the Antipathy Is mutual now 'twixt Gold and Me For that flies me as fast as I The false pernicious mettal flie So wild a Prey why shou'd I Trace That yields no Pleasure in the Chase A Prey that must with Toil be sought And which I prize not when 't is Caught Gold I contemn when rude i' th' Oar But in a Crown despise it more No Crown can any Temples fit So well but 't will uneasie sit By an Eternal Law of Fate Vexations still attend on State Insep'rable by Humane Art A Crown'd-Head and an Aking-Heart The Ingrates DUll Mortals with the same prepost'rous breath We bless Love's Darts and Curse the shafts of Death The Author of our Ills a God we stile But the Redresser of those wrongs Revile Yet gentle Death tho rudely treated still Persists in generous Charity to Kill And Cure th' Ingrateful ev'n against their Will Ah should he once in just Resentment give Our Wishes and permit us ever Live What shou'd we do when Soul and Body jar And Loath each other like an Ill-wed Pair Can envious Fiends a Penalty invent That shall than Loath'd Embraces more Torment But friendly Death absolves us from this Curse And when the Parties clash makes a Divorce Disappointed I. FRom Clime to Clime with restless toyl we Roam But sadly still our old Griefs we Retain And with us bear tho we out-rove the Main The same disquiet selves we brought from Home Can Nature's plenteous Board Spread wide from Pole to Pole Sufficient Cates afford To Satiate or Delude one Craving Soul Produce what wealth the Sea contains Or sleeps deep lodg'd in Indian Veins Th' Insatiate Mind will gorge the store And call for more II. The Food of Angels of immortal kind Alone can be design'd To Feast th' unbounded Appetite o' th' Mind To those bright Seats let me aspire Where solid joys remain So firm they can sustain And stand the full Career of Chast Desire Th'Enjoyments we pursue So hotly here below Are Charming Daphnes in the Chase And Daphne-like Transforming Fool us in th' Embrace Some of Martials Epigrams Translated and Paraphras'd Lib. 1. Epigr. IX FRom needless dangers timely to Retreat Speaks not our Courage small but Prudence Great Thus Cato still was foremost in the Fight Whilst Vict'ry tho at distance was in fight Yet oft the Unequal Battel he wou'd wave Wise in Retreat as in th' Engagement Brave Who of his Game Advantage cannot make Is wise in plotting how to part the Stake Who pays his Blood for 't buys his Fame too dear I wou'd have Fame but I 'd enjoy it Here. Who mingles Cypress with his Lawrel Wreath Is poor and Debtor for his Fame to Death Lib. 1. Epigr. XIV De Arriâ Paeto WHen from her Breast Chast Arria did unsheath The reeking Sword led the way to Death ' The blushing Steel to her Lov'd Lord she gave And said Tho Wretched let us still be Brave Ah that I might prevent thy Fate with Mine At my own Breast I Bleed but Smart in Thine Lib. 1. Epigr. CX De Issa Catellâ Publij Issa much to be preferr'd To Catullus amorous Bird Chaster Thou than Stella's Dove But fond as Girls when first they Love Issa worth both Indies Treasure Issa Publiu's Life and Pleasure Issa mourns if He complain Issa shares his Health and Pain All Night on his warm Neck She lies Nor stirs 'till He 's dispos'd to rise But if Digestion chance to call The cleanly well-bred Animal Ne're harms the Bed but lightly creeps O're Publius Bosome while He sleeps Or wakes him with her gentle moan And motions to be handed down But passing other Vertues by Such is this Creatures Modesty She ne're cou'd Love tho daily Woo'd By Shocks of Quality and Blood But lest Death take her quite away When time brings on her fatal Day To Countermand Fate 's rigid Law Publius did her Picture draw Where ev'ry Feature ev'ry Hair Is feign'd with so much Art and Care It leaves you doubtful which to call The Copy which th' Original In short compare 'em both together And you 'l Swear Both have Life or Neither Lib. 9. Epigr VI. Doll Swears she will have Raph The Wiser she Raph Swears hee 'l not have her The Wiser He Lib. XI Epigr. XCV Translated in Dialogue A. FRiend Giles and I had late â bloody bout B. Eternal Cronies how cou'd you fall out A. Faith guess th' Occasion B. Some fresh Doxie A. No Fools as we are we have more Sense than So. He that Asserts a modest Lady's Right Tho soundly Drub'd is a true Errant Knight But Whelps are they who for such Carrion Fight B. When Toapt which
