weight of Sin hath press'd me to the Ground Who is it now my Freedom can restore My Youth and Captive Virgins are no more 19. I call'd for all my Friends but they were gone Friendship grows cold when Misery comes on With Hunger pin'd my Priests and Rulers Dy'd Within my Walls perish'd my Strength and Guide 20. My Crimes were great so are my Sorrows Behold my Lord see the Afflicted bow now Abroad th' unwearied Sword bereaves of Breath And Grief at Home is a more Cruel Death 21. All round me hear my Sighs and see my Tears Whilst there is none that can relieve my Cares My Foes hear and rejoyce at what is done But thou wilt surely Lord at last return And then the Enemy like me will Mourn 22. Their Crimes are great turn Mighty Lord and see Affict 'em then as thou Afflictest me My Griefs are great turn therefore and Relent My Sighs are many and my Heart is Faint TO CELIA By an vnknown Hand ALL things submit themselves to your Command Fair Celia when it does not Love withstand The power it borrowed from your Eyes alone All but himself would yield to who has none Were he not blind such are the Charms you have He 'd quit his Godhead to become your Slave Be proud to act a Mortal Hero's part And throw himself for Fame on his own Dart But Fate hath otherwise dispos'd of things In different Bonds Subjecting Slaves and Kings That Fate like you resistless does ordain That Love alone should over Beauty Reign By Harmony the Universe does move And what is Harmony but Mutual Love See gentle Brooks how quietly they glide Kissing the rugged Banks on either side Whil'st in their Crystal Stream at once they show And with them feed the Flowers which they bestow Though prest upon by their too rude Imbrace In gentle Murmurs they keep on their pace To their Lov'd Sea for even Streams have Desires Cool as they are they feel Love's Pow'rful Fires And with such Passion that if any force Stop or molest 'em in their Am'rous Course They swell with Rage break down and Ravage o'er The Banks they Kiss'd the Flowers they fed before Who would resist and Empire so Divine Which Universal Nature does enjoyn Submit then Celia e're you be reduc'd For Rebels Vanquisht once are vilely us'd And such are you when e're you dare obey Another Passion and your Love betray You are Love's Citadels by you he reigns And his proud Empire o'er the World maintains He trusts you with his Stratagems and Arms His Frowns his Smiles and all his Conquering Charms Beauty 's no more but the dead Soil which Love Manures and does by wise Commerce improve Sailing by Sighs through Seas of Tears he sends Courtship from Foreign Hearts For your own Ends Cherish a Trade for as with Indians we Get Gold and Jewels for our Trumpery So to each other for their useless Toys Lovers afford Inestimable Joys But if you 're fond of Trifles be and Starve Your Gugaw Reputation preserve Live upon Modesty and empty Fame Foregoing Sense for a Fantastick Name SONG By a Person of Honour * AS he lay in the Plain his Arm under his Head And his Flock feeding by the fond Celadon said If Love 's a Sweet Passion why does it Torment If a Bitter said he whence are Lovers Content Since I suffer with Pleasure why should I complain Or grieve at my Fate when I Know 't is in vain Yet so pleasing the Pain is so soft is the Dart That at once it both Wounds me and Tickles my Heart To my self I sigh often without knowing why And when Absent from Phillis methinks I could Die But Oh! what a Pleasure still follows my Pain When kind Fortune do's help me to see her again In her Eyes the bright Stars that foretel what 's to come By soft stealth now and then I examine my Doom I press her Hand gently look languishing down And by Passionate Silence I make my Love known But Oh! how I 'm Blest when so kind she do's prove By some willing Mistake to discover her Love When in striving to hide she reveals all her Flame And our Eyes tell each other what neither dare name A SONG By Mrs. Wharton HOW hardly I conceal'd my Tears How oft did I complain When many tedious Days my Fears Told me I Lov'd in vain But now my Joys as wild are grown And hard to be conceal'd Sorrow may make a silent Moan But Joy will be reveal'd I tell it to the Bleating Flocks To every Stream and Tree And Bless the Hollow Murmuring Rocks For Echoing back to me Thus you may see with how much Joy We Want we Wish Believe 'T is hard such Passion to Destroy But easie to Deceive ON THE STORM BETWEEN Gravesend and Diepe Made at that Time By the same Author WHen the Tempestuous Sea did foam and roar Tossing the Bark from the long-wish'd for Shore With false affected fondness it betray'd Striving to keep what Perish'd if it stay'd Such is the Love of Impious Men where e're Their cruel Kindness lights 't is to ensnare I toss'd in tedious Storms of troubled Thought Was careless of the Waves the Ocean brought My Anchor Hope was lost and too too near On either hand were Rocks of sad Despair Mistaken Seamen prais'd my fearless Mind