won Triumphaut are in this alone In this have all the Bards of old outdone II. Then may'st thou rule our Stage in triumph long May'st Thou it's injur'd Fame revive And matchless proofs of Wit and Humour give Reforming with thy Scenes and Charming with thy Song And tho' a Curse ill-fated Wit persues And waits the Fatal Dowry of a Muse Yet may thy rising Fortunes be Secure from all the blasts of Poetry As thy own Laurels flourishing appear Fear Unsully'd still with Cares nor clog'd with Hope and As from its want's be from its Vices free From nauseous servil Flattery Nor to a Patron prostitute thy Mind Tho'like Augustus Great as Fam'd Moecenas kind III. Tho' great in Fame believe me generous Youth Believe this oft experienc'd Truth From him that knows thy Virtues and admires their worth Tho' Thou' rt above what vulgar Poets fear Trust not the ungrateful World too far Trust not the Smiles of the inconstant Town Trust not the Plaudits of a Theater Which D fy shall with Thee and Dryden share Nor to a Stages int'rest Sacrifice thy own Thy Genius that 's for Nobler things design'd May at loose Hours oblige Mankind Then great as is thy Fame thy Fortunes raise Joyn thriving int'rest to thy barren Bays And teach the World to envy as thou do'st to praise The World that does like common Whores embrace Injurious still to those it does caress Injurious as the tainted Breath of Fame That blasts a Poet's Fortunes while it sounds his Name IV. When first a Muse inflames some Youthful Breast Like an unpractis'd Virgin still she 's kind Adorn'd with Graces then and Beauties blest She charms the Ear with Fame with Raptures fills the Mind Then from all Cares the happy Youth is free But those of Love and Poetry Cares still allay'd with pleasing Charms That Crown the Head with Bays with Beauty fill the Arms. But all a Woman's Frailties soon she shows Too soon a stale domestick Creature grows Then wedded to a Muse that 's nauseous grown We loath what we enjoy druge when the Pleasure 's gon For tempted with imaginary Bays Fed with immortal Hopes and empty Praise He Fame pursues that fair but treacherous bait Grows wise when he 's undone repents when'tis too V. Small are the Trophies of his boasted Bays The Great Man's promise for his flattering Toyl Fame in reversion and the publick smile All vainer than his Hopes uncertain as his Praise 'T was thus in Mournful Numbers heretofore Neglected Spencer did his Fate deplore Long did his injur'd Muse complain Admir'd in midst of Wants and Charming still in vain Long did the Generous Cowley Mourn And long oblig'd the Age without return Deny'd what every Wretch obtains of Fate An humble Roof and an obscure retreat Condemn'd to needy Fame and to be miserably great Thus did the World thy great Fore-Fathers use Thus all the inspir'd Bards before Did their hereditary Ills deplore From tuneful Chaucer's down to thy own Dryden's Muse. VI. Yet pleas'd with gaudy ruin Youth will on As proud by publick Fame to be undone Pleas'd tho'he does the worst of Labours chuse To serve a Barb'rous Age and an ungrateful Muse. Since Dryden's self to Wit 's great Empire born Whose Genius and exalted Name Triumph with all the Spoils of Wit and Fame Must midst the loud Applause his barren Laurels mourn Even that Fam'd Man whom all the World admires Whom every Grace adorns and Muse inspires Like the great injur'd Tasso shows Triumphant in the midst of Woes In all his Wants Majestick still appears Charming the Age to which he ows his Cares And cherishing that Muse whose fatal Curse he bears From Mag. Col. Oxon. ON His Mistress drown'd BY Mr. S SWeet Stream that dost with equal pace Both thy self fly and thy self chace Forbear a while to flow And listen to my Woe Then go and tell the Sea that all its brine Is fresh compar'd to mine Inform it that the gentler Dame Who was the life of all my Flame In the Glory of her Bud Has pass'd the fatal Flood Death by this only stroak triumphs above The greatest power of Love Alas alas I must give o're My sighs will let me add no more Go on sweet Stream and henceforth rest No more than does my troubl'd Breast And if my sad Complaints have made thee stay These tears