Taught it to Cringe and in just measures move The thing that lately did in Business sweat That talkt so much of being Rich and Great That sought with Verse to make its Love renown'd And hop't ere long to see its Passion Crown'd Behold where the designing Machine lies Prey to those Insects it did once Despise Suppose that Body now lay cover'd ore In Persumes brought from Ormus Spicie Shore What courteous Female wou'd vouchsafe the Grace To Curl those Locks or Kiss that ghastly Face Why is the Corpse so long detain'd from Ground T is more than Time those Hands and Feet were bound Close the dull Eyes support the falling Chin With grassie Turfs suppress the swelling Skin Go let the Fun'ral Peal be Rung aloud In Winding-Sheets th' offensive Carkass shrow'd And in some Nook the Useless Lumber crow'd Insulting Thus I spake and more had said But was by my Assistant Angel stay'd My Charge said he these gloomy shades with-drawn Behold of Everlasting Day the Dawn At th'Entrance to th' Elysian Land a Grace Confer'd on Souls when first they arrive the Place The Blissful Throng are met to welcome Thee To their fair World of Immortality He said and strait his Threatning Wand up-heav'd The Neighb'ring Walls obey'd the Stroke and cleav'd Such was the Blow giv'n by the Hebrew Guide When forcing his Foot-passage through the Tide The Waters there Congeal'd and stood in Walls The Building here like breaking Water falls But now the parting Stones brought Heav'n in View When Fatal Chance my rapt'rous Dream withdrew The grateful slumber from my Temples fell Round me I view'd the Grove and thought it Hell Aloud I call'd my Guide Obligingly The Ecchoing Rocks kept up th'expiring cry But the false Vision fled without Reply ODE To my Ingenious Friend Mr. Flatman AS when the fam'd Artificer of Greece With wondrous Art but ill Success Contriv'd his own and Captiv'd Son's Escape By Wings which He with inspir'd Craft did shape He taught the Youth how safely He might Glide And keep a Mean betwixt the Sun and Tide So you Learn'd Friend with equal Art To me the Wings of poesie impart Besore me through the spacious Sphaere A steddy Course you Steer There You securely Wonders act And th' Eyes of All Attract Whilst I Unfortunate Like Icarus Die but with less glorious Fate He Soaring fell I flag Below Where with damp Wings disabled to pursue I yield me Lost and plunging down In deep oblivion Drown The Banquet DIspatch and to the Myrtle Grove convey What-ever with the natural Pallat suits The Dayrie's Store with Sallads Roots Fruits I mean to play the Epicure to Day Let nought be wanting to compleat Our Bloodless Treat But Bloodless let it be for I 've Decreed The Grape Alone for this Repast shall Bleed Sit worthy Friends But ere we Feed Let Love b'expell'd the Company Let no mans Mirth Here interrupted be With Thought of any Scornful Little She Fall too my Friends Trust me the Cheer is good Ah! if our Bliss we Understood How shou'd we Bless th' Indulgent Fates Indulgent Fates that with Content have stor'd Our Rural Board A Rarity nere sound amongst the Cates Of most Voluptuous Potentates The Match BY what wild Frenzy was I Led That with a Muse I needs must Wed Whose Dow'r consists of pop'lar Fame The short Possession of a Name Yet with what Trouble and Debate The owner holds this poor Estate Where after long Expence and Toil He Starves on the Ungrateful Soil The Fields and Groves which Poets feign The curious Fancy Entertain But yeilds no nourishing Grain or Fruit The craving Stomach to recruit With Thirsty Tongue the Rhymer Sings Of Nectar and Olympian Springs And such I fear the Faiery ground Of their Elysium will be found A meer Fools Paradise and fit For such as will be Men of Wit Yet fain wou'd I that Rhymer know That Raves not of th' Shades below Whose Verse describes not there each Hill Each Flow'ry Vale and wandring Rill With such praecise particular Care As He had been a Native there When maugre all his Art and Pains What are his Gay Elysian Plains But an Imaginary Cheat Utopia's form'd i' th' wild Conceit When with Poetick Calenture 'T is seiz'd and Death alone can Cure The Disconsolate MY lab'ring Soul no longer can sustain But sink beneath th'encreasing Pain I Wish Contrive Attempt and