Which sunk in Seas of Grief could dare the Wind. In Life tempestuous Life is dread and harm Approaching Death had no unpleasing Form Approaching Death appeases ev'ry Storm TO Mrs. A. BEHN On what she Writ of The Earl of Rochester By the same Author IN pleasing Transport rap't my Thoughts apire With humble Verse to Praise what you Admire Few living Poets may the Laurel claim Most pass thro' Death to reach at Living Fame Fame Phoenix like still rises from a Tomb But bravely you this Custom have o'ercome You force an Homage from each Generous Heart Such as you always pay to just Desert You prais'd him Living whom you Dead bemoan And now your Tears afresh his Laurel crown It is this Flight of yours excites my Art Weak as it is to take your Muse's part And pay loud Thanks back from my bleeding Heart May you in every pleasing Grace excel May Bright Apollo in your Bosome dwell May yours excel the Matchless Sappho's Name May you have all her Wit without her Shame Tho' she to Honour gave a fatal Wound Employ your Hand to raise it from the ground Right its wrong'd Cause with your Inticing Strain Its ruin'd Temples try to build again Scorn meaner Theams declining low desire And bid your Muse maintain a Vestal Fire If you do this what Glory will insue To all our Sex to Poesie and you Write on and may your Numbers ever flow Soft as the Wishes that I make for you TO MELPOMENE AGAINST COMPLAINT By the same Author IN soft Complaints no longer ease I find That latest refuge of a Tortur'd Mind Romantick Heros may their Fancy please In telling of
Church to flie Where English Kings and English Poets lie It at an awful distance did expire Such pow'r had Sacred Ashes o'er that Fire Such as it durst not near that Structure come Which Fate had order'd to be Cowley's Tomb And 't will be still preserv'd by being so From what the rage of future Flames can do Material Fire dares not that place infest Where he who had immortal Flame does rest There let his Urn remain for it was fit Amongst our Kings to lay the King of Wit By which the Structure more renown'd will prove For that part bury'd than for all above ON THE DEATH OF King CHARLES II. Writ at that Time By the Honourable Charles Montague FArewel Great Charles Monarch of blest Renown The best Good Man that ever fill'd a Throne Whom Nature as her highest Pattern wrought And mixt both Sex's Vertues in one Draught Wisdom for Councils Bravery in War With all the mild Good-nature of the Fair. The Womans sweetness temper'd Manly Wit And Loving Power did Crown'd with Meekness sit His awful Person Reverence engag'd Which mild Address and Tenderness asswag'd Thus the Almighty Gracious King above Does both command our Fear and win our Love With Wonders born by Miracles preserv'd A Heavenly Host the Infants Cradle serv'd And Men His healing Empire's Omen read When Sun with Stars and Day with Night agreed His Youth for valorous Patience was renown'd Like David persecuted first then Crown'd Lov'd in all Courts admir'd where e'er he came At once our Nation 's Glory and its Shame They blest the Isle where such great Spirits dwell Abhorr'd the Men that could such worth expel To spare our Lives He meekly did defeat Those Sauls whom wand'ring Asses made so great Waiting till Heaven's Election should be shown And the Almighty should His Vnction own And own He did His powerful Arm display'd And Isreal the Belov'd of God obey'd Call'd by His Peoples Tears He came He eas'd The groaning Nation the black Storms appeas'd Did greater Blessings than He took afford England it Self was more than He Restor'd Unhappy Albion by strange Ills opprest In various Feavers tost could find no rest Quite spent and wearied to His Arms She fled And rested on His Shoulders her fair bending Head In Conquests Mild He came from Exile kind No Climes no Provocations chang'd His Mind No Malice show'd no Hate Revenge or Pride But Rul'd as Meekly as His Father Dy'd Eas'd us from endless Wars made Discords cease Restor'd to Quiet and maintain'd in Peace A mighty Series of new Time began And rowling Years in joyful Circles ran Then Wealth the City business fill'd the Port To Mirth our Tumults turn'd our Wars to Sport Then Learning flourish'd blooming Arts did spring And the glad Muses prun'd their drooping wing Then did our flying Towers improvement know Who now command as far as Winds can blow With Canvass Wings round all the Globe they fly And built by Charles His Art all Storms defie To ev'ry Coast with ready Sails are hurl'd Fill Us with Wealth and with our Fame the World From whose Distractions Seas do us divide Their Riches here in floating Castles ride We reap the swarthy Indian's Sweat and Toil Their Fruit without the mischiefs of their Soil Here in cool Shades their Gold and Pearls receive Free from the heat which does their lustre give In Persian Silks eat Eastern Spice secure From burning Fluxes and their Calenture Under our Vines upon the peaceful Shore We see all Europe tost hear