your Ear 'T is a strange Mystery But a grand Truth if Popular you 'd be Faith spare your Pains and Write Ex-tempore The Ignorant AN Ignorant I am And Glory in the Name ' I wot not what of yore Rash Furioso's did Nor what the dreaming Sages said I cannot run a List of Old Rome's Tryumphs ore 'T was Knowledge first to Ruin led us on For with this Mortal Itch possest The happy Pair Transgrest Needs must they Know they Knew and were Undone And to this Hour our Mis'ries sole Relief Consists in Ignorance of our Grief Then plodding Mortal cease To boast your dear-bought Faculties For since with Knowledge Sorrow must encrease Let such as on those Terms can Science prize Improve in Science but for me So I may Ignorant and Happy be I 'le ne'r Repine or look with envious Eyes On the Unhappy Learn'd and Miserable Wise. The Beldam's Song APpear my Kib-welkin dear Spirit appear In the Shape Of an Ape A Fire-spitting Dragon or Clump-footed Bear Madge has whoopt me twice from her Ivy-bound Oak And twice have I heard the dull Night-Raven croak Let me stride thee my Welkin and post it away Ere the Moon Reach her Noon For the Night is the Wey-ward Sister's Day Through the Air let us take our fantastical Round And sipp of the Dew While 't is New Ere the Honey-drops fall to the Ground But when we are mounted and in our Carear Make neither Hault nor Stay And to none give the Way Tho Hecat her self shou'd be rounding the Air. For once I 'le encounter And try to dismount her Pitch her Heels over Head To some Quagg-mire below and Reign Queen in her stead Bustle bustle my Kib and be sure e're we part Thou shalt Suck at the Dugg that is next to my Heart The Inconstant A Paraphrase on the XV. Epod of Horace PRecisely I remember All 't was Night Calm Skye and the full Moon shone bright When first you Swore that bleating Flocks shou'd feed With Wolves nor other Keepers need That boistrous Winds husht in Eternal sleep Shou'd cease to Revel on the Deep You Vow'd that these and Prodigies more strange Shou'd fall e're your fixt Heart cou'd change Yet Woman-like to your new Fav'rite now Unswear as oft as you did Vow Ah! if I cou'd and sure if half a man Or some what less than half I can Cou'd I in just Resentment quit your Chain And with more caution chuse again Nymph you 'd Repent my wrongs when flying Fame Shou'd publish to your grief and shame How your wrong'd Swain had found a Nymph more True And equal in her Charms to You. But Treach'rous Rival you that reap my Toils And Pride your self in my stoln spoils Shou'd Fates and Stars Adopt you for their own And show'r their richest Blessings down Nought shou'd secure you from the sure Praesage Of an Offended Poet's Rage The time shall come and to inhance your sear Know Wretch that fatal time is near When you shall perish by th' Inconstancy Of Her that first learnt breach of Faith from thee Whilst from the safe shore your sad wreck I see Of the Ape and the Fox A Paraphrase on one of the Centum Fabulae TO his four-footed Subjects through the Nation The King of Bruits thus issues Proclamation Being well informed we have incurr'd Disgrace By Harb'ring in our Realm a Scandalous Race A Sect that have No Tails These Presents are T' enjoyn such Miscreants All and singular Strait to depart our Land or on Demurr Our Laws Grand-Treason Penalties incurr Sly Reynard strait sists out this state Design Turns Goods and Chattels All to ready Coyn. The unprojecting Neighbour-hood Admire And Flock th' Occasion of his March t' Enquire Where 'mongst the Rest the ceremonious Ape Accosts him with Grimmace and formall Scrape Bon jour Monsieur You pass for a prime Witt But in this Project give small Proof of it We of the Cur-tailed Tripe b'express Command Of our great Cham prepare to quitt the Land But why Sir shou'd you Budge Whose Posterns bear A Swashing Train well furrd to guard your Rear Had Nature lent me but an Inch of Dock A Tust to Shade or Scutt to grace my Nock I shou'd Presume I had no Obligation From the late Act to take this Peregrination Then thus the Fox You 've spoke an Oracle Doubtless your Gravity reads Machiavill I must Confess I 've no pretence to rail Or Curse my starrs for stinting me in Tail But grant my Train might with a Commet's measure Suppose withall that 't were his Highness Pleasure To say I 've None which if he once Assert Nere doubt but he has Sycophants will swear 't Thus charg'd shou'd I attempt my own Defence To give his Lawless Tyranny Pretence 