Rage in Vain Down by these falling Springs I 'll Lay My weary Limbs and Sigh my troubled Soul Away To these lone Fields my Griefs I will impart Oh my distracted Head Oh my afflicted Heart Put stay why shou'd I mournfully recite My Grievances to Fright The feather'd Poets of these Streams To interrupt their Mirth and Peace Whilst philomel her querulous Song shall cease And from my sorrows learn more Tragick Theams No! No! I will conceal my weighty Ills Seal up my Lips nor loose them ev'n to Pray But all my Plaints in Mental Pray'rs convey That shall to Heav'n as silent rise as Dew from thence Distills II. Dream I or is 't a real Prodigy For I descry A Rent in that unclouded Skye The Azure Curtains are drawn wide And to my View disclose Th' Elysian Lands where happy Spirits Reside See where the Spring of Pleasure flows On whose fair Banks the Blest take soft Repose Exempt from Sense or thought of Misery They Sing and Smile and Rove And Feast on Joys in every Grove Their Paradise has no Forbidden Tree Curst that I am to View this glorious Scene With a vast Gulf of Air Between So from a Rock the Ship-wreckt Marriner Surveys the distant Shore with watry Eyes Reflects on the full Meals and Pastimes there But having fram'd his fancy'd Theatre Of Sports and rich Varieties Sits down Disconsolate and Starving Dyes Sliding on Skates in very hard Frost HOw well these frozen Floods now Represent Those Chrystal Waters of the Firmament Tho Hurricanes shou'd rage they cou'd not now So much as curl the solid Water's Brow Proud Fleets whose stubborn Cables scarce with-stood Th' impetuous shock of the Unstable Flood In watry Ligaments are restrain'd More strict than when in binding O oze detain'd But tho their Services at present fail Our selves without the aid of Tide or Gale On Keels of polant Steel securely Sail From ev'ry creek to ev'ry point we Rove And in our lawless passage swister move Than Fish beneath us or than Fowl above Strephon's Complaint on quitting his Retirement I. BUsiness Oh stay till I recover Breath Th'astonishing Word puts my maz'd Spirits to Flight Business to me sounds terrible as Death As Death to Lovers on their Bridal Night Free as Air but more Serene The Series of my Life has been But I uncustom'd to the yoak must now In stubborn Harness toil at the dull Plow II. Then farewell Happiness Repose farewell You come not where poor Strephon must Reside ' For you like Halcyons on calm Waters dwell But Business is a rough and troubled Tide
And if the Bruit approach again I 'le drench it in the Savage Monster 's Heart What means Amintas smiling said This Rage I dreamt said she a ruthfull Bear Had broke into our Fold and slaughter'd there And whilst you rant ' Engage Ah! why were you so Rash th' unequall Foe The Rav'nous Monster Seiz'd on You Then to your Rescue I came in And cast my self between But with the motion Waking found the Dream Untrue Amor Sepulchralis IN a Large stately Cave of old the Court Of Rurall Gods as neighbring Swains report Interr'd the dear Remains of Damon lay Converted now to their Originall clay Each wishing Nymph the living Swain approv'd The Shepherd fair Emmoria only Lov'd Their mutuall Passion 's Kindling Flame was more Then ere Inspir'd Consenting Hearts before But was with time Improv'd to that Degree That now 't was Love no more but Extasie Their linkt Affections Fate cou'd not divorce Nor Rig'rous Death restrain their Entercourse The Nymph to living Swains did still preferr Her Damon's Dust and ev'n that Dust Lov'd Her At Damon's Tomb the Chast Emmoria kept Perpetual VVatch and ore his Ashes wept Fitt emblem of her grief a sprigg of Yew She planted there the Branch took Root and grew This Cave to the Suns Rays Access deny'd No Rain or Dew the thirsting Plant Supply'd Yet still it sprang by Love's Miracu ' lous Pow'r For th' Ashes still Glow'd with their Old Amour Emmoria's Eyes wept a nere-Ceasing Shower This Heat and Moysture kept the Plant Alive And Tempring still each other made it Thrive The three First Verses of the 46th Psalm Paraphras'd I. OUr Strength is the Omnipotent We cannot therefore condescend to Fear Tho danger in its gastliest shape appear Tho Mountains from their marble Roots were rent And head-long to the Ocean hurld Their Violent Career might shake the World But our