Tempests roar Rapine Sword Wars and Famine rage abroad While Charles their Host like Jove from Ida aw'd Us from our Foes and from our selves did shield Our Towns from Tumults and from Arms the Field For when bold Factions Goodness could disdain Unwillingly He us'd a straiter Rein In the still gentle Voice He lov'd to speak But could with Thunder harden'd Rebels break Yet though they wake't the Laws His tender Mind Was undisturb'd in Wrath severely Kind Tempting His Power and urging to assume Thus Jove in Love did Semele consume As the Stout Oak when round his Trunk the Vine Does in soft wreaths and amorous foldings twine Easie and slight appears The Winds from far Summon their noisie Forces to the War But though so gentle seems his outward form His hidden strength outbraves the loudest storm Firmer he stands and boldly keeps the Field Showing stout Minds when unprovok'd are mild So when the Good Man made the Crowd presume He show'd himself and did the King Assume For Goodness in Excess may be a sin Justice must tame whom Mercy cannot win Thus Winter fixes the unstable Sea And teaches restless Water constancy Which under the warm influence of bright days The fickle motion of each Blast obeys To bridle Factions stop Rebellion's course By easie Methods vanquish without force Relieve the Good bold stubborn Foes subdue Mildness in Wrath Meekness in Anger shew Were Arts Great Charles His Prudence only knew To fright the Bad thus awful Thunder rolls While the bright Bow secures the Faithful Souls Such is thy Glory Charles thy lasting Name Brighter than our proud Neighbour's guilty Fame More noble than the Spoils that Battles yield Or all the empty Triumphs of the Field 'T is less to Conquer than to make Wars cease And without fighting awe the World to Peace For proudest Triumphs from Contempt arise The vanquisht first the Conquerours Arms despise Won Ensigns are the gaudy marks of scorn They brave the Victor first and then adorn But peaceful Monarchs Reign like Gods while none Dispute all Love bless Reverence their Throne Tigers and Bears with all the Savage Host May Boldness Strength and daring Conquest boast But the sweet Passions of a Generous Mind Are the Prerogative of Humane kind The God-like Image on our Clay imprest The Darling Attribute which Heaven loves best In Charles so Good a Man and King we see A double Image of the Deity Oh! Had He more resembled It Oh why Was He not still more like and could not die Now do our Thoughts alone enjoy His Name And faint Ideas of our Blessing frame In Thames the Ocean's Darling England's Pride The pleasing Emblem of his Reign does glide Thames the support and Glory of our Isle Richer than Tagus or Aegyptian Nile Though no rich Sand in him no Pearls are found Yet Fields rejoyce his Meadows laugh around Less Wealth his Bosom holds less guilty stores For he Exhausts himself t' enrich the Shores Mild and Serene the peaceful Current flows No angry foam no raging Surges knows No dreadful Wreck upon his Banks appears His Crystal Stream unstain'd by Widow's Tears His Chanel strong and easie deep and clear No Arbitrary Inundations sweep The Plowman's Hopes and Life into the deep The Even Waters the old Limits keep But oh He Ebbs the smiling Waves decay For ever Lovely Stream for ever stay To the black Sea his silent course does bend Where the best Streams the longest Rivers end His spotless Waves there
207. To Chloris by Sir Charles Sedley p. 212. Song by the same Author p. 214. Song by the same Author p. 216. A Dialogue between Amintas and Celia by the same Author p. 219. The Lamentations of Jeremiah by Mrs. Wharton p. 224. To Celia by an Vnknown Hand p. 232. Song by a Person of Honour * p. 236. A Song by Mrs. Wharton p. 238. On the Storm between Gravesend and Diepe made at that time by the same Author p. 240. To Mrs. A Behn on what she Writ of the Earl of Rochester by the same Author p. 242. To Melpomene against Complaint by the same Author p. 245. Wit 's Abuse by the same Author p. 248. My Fate by the same Author p. 251. On the Death of Mr. Abraham Cowley and his Burial in Westminster-Abbey by the Earl of Orrery p. 253. On the Death of King Charles II. Writ at that time by the Honourable Charles Montague p. 259. On the Marriage of the Lady Mary with the Prince of Orange by Edmund Waller in the Year 1677. p. 270. THE PREFACE TO THE ART of POETRY I Have seldom known a Trick succeed and will put none upon the Reader But tell him plainly that I think it could never be more seasonable than now to lay down such Rules as if they be observ'd will make Men write more Correctly and judge more discreetly But Horace must be read seriously or not at all for else the Reader wo'n't be the better for him and I shall have lost my labour I have kept as close as I could both to the Meaning and the words of the Author and done nothing but what I believe he would forgive if he were alive And I have often ask'd my self that Question I know this is a Field Per