'T is Odds but I am Dockt upon the Spott And then for want of Tail poor Reynard goes to Pot. The Round HOw Vain a Thing is Man whom Toyes Delight And shdadows Fright Variety of Impertinence Might give our Dotage some Pretence But to a Circle bound We Toil in a dull Round We sitt move Eat and Drink We Dress Undress Discourse and Think By the same Passions hurri'd on Imposing or Impos'd upon We pass the time in Sport or Toil We Plow the Seas or Safer Soil Thus all that we Project and Do We did it many a year agoe VVe Travel still a beaten way And yet how eager rise we to pursue Th' affairs of each returning day As if its Entertainments were Surprizing All and New The Male Content MOngst winding Rocks his swelling griefs t' allay The disappointed Thirsis took his way In the Wild Clifts a natu'ral Vaut he found With woven Ivye Cheaply deckt around He rusht into the Solitary Nook Where into these Pathetick Sounds he broke Oh when will Nature take the life she gave And Lodge me free from Trouble in the Grave Sleep there alone deserves the Name of Rest No frightfull Dreams the sleep of Death infest Whilst shrouded in this marble Cell I Lye What can be more Commodious than to Dye Each Object Here wears such a mournfull Face That Dying seems the Business of the Place Here from the wrangling VVorld I will Retire And as I Liv'd Unknown Unknown Expire Then let that hanging Rock that shades my Head Sink down and shutt this Vaut when I am Dead Rude as it is this Marble Cell wou'd save Th'expensive Rites that formall Burialls crave It self my Cossin Monument and Grave The Dream BEneath the Syc'more shade Amintas sat to sing and Play On his shrill pipe i'th'Heat o' th Day His Amarill beside him laid Charm'd with the Musick of his Reed The listning Ewes forgat to Feed The sportive Lambs gave ore their Play And to their Master's Song attentive lay The Song as Soft and Innocent as They Mean while on the pleas'd Amari'll A downy slumber fell 'Till with a Sigh and Suddain start She ' woke and Cry'd Heav'n save my Swain Are you not hurt I will provide a Dart
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
Fate But the fixt Lot of Humane State Since then this Portion is Assign'd By the great Patron of Mankind Though nere so darkly Understood We shou'd presume the Method Good Heav'n do's its tendrest Care express Conducting through a Wilderness Lest Sluggards we shou'd Take our Stand And stop short of the Promis'd Land Disswasion of an Aged Friend from Leaving his Retirement IN Life's unactive Wane your shades forsake And into th' World a Sally make Deluded Friend what Surfett have you tane Of Bliss that now you long for Pain The Favourites of th'austere World are Few Yet They have their disasters too What therefore must your Entertainment be That have profest Hostility You have not learnt to Flatter and Caress The Great for faithless Promises When Disappointed Thankfull to Appear And say How much Oblig'd you are For Lucre you must Practise every Wile Defraud and do it with a Smile Worldlings with many Vices must be fraught Which you my Friend were never Taught Well you may Roam but soon Return distrest Wounded and Maim'd to your Old Nest. Recovering from a Fit of Sickness I. VVHen late the tyrannous Malady With intermitted Rage Seem'd to presage Or Suddain Health or Dissolution nigh False World said I that Steal'st my reall Joyes Shuffling in stead thy changeling Toys Begone I 'le not be brib'd at any Rate To sell m'approaching Fate And Re-assume that Toilsome Task to Live I prize not Grandieur and I know Were I thy Favourite as I'm thy Foe What I affect thou never canst bestow I 'd have Content but That was never Thine to give Remove that Taper from my sight Th' impertinent Light Presents no gratefull Object to my View Ev'n those Fair Eyes that Planets once appear'd The only Planets I rever'd To my dim sight seâ—m now t' have Lost their Lustre too II. Thus Musing as I Lay to my Bedside Attir'd in all his Mourning Pride The King of Terrours came Awfull his Looks but not dâ—formed and Grim He 's no such Bug-bear as we seign of Hâ—m Scarce we our selves so Civiliz'd and Tame Unknown the Doom assign'd me in this Change For full Crimes and imperfect Penitence Though justly I might dread the Strickt Revenge Of an Enrag'd Omnipotence Yet with my present Griefs distrest With curious Thoughts of unknown Worlds possest Inflam'd with Thirst of Liberty Long Lov'd but nere Enjoy'd by me Iâ—su'd for