fixt Feet shou'd keep their Ground No Tremour in our Breast be found Our rais'd Heads shou'd o're-look the Floods where Hills lay Drown'd II. What tho the Sea whose most capacious Womb Gave the Subverted Hills a Tomb What tho it's raging Waters roar And swell in Mountains vast as those Which the profound Gulf gorg'd before This most impertinently angry Main With its own Rocks fierce contest may maintain But can no more our Passions discompose Than when on a Serene and shiny day Some shallow Riv'let we survey Contesting with each Pibble for its Interrupted way The Mid-Night Thought NOw that the twinkling stars Essay A Faint Resemblance of the Day Shewn fairer now for being beset With Night like Diamonds in jett Let me Repos'd within this Grove The Solemn season There Improve Restless alas from Sun to Sun A Round of Business I have run Whilst others slept projecting Lay Yet since I THOUGHT how many a day How long since I did meditate Of Life of Death and Future state Approaching Fate his Pace will keep Let Mortalls Watch or let them Sleep What Sound is That a Passing Bell Then to Eternity Farewell Poor Soul Thou' rt at thy Crisis now And one short Hour thy Doom shall show Eternall Bliss or endless Woe If Virtue 's Lore Thou hast despiz'd How Wou'd That Virtue now be priz'd Or say Thou didst in our Loose Age On her forsaken Side Engage Wouldst Thou the dear Remembrance now For the Worlds Monarchie Forgoe What other Medicine canst Thou find T' asswage the Feavour in thy mind Now Wakened Conscience speaks at Large And envious Fiends inhance the Charge Let the bold Atheist now draw neer Thy chill and drooping spirits to cheer His Briskest Wine and Witt to Thee Will now alike Insipid be VVhere is the Lawless Hectring Brave That from th' Arrest of Death can save VVh ' Attempt a Rescue Here will fail And this grim Serjeant takes no Bail The Counter-Turn OBserve that Pile of skulls but chiefly There That mossye skull Survey Do's the sage Front display Plots Projects and nocturall Care Methinks it shou'd for once it did belong T' a Machiavilian that cou'd Shock a State And trusted He cou'd Bastle Fate Who wou'd have sought that Head-piece in this Throng The plotting Wight promis'd that skull a Crown In Lowest Earth He founded the Design With Heav'n the Roof did join 'Till with a suddain shock of Fate O're-thrown The Fabrick fell on the Contrivers Head And crusht th' aspiring Politician Dead The Voyagers WHilst Stemming Life's uncertain Tide Tost on the Waves of Doubts and Fears If to frail Reason's Conduct we Confide VVe strive in vain The happy Port to gain For oft as Clouded Reason disappears VVe cannot fail to Rove afarr Mistaking each false Meteor for our Starr How dismall are the Perills we engage VVhen grown t' a Hurricane Our boist'rous Passions Rouze the sleeping Main But ah how Few have perisht by the Rage Of Storms if numbred with the dayly Throng VVhom Syren Pleasures as they fail along Seduce to the dead shore VVhere They saw others wreckt before Yet still pursue though certain to be Lost For if from their cleft Boat they climb the Coast They fall into the treach'rous Syrens Pow'r VVho Entertain them first and then Devour The Choice GRant me indulgent Heav'n a rurall Seat Rather Contemptible than Great VVhere though I Tast Life's Sweets still I may be Athirst for Immortalitie I wou'd have Business but exempt from Strife A Private but an Active Life A Conscience bold and punctuall to his Charge My Stock of Health or Patience Large Some Books I 'd have and some Acquaintance too But very Good and very Few Then if one Mortall Two such Grants may Crave From Silent Life I 'd Steal into my Grave On Sight of some Martyr's Sepulchres HEre lies Dust Confus'dly hurl'd But Dust that once shall judge the World Blest Saints when the quick Flames Enlarg'd Your Souls and from dull Flesh discharg'd Th' Ambitious Fires strove to Convey Your Spirits on their tryumphant VVay But wing'd with Glory They Aspird And lest the Flames behind them Tir'd Of the Few Adherers to Virtue THat Virtue Points our VVay to Happiness Ev'n the Profane in Cooler Moods Confess But 'Cause the Brave and generous are Few Thin Trains this Guid to Happiness pursue VVho ' Vouch her Cause must ' bett a Suffring side Expos'd to all the Out-Rages of Pride She 's Exil'd now and 't is not strange to see Mean Souls desert afflicted Majestie But when just Heav'n and sure that Time draws on Restores this Empress to her Starry Throne VVith Crowns She will enrich her Loyall Few VVhilst Shame and Vengeance Crush the Rebel Crew The Requitall VIle Infidel that dar'st for Vice declaim And take vain pride to Publish thy own shame What can thy Patron Vice enough Conferr On his officious zealous Oratour Hee 'll doubtless give his wonted Recompense And Rot the Tongue that Pleads in his Defence To a Desponding Friend REpine not pensive Friend to meet A Thorn and Sting in ev'ry Sweet Think it not yours or my hard