quem Magnus Equos Arunci flexit Alumnus But with all the respect due to the name of Ben. Johnson to which no Man pays more Veneration than I it cannot be deny'd that the constraint of Rhyme and a literal Translation to which Horace in this Book declares himself an Enemy has made him want a Comment in many places My chief care has been to Write intelligibly and where the Latin was obscure I have added a Line or two to explain it I am below the Envy of the Criticks but if I durst I would beg them to remember that Horace ow'd his Favour and his Fortune to the Character given of him by Virgil and Varius that Fundanius and Pollio are still valued by what Horace says of them and that in their Golden Age there was a good Vnderstanding among the Ingenious and those who were the most Esteem'd were the best Natur'd Roscommon OF THIS TRANSLATION And of the Use of Poetry BY Edmund Waller Esq ROme was not better by her Horace taught Than we are here to comprehend his thought The Poet writ to Noble Piso there A Noble Piso does instruct us here Gives us a pattern in his flowing Stile And with rich Precepts does oblige our Isle Britain whose Genius is in Verse exprest Bold and sublime but negligently drest Horace will our superfluous Branches prune Give us new rules and set our Harp in tune Direct us how to back the winged Horse Favour his flight and moderate his Force Though Poets may of Inspiration boast Their Rage ill govern'd in the Clouds is lost He that proportion'd wonders can disclose At once his Fancy and his Judgment shows Chast moral Writing we may learn from hence Neglect of which no wit can recompence The Fountain which from Helicon proceeds That sacred Stream should never water weeds Nor make the Crop of Thorns and Thistles grow Which Envy or perverted Nature sow Well-sounding Verses are the Charm we use Heroick thoughts and vertue to infuse Things of deep sense we may in Prose unfold But they move more in lofty numbers told By the loud Trumpet which our Courage aids We learn that sound as well as sense perswades The Muse's Friend unto himself severe With silent pity looks on all that Err But where a brave a publick Action shines That he rewards with his Immortal Lines Whether it be in Counsel or in Fight His Countrey 's Honour is his chief delight Praise of great Acts he scatters as a seed Which may the like in coming Ages breed Here taught the fate of Verses always priz'd With admiration or as much despis'd Men will be less indulgent to their faults And patience have to cultivate their thoughts Poets lose half the praise they should have got Could it be known what they discreetly blot Finding new words that to the ravish't Ear May like the Language of the Gods appear Such as of old wise Bards employ'd to make Unpolish't men their wild retreats forsake Law-giving-Heroes fam'd for taming Brutes And raising Cities with their Charming Lutes For rudest minds with Harmony were caught And civil Life was by the Muses taught So wandring Bees would perish in the Air Did not a sound proportion'd to their Ear Appease their rage invite them to the Hive Unite their force and teach them how to thrive To rob the Flowers and to forbear the spoil Preserv'd in Winter by their Summers toyl They give us food which may with Nectar Vie And Wax that does the absent Sun supply HORACE OF THE Art of Poetry By the EARL of Rescommon IF in a Picture Piso you should see A handsome Woman with a Fishes Tail Or a Man's Head upon a Horse's Neck Or Limbs of Beasts of the most different kinds Cover'd with Feathers of all sorts of Birds Wou'd you not laugh and think the Painter mad Trust me that Book is as ridiculous Whose incoherent Stile like sick Mens Dreams Varies all Shapes and mixes all Extreams Painters and Poets have been still allow'd Their Pencils and their Fancies unconfin'd This priviledge we freely give and take But Nature and the Common Laws of Sense Forbid to reconcile Antipathies Or make a Snake engender with a Dove And hungry Tygers court the tender Lambs Some that at first have promis'd mighty things Applaud themselves when a few slorid Lines Shine through th' insipid dulness of the rest Here they describe a Temple or a Wood Or Streams that through delightful Medows run And there the Rainbow or the rapid Rhine But they misplace them all and croud them in And are as much to seek in other things As he that only can design a Tree Would be to draw a Shipwreck or a Storm When you begin with so much Pomp and Show Why is the end so little and so low Be what you will so you be still the same Most Poets fall into the grossest faults Deluded by a seeming Excellence By striving to be short they grow Obscure And when they would write smoothly they want strength Their Spirits sink while others that affect A lofty Stile swell to a Tympany Some timerous wretches start at every blast And fearing Tempests dare not leave the Shore Others in love with wild variety Draw Boars in Waves
