Board Spread wide from Pole to Pole Sufficient Treats afford To satisfie our craving Soul Produce what Wealth the Sea contains Or sleeps in Indian Veins Th' insatiate Mind will gorge the Store And call for more II. The Food of Angels of immortal kind Can only feast the Hunger of the 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 Lib. 1. Epigr. CX De Issa Catellâ Publii Issa much to be preferr'd To Catullus amorous Bird Chaster thou than Stella's Dove Yet fond as Girls when first they love Issa worth both Indies Treasure Issa Publius's Life and Pleasure Issa mourns if he complain Issa shares his Health and Pain All Night on his warm Neck she lies Not stirs till He 's dispos'd to rise Unless constrain'd by Natures call And then the cleanly Animal Still wakes him with her gentle Moan Entreating to be handed down But passing other Vertues by Such is Issa's Modesty She ne'er cou'd love tho' daily woo'd By Shocks of Quality and Blood But mindful of her Mortal State Form nor Vertue 's free from Fate To countermand the rigid Law Publius did her Picture draw Where Art with Nature so does strive You 'd swear they 're Pictures both or both alive The Confinement OFt have I for m'd Idea's of Content But by Experience knew not what it meant At length I strove to Counter-plot my Stars And free my Soul by some kind Charm from Cares Beneath a Jessimine Shade my Lute I strung Where with diverting Airs I play'd and sung The grateful sounds compos'd my Cares to sleep And o'er me now they seem'd no Watch to keep Thrice blest said I this long expected Hour That frees me from my cruel Goaler's Pow'r I fled but soon was by the waking Guard Pursu'd o'er-tane and laid again in Ward Since which Escape more hardly I am us'd A Pris'ner's common Courtesies refus'd Prest with more Chains with stricter Guard detain'd From Sleep the vilest Slave's Relief restrain'd On Snow fall'n in Autumn and dissolv'd by the Sun I. NAture now stript of all her Summer Dress And modestly supposing 't were unfit For each rude Eye to view her Nakedness Around her bare Limbs wraps this snowy Sheet II. The wanton Sun the slender Shroud removes T' embrace the naked Dame whose fertile Womb Admits the lusty Paramour's warm Loves And is made big with the fair Spring to come Melancholy I. MAlignant Honour Poyson to my Blood Bane of these Spirits that were wont to glide And sport within the Circling Tide As Fish expire in an infected Flood When all th' Horizon of my Soul is clear And I suspect no Change of Weather near Streight like a suddain Storm I find Thy black Fumes gath'ring in my Mind Transforming all to Egyptian Darkness there Darkness where nothing comes in sight But Flashes more amazing than the Night And siery Spectres through the troubled Air. II. Sleep that in other Maladies brings Ease Feeds and enrages this Disease For when my weary Lidds I close And slumber 't is without Repose This Fury still into my Dreams will creep To hagg my tim'rous Fancy while I sleep Through Charnel Houses then I 'm led Those gloomy Mansions of the dead Where pensive Ghosts by their lov'd Reliques stay And curse the Breaking Day Sometimes by cruel Foes pursu'd and tane Oft Ship-wreckt on the Main Beneath the Floods I seem to dive In Sarra's Desart oft engage Some Savage Monster 's Rage Or Typhon-like beneath a Mountain's Weight I strive III. Might I the Book of Fate peruse To read the Lot for me design'd I should perhaps auspicious find Those Planets I accuse But whilst for Information I Consult the false Astrology Of Melancholly Fear Dark and o'er-cast my future Days appear All possible Misfortunes while I dread I draw all possible Misfortunes on my Head Who seeks for Happiness with nicest Care Must watch its Seasons and frequent its Haunt Delight is a rich tender Plant That springs not in all Soils and all the Year 'T is like the Manna that in plenty lay If early sought around Each Hebrews Tent but if till Heat of Day Their Search they did delay Th' Ambrosial Food was no where to be found On a Grave Sir retiring to Write in Order to undeceive the World SUrely of all well-meaning Fools thy Fate Is most deplorably unfortunate Hadst thou Domitian-like in catching Flies Employ'd thy Privacy thou hadst been wise For what shou'd hinder thee but thou mayst catch As fast as he and be the Emp'rour's Match But whilst thy solitary Hours are spent In scribling tedious Systems to prevent The Worlds Mistakes its Follies to reform Thou may'st as well pretend to lay a Storm Go cut the Caspian Lake a Road to th' Ocean Contrive an Engine with perpetual Motion Make Politicians of the Wappin-Rout Jilts constant Brokers honest Bawds devout But prethee never fondly thus devise