from Passions banefull Rage With peacefull Thoughts divert the Pains of Age. But then in Largest Streams her Blessings Flow When Love grown Bankrupt can no more bestow When rig'rous Death shall check your Circling Blood And Life die stifled in the Frozen Flood Your pensive Nymph at large may tell her Grief But to your ravisht Soul give no Relief 'T will lurk a pensive Ghost in Caves all day And to it's Reliques Mid-night Visits pay But pious Souls by Death are Gainers made By Virtue to th' Elysian Seats convey'd There Mirth and Peace and softest Transports reign Delights refind from all Allays of Pain The Gratefull Soil untill'd her Harvest yields Unclouded Skies and ever-verdant Fields There Aemulation no Dissention gives For Happy Each in others Blisses Lives No Cares o' th' Future their free Thoughts Employ The Business of the Place is to Enjoy That Swain is most Industrious held that best Improves his Bliss exceeds in Joyes the Rest. If Love can Bless beyond these Heights Return To dragg his Chain and in his Feavour Burn Take Leave of blissfull Immortalitie Chide my impert'nent Zeal to set you Free And Court the Frowns of some imperious She. Cor. Destroy not thus your gen'rous Courtesies By an unfriendly and unjust Surmize Heav'n sends me Freedome and to sell the Pledge Must Brand me with the foulest Sacriledge 'Gainst Love and Beauty I 'll maintain the Fort And fix a Guard of Virtues in my Heart Clai If Beauty's Force too rashly you despise 'T is Odds but you are ruin'd by Surprize Wou'd you live free from Female Tyranny Nere Parly with the Tempting Sex but Fly Their very Tears are Fewell to Desire And with their Sighs They 'l Fan th'expiring Fire Their Mirth and Grief their kindness and Disdain Are fatall All and Work Poor Shepheards Pain Nature and Art Conspire to Arm the Fair For in the Charming All things Charming are Their Glances Darts and ev'ry Curl a Snare The Hurricane WHat cheer my Mates Luff ho We Toil in Vain That Nothern Mist forebodes a Hurricane See how th'expecting Ocean Raves The Billows Roar before the Fray Untimely Night devours the Day I' th' Dead Eclypse we Nought descry But Lightnings Wild Capriches in the Skie And Scalye Monsters sparkling through the Waves Ply Each a Hand and furl your Sails Port Hard a'Port The Tackle sails Sound ho Five Fathom and the most A Dangerous Shelf sh 'as struck and we are Lost. Speak in the Hold She Leaks amain Give ore The Crazy Boat can Work no more She draws apace and we approach no shore A Ring my Mates Let 's joyn a Ring and so Beneath the Deep Embracing Go. Now to new Worlds we steer and quickly shall Arrive Our Spirits shall Mount as fast as our dull Corpses Dive The Gratefull Shepheard WHilst by his grazing Flock a gentle Swain His Vacant Hours to entertain Perus'd a Volumn whos 's each Tragick Page Discours'd of some Intrigue of State Of Rebell-Insolence and Rage And some unhappy Monarch's Fate The Youth into these passionate sounds brake forth What Virtue of my Ancestours So much Oblig'd you ye indulgent Pow'rs That in these Silent shades you gave me Birth You might have made me Fortune's Sport Doom'd me to some Corrupted Court Where I this rurall Bliss had never known My Cottage might have been a Throne My Crook a Scepter and my Wreath a Grown Some Tyrant-Prince I might have been By your Indulgence now a peacefull Swain My Chloris some proud Cruel Queen The tendrest Nymph of the Arcadian Plain When for these Blessings I forget t' invoke Your Powers neglect to make your Altars smoak Then Ravisht let me be From this Secure Retreat And plac't aloft on Grandieur's Seat An open Mark to the sure Darts of envious Destinie FINIS