these tears shall mend thy way To the Pious Memory Of the Accomplisht Young LADY Mrs. ANNE KILLIGREW EXCELLENT In the two Sister-Arts of Poësie and Painting An ODE BY Mr. DRYDEN 1. THou youngest Virgin-Daughter of the Skies Made in the last Promotion of the Blest Whose Palms new pluckt from Paradise In spreading Branches more sublimely rise Rich with Immortal Green above the rest Whether adopted to some Neighbouring Star Thou rol'st above us in thy wand'ring Race Or in Procession fixt and regular Mov'd with the Heavens Majestick Pace Or call'd to more Superiour Bliss Thou tread'st with Seraphims the vast Abyss What ever happy Region is thy place Cease thy Celestial Song a little space Thou wilt have time enough for Hymns Divine Since Heav'ns Eternal Year is thine Hear then a Mortal Muse thy Praise rehearse In no ignoble Verse But such as thy own voice did practise here When thy first Fruits of Poesie were giv'n To make thy self a welcome Inmate there While yet a young Probationer And Candidate of Heav'n 2. If by Traduction came thy Mind Our Wonder is the less to find A Soul so charming from a Stock so good Thy Father was transfus'd into thy Blood So wert thou born into the tuneful strain An early rich and inexhausted Vein But if thy Praeexisting Soul Was form'd at first with Myriads more It did through all the Mighty Poets roul Who Greek or Latine Laurels wore And was that Sappho last which once it was before If so then cease thy flight O Heav'n-born Mind Thou hast no Dross to purge from thy Rich Ore Nor can thy Soul a fairer Mansion find Than was the Beauteous Frame she left behind Return to fill or mend the Quire of thy Celestial kind 3. May we presume to say that at thy Birth New joy was sprung in Heav'n as well as here on Earth For sure the Milder Planets did combine On thy Auspicious Horoscope to shine And ev'n the most Malicious were in Trine Thy Brother-Angels at thy Birth Strung each his Lyre and tun'd it high That all the People of the Skie Might know a Poetess was born on Earth And then if ever Mortal Ears Had heard the Musick of the Spheres And if no clust'ring Swarm of Bees On thy sweet Mouth distill'd their golden Dew 'T was that such vulgar Miracles Heav'n had not Leasure to renew For all the Blest Fraternity of Love Solemniz'd there thy Birth and kept thy Holyday above 4. O Gracious God! How far have we Prophan'd thy Heav'nly Gift of Poesy Made prostitute and profligate the Muse Debas'd to each obscene and impious use Whose Harmony was first
Song 393 To the King In the Year 1686. By Mr. George Granville 394 Harry Martvn's Epitaph by himself 396 To his Friend Captain Chamberlain in Love with a Lady he had taken in an Algerine Prize at Sea In allusion to the 4th Ode of Horace Lib. 2. By Mr. Yalden 397 A Song By a Lady 401 Written by a Lady 403 Paraphras'd out of Horace the 23d Ode of the 2d Book By Dr. Pope 405 Love's Antidote 407 Anachreon Imitated 409 Anachreon Imitated 411 Anachreon Imitated 412 From Virgil's First Georgick Translated into English Verse by H. Sacheverill Dedicated to Mr. Dryden 413 A French Poem With a Paraphrase on it in English 418 419 A Song by Sir John Eaton 422 Another Song in imitation of Sir John Eaton's Songs By the late Earl of Rochester 424 A Song By Sidny Godolphin Esquire on Tom Killigrew and Will Murrey 425 Rondelay By Mr. Drvden 429 In a Letter to the Honourable Mr. Charles Montague By Mr. Prior. 431 An Ode By Mr. Prior. 433 To a Lady of Quality's Playing on the Lute By Mr. Prior. 437 An Epitaph on the Lady Whitmore By Mr. Dryden 441 An Epitaph on Sir Palmes Fairborne's Tomb in Westminster-Abby By Mr. Dryden 442 To the Reverend Dr. Sherlock Dean of St. Paul's on his Practical Discourse concerning Death By Mr. Prior. 444 On Exodus 3. 14. I am that I am A Pindarique Ode By Mr. Prior. 