To make this Hair-brain'd World grow staid and wise In Youth or Prime when likeliest to improve No Precepts this besotted World cou'd move And wilt thou at these Years begin to School Dull Moralist the crazy doating Fool Go dreaming Stoick once again retire And since the Name of Wise thou dost aspire To shew thy Judgment set thy Works on Fire On a deform'd Old Bawd designing to have her Picture drawn I. THy Picture drawn foul Beldame Thine What Frenzy haunts thy mind And drives Thee on this vile Design T' affront all Woman-kind II. For whilst thy swarthy Cankard Face Posterity shall view They 'll loath the fairest of the Race For sharing Sex with you III. To some forlorn Church-yard repair And Haggard thou shalt see The siercest Goblin will not dare To stand the Sight of thee IV. Those Ghosts that strike with Pannick-Fear The Breasts of stoutest Braves At thy Approach will disappear And Burrough in their Graves V. Fix thy Essigies on the Shield Of some bold Knight in Arms T will aid him more to win the Field Than all his Lady's Charms Advice to a Friend publishing his Poems FOrbear my Friend this rash Design t' engage An ignorant ill-natur'd Age In vain your labour'd Numbers shall excell Where Clinch and Dogril serve as well For were the Poets Business but to please There were no Task of greater Ease Where Midas is the Judge let none admire Pans's Pipe preferr'd to Plaebus Lyre The gawdy Painting takes the vulgar Sight Whilst artful Pieces less delight In vain is Nature represented well Where not the Workmanship but Colours sell Ev'n so if popular you mean to be 'Faith spare your Pains and write extempore The Ignorant AN Ignorant I am And Glory in the Name I know not what of yore The hot-brain'd wrangling Heroes did Nor what the dreaming Sages said I cannot run a List of Old Rome's Triumphs o'er 'T
mutual Passion 's Kindling Flame was more Then ere inspir'd Consenting Hearts before But was with time Improv'd to that Degree 'T was now no longer Love but Extasie Endearments such as Fate cou'd not divorce Nor Death it self 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 Watch and ore his Ashes wept Fit emblem of her grief a sprigg of Yew She planted there the Branch took Root and grew The Sun to this close Cell no Beam cou'd guide No Rain or Dew the thirsting Leaves Supply'd Say then from whence the Growth and Verdure came The Ashes still retain'd their Masters Flame Whose Am'rous Warmth the absent Sun Supplies And never-ceasing Showrs Emmoria's Eyes This Heat and Moisture kept the Plant alive And Tempering still each other made it Thrive The three First Verses of the 46th Psalm Paraphas'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 hurl'd Their violent Career might shake the World But our fix'd Feet shou'd keep their Ground Our Heads shou'd o'er-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' its raging Waters roar And swell in Mountains vast as those Which their unfathom'd Depths had gorg'd before This most impertinently angry Main With its own Rocks fierce Combat may maintain But can no more our Passions discompose Than when some shallow Fountain we survey Contesting with each Pibble for its Way The Mid-Night Thought NOw that the twinkling Stars essay A faint Resemblance of the Day Shewn fairer now for being set In Night like Diamonds in Jett Let me repos'd within this Grove The solemn Season once improve Restless Alss from Sun to Sun A Round of Business I have run Whilst others slept projecting lay My Night as thoughtful as my Day Yet thought not once to what Account All those Thinkings did amount How long since I did meditate Of Life of Death and future State Approaching Fate his Pace will keep Let Mortals watch or let them sleep What Sound is that a Passing Bell Then to Eternity farewell Poor Soul whose Doom one Hour shall show Eternal Bliss or endless Woe If Vertues Laws thou hast despis'd How wou'd that Vertue now be priz'd Or say thou didst in our loose Age On her forsaken Side engage Would'st thou the dear Remembrance now For the Worlds Monarchy forgoe What other Medicine canst thou sind T' asswage the Fever in thy Mind Now wakened Conscience speaks at large And envious Fiends enhaunce the Charge Let the bold Atheist now draw near And try thy drooping Heart to chear His briskest Wine and Wit to thee Will now alike inspiid be In Death's Arrest the Hector's Sword As little Service can afford Who hopes for Rescue here will fail And the grim Serjeant Takes no Bail The Counter-Turn BEhold that Pile of Skulls but chiefly there That Mossy Skull survey Observe if the Sage Front does now display Plots Projects and Nocturnal Care Methinks it shou'd for once it did belong To one