Thunder follows whose resistless Rage None can withstand and nothing can Asswage So oft the Light which those bright flashes gave Serves only to conduct us to our Grave When I had just begun Love's Joys to taste Those full Rewards for Fears and Dangers past A Fever seiz'd her and to nothing brought The richest Work that ever Nature Wrought All things below alas uncertain stand The firmest Rocks are fix'd upon the Sand Under this Law both Kings and Kingdoms bend And no beginning is without an end A Sacrifice to Time Fate dooms us all And at the Tyrant's Feet we daily fall Time whose bold hand alike does bring to dust Mankind and all those Powers in which they trust Her wasted Spirits now begin to faint Yet Patience ties her Tongue from all Complaint And in her Heart as in a Fort remains But yields at last to her resistless pains Thus while the Fever am'rous of his Prey Through all her Veins makes his delightful way Her Fate 's like Semile's the Flames destroy That Beauty they too eagerly enjoy Her charming Face is in its Spring decay'd Pale grow the Roses and the Lilies fade Her Skin has lost that lustre which surpast The Sun's and did deserve as long to last Her Eyes which us'd to pierce the firmest hearts Are now disarm'd of all their Flames and Darts Those Stars now heavily and slowly move And Sickness triumphs in the Throne of Love The Fever every moment more prevails Its rage her Body feels and Tongue bewails She whose disdain so many Lovers prove Sighs now for Torment as they sigh for Love And with loud Crys which rend the neighb'ring Air Wounds my sad heart and wakens my Despair Both Gods and Men I charge now with my loss And wild with Grief my Thoughts each other cross My Heart and Tongue labour in both extreams That sends up slighted Prayers while this blasphemes I ask their help whose malice I defie And mingle Sacriledge with Piety But that which does yet more perplex my mind To Love her truly I must seem unkind So unconcern'd a Face my Sorrow wears I must restrain unruly floods of Tears My Eyes and Tongue put on dissembling forms I shew a Calmness in the midst of Storms I seem to hope when all my hopes are gone And almost dead with grief discover none But who can long deceive a Loving Eye Or with dry Eyes behold his Mistress die When Passion had with all its terrours brought Th' approaching danger nearer to my Thought Off on a sudden fell the forc'd disguise And shew'd a sighing heart in weeping Eyes My apprehensions now no more confin'd Expos'd my sorrows and betray'd my mind The Fair Afflicted Soon perceives my Tears Explains my Sighs and thence concludes my Fears With sad Presages of her hopeless Case She reads her Fate in my dejected Face Then feels my Torment and neglects her own While I am Sensible of hers alone Each does the others burden kindly bear I fear her Death and she bewails my Fear Though we thus suffer under Fortune's Darts 'T is only those of Love which reach our Hearts Mean-while the Fever mocks at all our Fears Grows by our Sighs and rages at our Tears Those vain effects of our as vain desire Like Wind and Oyl increase the fatal fire Almeria then feeling the Destinies About to shut her Lips and close her Eyes Weeping in mine fix'd her fair trembling Hand And with these words I scarce could understand Her Passion in a dying Voice express'd Half and her Sighs alas made out the rest 'T is past this pang Nature gives o'er the strife Thou must thy Mistress Lose and I my Life I die but dying thine the Fates may prove Their Conquest over me but not my Love Thy Memory my Glory and my Pain In spight of Death it self shall still remain Ah! Dear Orontes my hard Fate denys That hope is the last thing which in us dies From my griev'd Breast all those soft Thoughts are fled And Love survives although my Hope is dead I yield my Life but keep my Passion yet And can all thoughts but of Orontes quit My flame increases as my strength decays Death which puts out the light the heat does raise That still remains though I from hence remove I lose my Lover but I keep my Love The Sigh which sent forth that last tender word Up towards the Heav'ns like a bright Meteor soar'd And the Kind Nymph bereft of all her Charms Fell cold and breathless in her Lover's Arms Which shews since Death could deny him relief That 't is in vain we hope to die with grief Goddess who now my Fate has understood Spare but my Tears and freely take my Blood Here let me end the Story of my Cares My Dismal Grief enough the rest declares Judge thou by all this Misery display'd Whether I ought not to implore thy aid Thus to survive reproaches on me draws And my sad wishes have too Just a Cause Come then my only hope in every place Thou visitest Men tremble at thy Face And fear thy Name once let thy fatal hand Fall on a Swain that does the blow demand Vouchsafe thy Dart I need not one of those With which thou dost unwilling Kings depose Thy weakest my desir'd release can bring And free my Soul already on her wing But