449 The Last Parting of Hector and Andromache From the Sixth Book of Homer's Iliads Translated from the Original by Mr. Dryden 456 Syphilis ult THE FIRST BOOK OF Ovid's Metamorphoses Translated into ENGLISH VERSE BY Mr. DRYDEN THE FIRST BOOK OF Ovid's Metamorphoses OF Bodies chang'd to various Forms I sing Ye Gods from whom these Miracles did spring Inspire my Numbers with Coelestial heat Till I my long laborious Work compleat And add perpetual Tenour to my Rhimes Deduc'd from Nature's Birth to Caesar's Times Before the Seas and this Terrestrial Ball And Heav'ns high Canopy that covers all One was the Face of Nature if a Face Rather a rude and indigested Mass A lifeless Lump unfashion'd and unfram'd Of jarring Seeds and justly Chaos nam'd No Sun was lighted up the World to view No Moon did yet her blunted Horas renew Nor yet was Earth suspended in the Skye Nor pois'd did on her own Foundations lye Nor Seas about the Shoars their Arms had thrown But Earth and Air and Water were in one Thus Air was void of light and Earth unstable And Waters dark Abyss unnavigable No certain Form on any was imprest All were confus'd and each disturb'd the rest For hot and cold were in one Body fixt And soft with hard and light with heavy mixt But God or Nature while they thus contend To these intestine Discords put an end Then Earth from Air and Seas from Earth were driv'n And grosser Air sunk from AEtherial Heav'n Thus disembroil'd they take their proper place The next of kin contiguously embrace And Foes are sunder'd by a larger space The force of Fire ascended first on high And took its dwelling in the vaulted Skie Then Air succeeds in lightness next to Fire Whose Atoms from unactive Earth retire Earth sinks beneath and draws a numerous throng Of pondrous thick unweildy Seeds along About her Coasts unruly Waters roar And rising on a ridge insult the Shoar Thus when the God what ever God was he Had form'd the whole and made the parts agree That no unequal portions might be found He moulded Earth into a spacious round Then with a breath he gave the Winds to blow And bad the congregated Waters flow He adds the running Springs and standing Lakes And bounding Banks for winding Rivers makes Some part in Earth are swallow'd up the most In ample Oceans disimbogu'd are lost He shades the Woods the Vallies he restrains With Rocky Mountains and extends the Plains And as five Zones th'AEtherial Regions bind Five Correspondent are to Earth assign'd The Sun with Rays directly darting down Fires all beneath and fries the middle Zone The two beneath the distant Poles complain Of endless Winter and perpetual Rain Betwixt th'extreams two happier Climates hold The Temper that partakes of Hot and Cold. The Feilds of liquid Air inclosing all Surround the Compass of this Earthly Ball The lighter parts lye next the Fires above The grosser near the watry Surface move Thick Clouds are spread and Storms engender there And Thunders Voice which wretched Mortals fear And Winds that on their Wings cold Winter bear Nor were those blustring Brethren left at large On Seas and Shoars their fury to discharge Bound as they are and circumscrib'd in place They rend the World resistless where they pass And mighty marks of mischief leave behind Such is the Rage of their tempestuous kind First Eurus to the rising Morn is sent The Regions of the balmy Continent And Eastern Realms where early Persians run To greet the blest appearance of the Sun Westward the wanton Zephyr wings his flight Pleas'd with the remnants of departing light Fierce Boreas with his Off-spring Islues forth T' invade the frozen Waggon of the North. While srowning Auster seeks the Southern Sphere And rots with endless Rain th'unwholsom year High o're the Clouds and empty Realms of wind The God a clearer space for Heav'n design'd Where Fields of Light and liquid AEther flow Purg'd from the pondrous dregs of Earth below Scarce had the Pow'r distinguish'd these when streight The Stars no longer overlaid with weight Exert their Heads from underneath the Mass And upward shoot and kindle as they pass place And with diffasive Light adorn their Heav'nly Then every void of Nature to supply With Forms of Gods he fills the vacant Skie New Herds of Beasts he sends the plains to share New Colonies of Birds to people Air And to their Oozy Beds the finny Fish repair A Creature of a more Exalted Kind Was wanting yet and then was Man design'd Conscious of Thought of more capacious Breast For Empire form'd and fit to rule the rest Whether with particles