whose Policy cou'd shake a State And trusted he cou'd baffle Fate Who wou'd have sought that Head-piece in this Through He promis'd once that Skull a Crown In lowest Earth he founded the Design With Heav'n the tow'ring Roof did joyn 'Till with a suddain Storm of Fate o'erthrown The Fabrick fell on the Contriver's 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 We strive in vain The happy Port to gain For oft as clouded Reason disappears We cannot fail to rove afar Mistaking each false Meteor for our Star How dismal are the Perils we engage When 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 daily Throng Whom Syren pleasures as they sail along Seduce to that dead Shore Where they themselves saw others wreckt before The Choice GRant me indulgent Heav'n a rural Seat Rather contemptible than great Where though I taste Life's Sweets still I may be Athirst for Immortality I wou'd have Business but exempt from Strife A private but an active Life A Conscience bold and punctual 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 Mortal two such Grants may crave From silent Life I 'd steal into my Grave On Sight of some Martyrs Sepulchres HEre lies Dust confusedly hurl'd But Dust that once shall judge the World Blest Saints when Foes mistaken Rage Releas'd your Spirits from their Cage But can no more our Passions discompose Th' ambitious Fire strove to convey Your Souls on their triumphant way But wing'd with Glory they aspir'd And left the Flames behind them tir'd Of Vice and Vertue LEt Vice no more in her full Train take pride Who follow Vertue chuse a suff'ring Side She 's exil'd now and 't is not strange to see Mean Souls desert afflicted Majesty But when just Heav'n and sure that time draws on Restores this Empress to her Starry Throne With Crowns she will enrich her Loyal Few Whilst Shame and Vengeance crush the Rebel Crew To a Desponding Friend REpine not pensive Friend to meet A Thorn and Sting in every 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 ne'er so darkly understood We shou'd presume the Method Good Heav'n does its rendrest Care express Conducting through a Wilderness Lest Sluggards we should 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 Surfeit have you tane Of Bliss that now you long for Pain The Favourites of this hard World are few And they have their Disasters too What therefore must your Entertainment be That have profest Hostility You have not learnt to slatter and caress The Great for faithless Promises When disappointed thankful 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. WHen late the Fev'rish Malady With intermitted Rage And certain Symptoms did presage My suddain Health or Dissolution nigh False World said I that steal'st my real Joys And shufflest in their stead thy changeling Toys Begone I 'll not be brib'd at
Shakespear's Praise each Rustick knows With various Flowers a Garland to compose That strung by his course Hand may fairer show But 't was a Pow'r Divine first made 'em grow Why shou'd these Scenes lie hid in which we find What may at once delight and teach the Mind Morals were always proper for the Stage But are ev'n necessary in this Age. Poets must take the Churches teaching Trade Since Priests their Province of Intrigue invade But we the worst in this Exchange have got In vain our Poets preach while Church-men plot EPILOGUE INconstancy the reigning Sin o' th' Age Will scarce endure true Lovers on the Stage You hardly ev'n in Plays with such dispense And Poets kill 'em in their own Defence Yet one bald Proof I was resolv'd to give That I could three Hours Constancy out-live You sear perhaps while on the Stage we 're made Such Saints we shall indeed take up the Trade Sometimes we threaten but our Vertue may For Truth I fear with your Pit-Valour weigh Where not to statter either I much doubt When we are off the Stage and you are out We are not quite so coy nor you so stout We talk of Nunneries but to be sincere Whoever hopes to see us Cloyster'd there May hope to meet our Criticks at Tangier Well since ye are for blust'ring in the Pit This Play 's Reviver humbly does admit Your abs'lute Power to damn his part of it But still so many Master-Torches shine Of that great Hand that first laid this Design That in great Shakespear's Right he 's bold to say The Play your Judgment damns not you the Play To Mr. L. Maidwell on his New Grammar THus early for that Homage we make way Which late Posterity shall better pay To form a Verse as perfect as our Theam The Air of Pindus and Pirene's Stream Assist too feebly our Recourse must be For just Expression to thy Book and thee From thy own Stores thy Tribute we must raise For who best learns