since all Prayers and Tears are vain I 'll try If spite of thee 't is possible to dy A PARAPHRASE On the CXLVIII PSALM By the Earl of Roscommon OAzure Vaults O Crystal Sky The World 's transparent Canopy Break your long silence and let Mortals know With what contempt you look on things below Wing'd Squadrons of the God of War Who Conquer wheresoe'er you are Let Echoing Anthems make his Praises known On Earth his Foot-stool as in Heaven his Throne Great Eye of All whose Glorious Ray Rules the bright Empire of the Day O praise his Name without whose purer Liglit Thou hadst been hid in an Abyss of Night Ye Moon and Planets who dispence By God's Command your Influence Resign to him as your Creatour due That Veneration which Men pay to you Fairest as well as first of things From whom all Joy all Beauty springs O praise the Almighty Ruler of the Globe Who useth thee for his Empyreal Robe Praise him ye loud harmonious Sphaeres Whose Sacred Stamp all Nature bears Who did all Forms from the rude Chaos draw And whose Command is th' universal Law Ye wat'ry Mountains of the Sky And you so far above our Eye Vast ever-moving Orbs Exalt his Name Who gave its being to your Glorious Frame Ye Dragons whose Contagious Breath Peoples the dark Retreats of Death Change your fierce hissing into joyful Song And praise your Maker with your forked Tongue Praise him ye Monsters of the Deep That in the Seas vast Bosoms sleep At whose Command the foaming Billows roar Yet know their Limits Tremble and Adore Ye Mists and Vapours Hail and Snow And you who through the Concave
Antlers stand Which every Year kind Nature does disband Wild Beasts sometimes in peace and quiet are But Man no season frees from Love or War With equal strength they met as if two Oaks Had fell and mingled with a thousand stroaks One by Ambition urg'd t'other Disdain One to Preserve the other fought to Gain The Subjects and the Mistresses stood by With Love and Duty to crown Victory For all Affections wait on prosperous Fame Not he that climbs but he that falls meets shame While thus with equal Courages they meet The wounded Earth yields to their strugling Feet And while one slides t'other pursues the Fight And thinks that forc't Retreat looks like a Flight But then asham'd of his Retreat at length Drives his Foe back his Rage renews his strength As even Weights into a motion thrown By equal turns drive themselves up and down So sometimes one then t'other Stag prevails And Victory yet doubtful holds the Scales The Prince asham'd to be oppos'd so long With all his strength united rushes on The Rebel weaker than at first appears And from his Courage sinks unto his Fears Not able longer to withstand his might From a Retreat at last steals to a Flight The mighty Stag pursues his flying Foe Till his own pride of Conquest made him slow Thought it enough to scorn a thing that flies And only now pursu'd him with his Eyes The Vanquish'd as he fled turn'd back his sight Asham'd to flie and yet afraid to fight Sometimes his Wounds as his excuse survay'd Then fled again and then look'd back and stay'd Blush't that his Wounds so slight should not deny Strength for a fight that left him strength to flie Calls thoughts of Love and Empire to his aid But fears more powerful than all those perswade And yet in spight of them retains his shame His Cool'd ambition and his half-quench'd flame There 's none from their own sence of shame can flie And dregs of Passions dwell with misery Now to the Shades he bends his feeble course Despis'd by those that once Admir'd his force The Wretch that to a scorn'd Condition's thrown With the World's favour loses too his own While fawning Troops their Conquering Prince enclos'd Now render'd absolute by being oppos'd Princes by Disobedience get Command And by new quench'd Rebellions firmer stand Till by the boundless offers of success They meet their Fate in ill-us'd happiness The vanquish't Stag to thickest shades repairs Where he finds safety punish't with his cares Thorough the Woods he rushes not but glides And from all searches but his own he hides Asham'd to live unwilling yet to lose That wretched life he knew not how to use In this Retirement thus he liv'd conceal'd Till with his Wounds his Fears were almost heal'd His antient Passions now began to move He thought again of Empire and of Love Then rouz'd himself and stretch'd at his full length Took the large measure of his mighty strength Then shook his loaded Head the shadow too Shook like a Tree where leaveless Branches grew Stooping to drink he sees it in the Streams And in the Woods hears clashing of his Beams No accident but does alike proclaim His growing strength and his encreasing shame Now once again resolves to try his Fate For Envy always is importunate And in the Mind perpetually does move A fit Companion for unquiet Love He thinks upon his Mighty Enemy Circl'd about with Pow'r and Luxury And hop'd his strength might sink in his desires Remembring