Leave the fatall Gulf to Pass My Vitall Sand is almost run And Death said I will strike anon Then to dull Life I bid along Farewell But as the last grains fell Death faild my credulous Hopes and Turn'd the Glass The Challenge YE Sages that pretend In Science to Transcend The dull illit'rate Crowd You that of Ignorance impeach Ere your Pretences be allow'd Define that Prudence which you Teach I fear 't is much above your Learning's Reach Prudence has no fixt Being but depends On Person Time and Chance And every petty Circumstance Actions directed to the Self-same ends May prudent th' one the other peccant be For what would prove Discreet in Thee Perhaps were wild Extravagance in Me. The Ants are Wise that from their Summer Hoard Supply their Winter Board And doubtless full as wise as They The Grashoppers that Play And Revell all their Harvest Days away For 't were in Them a Sensless Drudgery To Toil for a Supply In Winter's Dearth that must ere Winter Die The Cure A Dialogue Claius and Coridon Claius COme Coridon Sit by me gentle Swain Thy Cheek is pale Speak Shepheard where 's thy Pain Cor. Say Claius Priest of our great Pan for you Of Humane Science th' utmost Limits know Is Physicks pow'r to th' Bodies use confin'd Have you no Medicine for a troubled Mind Clai Yes for as Balsoms raging Pains appease Sage Councells to distemper'd Souls give ease Ev'n Love is no incurable Disease Ha Swain What meant that Suddain blush and start Have I guest right and toucht the tender Part Cor. I wou'd Conceal 't but have not learnt to Feign You 've guest and while you Nam'd it Wakt my Pain Clai T' effect the Cure we 'll take the Safest course And Trace the Malady to its first Scource Say then what Female Gims and Baits were laid Or was your fond Soul by its self betray'd Cor. When from Severer Business I withdrew Twixt Love and Me a fatall Friendship grew Such was my Ignorance and his Craft my Brest Admitted the Impostor for its Guest With my Hearts Blood our Covenant we seal'd A Solemn Contract nere to be repeal'd Then all Delights young Sorcerers Enjoy A While did my deluded Soul employ Love fed my waking Thoughts with glorious Theams And blest my Slumbers with transporting Dreams When at an awfull Distance I survey'd My Nymph Transported to my self I said Ah Charming Fair Oh Excellence Divine Whilst Love wou'd Whispering Answer Swaine She 's Thine Clai Thus Whilst from far our high-plac't Hopes appear The Gulfs between Conceal'd we deem them Neer Cori. Yet boldly through all Obstacles I prest Clai Why therefore Shepheard are you not possest Cori. Force not th' Unwilling secret from my Brest There let it Lurk in Sympathizing Night And never roam from its dark Cell to Fright Let it suffice that on a Barren Soil I 've Lost of many years th' Expence and Toil. Clai Do's the false Nymph The VVages you so dearly Earn'd refuse Cori. My self I cannot will not her Accuse But my Releif must from your Councells Rise Examine not good Claius but Advise Bring your best Art for 't will your best require T'unspell my soul from Love's tormenting Fire Clai Call Reason to your Aid you 'l put to flight The Foe not to be quell'd by other Might Of happiest Love's Delights Sum up th' Account And Learn to what the Totall will amount Then in the Ballance Love's Vexations Weigh How certain These and how uncertain They. Sordid his joyes and of delight so nice That Female Coyness only gives them Price Short-liv'd the warmest Amorist's Desires At Kindling Hymen's oft Love's Torch expires There are that from Large Dow'rs derive their Flame And These in full Career pursue their Game They wreck their Witts the Golden Prize to gain But dream not how that Gold is wrought into a Chain Cor. When late Love 's false suggestions I Obey'd 'T was in Pursuit of Happiness I strayd My credulous Youth had seen no brighter Flame And Streight Concluded that from Heaven it came In Errour 's Night Love's Fire shone bright and gay But at th' approach of Reasons conqu'ring Ray The Meteor's lost in the full Blaze of Day Clai Mistake not Swain I wou'd not Quench your Flame But slip your Passion at a Nobler Game Wave Sensual joys and with a Flame refind Court those Diviner Pleasures of the Mind To sacred Virtue next make your Address Confess you 've no Regard of Happiness Or Live henceforth of Virtue 's service proud The brightest Beauty and the best endow'd She 'll guard your Youth
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