thy Precepts best can praise How heavily till now our Youth were bred With painful Progress to the Muses led Through Clouds of Terms to Science did proceed Nor learnt their Grammar's Use till past the need Who sped the best but late arriv'd the Coast The greater part on Rocks of Error lost So ignorant the Pilot still appear'd So false the Card it self by which they steer'd Till thou in gen'rous Pity didst impart To weeping Youth this perfect Scheme of Art Whose ready Method doubly eas'd their way More short the Journey and more bright the Day Thy Art like Moses on the Mount appears Shews at one View the Search of many years So short and clear all thy Instructions lie They teach the Mind not load the Memory Thy Tree performs for Boys more Wonders now Than for the Heroe Virgil's Golden Bough With this bright Charm each cheerful Youth invades The Muses World through darkest Authors Shades What Progress then in Learning must be made When half the Building 's in the Basis laid An Attempt on the Ode of Assumption By Mr. Crashaw I. HEark she is call'd the parting Hour is come Poor World take thy Farewell Heav'n must on Earth no longer dwell Take Leave poor world for Heav'n must now go home Heav'ns Bride must home then all the Stars more bright Whose Lamps for her Arrival deck the Sky See where her Chariot mounts whilst in her Flight She gives the Crystal Sphere more glorious Light And wakes into broad Fire the sleeping Galaxie II. Heark she is call'd the dear Immortal Dove Sighs to his Silver-Mate rise up my Love Arise my fair my spotless one The stormy Winter's past the Rain is gone The Spring is come the Flow'rs appear No Sweets but thou are wanting here Then come away my Love The Pomp the Court of Heav'n are come With all the Starry Host to wait thee home There 's not one Guardian Seraph left above The Glories of the Spring appear Or quickly would if thou wert here The Spring is come or if it stay 'T is only to keep Time withthy Delay The Rain is gone except so much as we Retain in Tears to weep the want of thee The gloomy Water's past Or if he make less Haste His Answer is that she is slow If Summer come not how can Winter go Come my Love make haste away The shrill Winds chide the Waters weep thy stay The Fountains murmur and each lofty Tree Bends low his Leasy Top to look for thee III. She 's call'd again and she will now away Heav'n will not and she cannot stay Go then rise glorious on the Golden Wings Of Heav'ns bright Youth while each thy triumph sings Whose Numbers yet a Flight more lofty take Than what their own immortal Pinions make And tho our Notes are far less sweet and strong Yet our best Harmony we 'll send Her rising Glories to attend And strive at least to reach her with our Song In Heav'ns own Anthem we will bear our parts Hail Holy happy Queen of humble Hearts Maria Men and Angels sing Maria Mother of th' Eternal King Live Queen of Heav'n the Cherub's sacred Mirth Restorer and Protectress of the Earth Live thou that gav'st Eternity a Birth Thus far our Numbers which with Grief we see Short of our own Desires much more of thee And now our Mortal Airs have done their best Divinest Angels come and sing the rest The Three First Chapters of Job The First Chapter THe Land of Vzz by Nature much was blest But more that Righteous Job her Soil possest None worshipt Heav'n with such Religious Care Nor of its Blessings held so large a Share Sev'n Princely Sons three beauteous Daughters grac't The Patriarch's Court his Field increast more fast His Flocks and Herds in thousands he could see The plenteous East knew none so rich as he The Sons to weekly Treats each other call And in their Course appoint the Festival As oft did Job his pious Prayers renew And Sacrifices to their Number slew Lest in the warmth said he of Mirth and Wine The Youth forget or curse the Pow'r Divine Such was his Practice Now approacht the Day When all Jehovah's Sons in solemn way Appear'd before him Satan too was there For what will not industrious Malice dare From whence said God From ranging far and wide Thine Earth for Prey the sullen Fiend reply'd And hast thou said th' Almighty hast thou found In all the Search of that thy spacious Round A Saint-like Job my Servant scarce in Thought Transgressing And does Job serve God for nought The Fiend returns Are not thine Arms his Fence Stands not his House hedg'd round with Providence What wants thy Servant Man can happy call Well may he yield thee Praise who giv'st him all Peace Plenty Power what can he cover more My own black Tribe could bless on such a Score But check those vast Rewards that makes him just Consume his Substance lay his Pomp in Dust Afflict his Person load him