he had wasted in such Fires Yet while he hop'd by them to overcome He wisht the others fatal joys his own Thus the unquiet Beast in safety lay Where nothing was to fear nor to obey Where he alone Commanded and was Lord Of every Bounty Nature did afford Choose Feasts for every Arbitrary sense An Empire in the state of Innocence But all the Feasts Nature before him plac't Had but faint relishes to his lost taste Sick Minds like Bodies in a Fever spent Turn Food to the Disease not Nourishment Sometimes he stole abroad and shrinking stood Under the shelter of the friendly Wood Casting his envious Eyes towards those Plains Where with Crown'd Joys his Mighty Rival Reigns He saw th' obeying Herd marching along And weigh'd his Rival's Greatness by the Throng Want takes false Measures both of Power and Joys And envy'd Greatness is but Crowd and Noise Not able to endure this hated sight Back to the Shades he flies to seek out Night Like Exiles from their Native Soils though sent To better Countreys think it Banishment Here he enjoy'd what t'other could have there The Woods as Shady and the Streams as Clear The Pastures more untainted where he fed And every Night chose out an unprest Bed But then his lab'ring Soul with Dreams was prest And found the greatest weariness in Rest His dreadful Rival in his sleep appears And in his Dreams again he fights and fears Shrinks at the stroaks of t'others Mighty Head Feels every wound and dreams how fast he fled At this he wakes and with his fearful Eyes Salutes the Light that Fleet the Eastern Skies Still half amaz'd looks round and held by fear Scarce can Believe no Enemy was near But when he saw his heedless fears were brought Not by a Substance but a drowsie Thought His ample sides he shakes from whence the Dew In scatter'd Showers like driven Tempests flew At which through all his Breast new boldness spread And with his Courage rais'd his Mighty Head Then by his Love inspir'd resolves to try The Combat now and overcome or die Every weak Passion sometimes is above The fear of Death much more the Noblest Love By Hope 't is scorn'd and by despair 't is fought Pursu'd by Honour and by Sorrow brought Resolv'd the paths of danger now to tread From his scorn'd shelter and his fears he fled With a brave haste now seeks a second Fight Redeems the base one by a Noble Flight In the mean time the Conqueror injoy'd That Power by which he was to be destroy'd How hard 't is for the Prosperous to see That Fate which waits on Power and Victory Thus he securely Raign'd when in a Rout He saw th' affrighted Heard flying about As if some Huntsmen did their Chace Pursue About themselves in scatter'd Rings they flew He like a careful Monarch rais'd his Head To see what Cause that strange disturbance bred But when the searcht-out Cause appear'd no more Then from a Slave he had o'ercome before A bold disdain did in his Looks appear And shook his Aweful Head to chide their Fear The Herd afraid of Friend and Enemy Shrink from the one and from the other Fly They scarce know which they should Obey or Trust Since Fortune only makes it Safe and Just. Yet in Despight of all his Pride he staid And this unlook't for Chance with Trouble weigh'd His Rage and his Contempt alike swell'd high And only fear'd his Enemy should Flie He thought of former
Achilles was in Battel Slain His Arms that Savage Conquerour durst not spoil But paid just Honours to his Funeral Pile Wood-Nymphs about his Grave have planted since A rural Monument to a mighty Prince Seven Brothers who seven Legions did Command Had the same Fate from the same murdering hand My Mother too who their sad Heir did reign With a vast Treasure was Redeem'd in vain For she soon clos'd her Empire and her Breath By Wretches last good fortune Sudden Death Thus Father Mother Brethern all is gone But they seem all alive in you alone To gain you those Endearments I have sold And like the Purchace if the Title hold Have pity then here in this Tower abide And round the Walls and Works your Troops divide But now the Greeks by both their Generals led Ajax Idomeneus Diomede With all their most experienc'd Chiefs and brave Three fierce Attacks upon the Out-works gave Some God their Courage to this pitch did raise Or this is one of Troy's unlucky Days Hector reply'd This you have said and more I have revolv'd in serious Thoughts before But I not half so much those Grecians fear As Carpet-Knights State-Dames and Flatterers here For they if ever I decline the Fight Miscall wise Conduct Cowardise and Flight Others may methods chuse the most secure My Life no middle Courses can endure Vrg'd by my own and my great Father's Name I must add something to our ancient Fame Embarqu'd in Ilium's Cause I cannot fly Will Conquer with it or must for it die But still some boding Genius does portend To all my Toils an Vnsuccessful end For how can Man with heavenly Powers contend The Day advances with the swiftest pace Which Troy and all her Glories shall deface Which Asia's sacred Empire shall confound And these proud Towers lay level with the ground But all compar'd with you does scarce appear When I presage your case I learn to fear When you by some proud Conqu'rour shall be led A mournful Captive to a Master's Bed Perhaps some haughty Dame your hands shall doom To Weave Troy's Downfal in a Grecian Loom Or lower yet you may be forc'd to bring Water to Argos from Hiperia ' s Spring And as you measure out the tedious way Some one shall pointing to his Neighbour say See to what Fortune Hector ' s Wife is brought That famous General that for Ilium fought This will renew your sorrows without end Depriv'd in such a Day of such a Friend But this is Fancy or before it I Low in the Dust will with my Country lie Then to his Infant he his Arms addrest The Child clung crying to his Nurse's Breast Scar'd at the burnish'd Arms and threat'ning Crest This made them smile whilst Hector doth unbrace His shining Helmet and disclos'd his Face Then dancing the pleas'd Infant in the Air Kiss'd him and to the Gods conceiv'd this Pray'r Jove and you Heavenly Powers whoever hear Hector's Request with a Propitious Ear Grant this my Child in Honour and Renown May equal me wear and deserve the Crown And when from some great Action he shall come Laden with Hostile Spoils in Triumph home May Trojans say Hector great things hath done But is surpass'd by his Illustrious Son This will rejoyce his tender Mothers Heart And sense of Joy to my pale Ghost impart Then in the Mothers Arms he puts the Child With troubl'd Joy in flowing Tears she smil'd Beauty and Grief shew'd all their Pompand Pride Whilst those soft Passions did her Looks divide This Scene even Hector's Courage melted down But soon recovering with a Lover's Frown Madam says he these Fancies put away I cannot Die before my fatal Day Heaven when we first take in our vital Breath Decrees the way and moment of our Death Women should fill their Heads with Womens Cares And leave to Men unquestion'd Mens Affairs A Truncheon sutes not with a Ladies Hand War is my Province that in chief Command The Beauteous Princess silently withdrew Turns oft and with sad wishing Eyes does her Lords Steps pursue Pensive to her Apartment she returns And with Prophetick Tears approaching Evils mourns Then tells all to her Maids officious they His Funeral Rites to living Hector pay Whilst forth he rushes through the Scoean Gate Does his own part and leaves the rest to Fate ON A POET Who Writ in the Praise of SATYR By the Earl of Rochester TO vex and torture thy unmeaning Brain In Satyr's praise to a low untun'd strain In thee was most impertinent and vain When in thy Person we more plainly see That Satyr's of Divine Authority For God made one on Man when he made thee In whom are all those Contradictions joyn'd That make a Fop prodigious and refin'd A Lump deform'd and shapeless wert thou born Begot in Love's despight and Nature's scorn And art grown up the most ungainly Wight Harsh to the Ear and hideous to the Sight Yet Love's thy Business Beauty thy Delight Curse on that silly hour that first inspir'd Thy Longing to Admire and be Admir'd To paint thy Grizly Face to Dance to Dress And all those awkard Motions that express Thy Loathsome Love and Filthy Daintiness Who needs will be an Ugly Beau Garsoon Spit at and scorn'd by every Girl in Town Where dreadfully Love's Scare-crow thou art plac'd To fright the tender Flock who long to taste For none so Lewd and Silly yet have prov'd Where thou mad'st Love t' endure to be Belov'd 'T were Counsel lost or else I would advise But thy half Wit will ne'er let thee be Wise Half Witty and half Mad and scarce half Brave Half Honest which is very much a Knave Made up of All those Halves thou canst not pass For any thing intirely but an Ass. A FAREWEL TO LOVE ONce more Love 's mighty Chains are broke His Strength and Cunning I defie Once more I have thrown off his Yoke And am a Man and do despise the Boy Thanks to her Pride and her Disdain And all the Follies of a scornful Mind I had ne'er possest my Heart again If Fair Miranda had been kind Welcome Fond Wanderer as Ease And Plenty to a Wretch in pain That worn with Want and a Disease Enjoys his Health and all his Friends again Let others waste their Time and Youth Watch and look pale to gain a peevish Maid And learn too late this dear-bought Truth At length they 're sure to be betray'd By a Person of HONOVR * THough Phillis your prevailing Charms Have forc'd me from my Celia's Arms That kind defence against all Powers But those resistless Eyes of yours Think not your Conquest to maintain By Rigour and unjust disdain In vain fair Nymph in vain you strive For Love does seldom Hope survive My Heart may Languish for a time Whilst all your Glories in their prime Can justifie such Cruelty By the same force that Conquer'd me When Age shall come at whose command Those Troops of Beauties must disband A Tyrant's strength once took