of Heav'nly Fire The God of Nature did his Soul Inspire Or Earth but new divided from the Skie And pliant still retain'd the AEtherial Energy Which Wise Prometheus temper'd into paste And mixt with living Streams the Godlike Image cast Thus while the mute Creation downward bend Their Sight and to their Earthy Mother tend Man looks aloft and with erected Eyes Beholds his own Hereditary Skies From such rude Principles our Form began And Earth was Metamorphos'd into Man The Golden Age. The Golden Age was first when Man yet New No Rule but uncorrupted Reason knew And with a Native bent did Good pursue Un-forc'd by Punishment un-aw'd by fear His words were simple and his Soul sincere Needless was written Law where none opprest The Law of Man was written in his Breast No suppliant Crowds before the Judge appear'd No Court Erected yet nor Cause was hear'd But all was safe for Conscience was their Guard The
keep Our Names remembred when our Bodies sleep Since late Succession searching their descent Shall neither find our dust nor Monument Yet where the Western Ocean finds its bound The World so lately by the Spaniards found Beneath this Pest the wretched Natives groan In every Nation there and always known Such dire Effects depend upon a Clime On varying Skies and long Revolving time The temper of their Air this Plague brought forth The Soil it self dispos'd for such a Birth All things conspir'd to raise the Tyrant there But time alone cou'd fix his Conquest here If therefore more distinctly we would know Each Source from whence this deadly Bane did flow His Progress in the Earth we must survey How many Cities groan beneath his sway And when his great Advancement we have trac'd We must allow his Principles as vast That Earth nor Sea th' Ingredients cou'd prepare And wholly must ascribe it to the Air The Tyrant's seat his Magazine is there The Air that do's both Earth and Sea surround As easily can Earth and Sea confound What Fence for Bodies when at every pore The soft Invader has an open door What fence where poyson's drawn with vitall Breath And Father Air the Authour proves of Death Of subtile substance that with ease receives Infection which as easily it gives Now by what means this dire Contagion first Was form'd aloft by what Ingredients nurst Our Song shall tell and in this wondrous Course Revolving times and varying Planets force First then the Sun with all his train of Stars Amongst our Elements raise endless Wars And when the Planets from their Stations Range Our Orb is influenc'd and feels the Change The chiefest instance is the Suns retreat No sooner he withdraws his vital heat But fruitless Fields with Snow are cover'd o'er The pretty Fountains run and talk no more Yet when his Chariot to the Crab returns The Air the Earth the very Ocean burns The Queen of Night can boast no less a sway At least all humid things her power obey Malignant Saturn's Star as much can claim With friendly Jove's bright Mars and Venus flame And all the host of Lights without a Name Our Elements beneath their influence lye Slaves to the very Rabble of the Sky But most when many meet in one abode Or when some Planet enters a new road Far distant from the Course he us'd to run Some mighty work of Fate is to be done Long tracts of time indeed must first be spent Before completion of the vast event But when the Revolution once is made What mischiefs Earth and Sea at once Invade Poor Mortals then shall all extremes sustain While Heav'n dissolves in Deluges of Rain Which from the mountains with impetuous course And headlong Rage Trees Rocks and Towns shall force O'er swelling Ganges then shall sweep the Plain And peacefull Poe outroar the Stormy Main In other parts the Springs as low shall lye And Nymphs with Tears exhausted streams supply Where neither Drought nor Deluges destroy The winds their utmost fury shall employ Whlie Hurricans whole Cities shall o'erthrow Or Earthquakes Gorge them in the depths below Perhaps the Season shall arrive if Fate And Nature once agree upon the date When this most cultivated Earth shall be Unpeopled quite or drench'd beneath the Sea When ev'n the Sun another Course shall steer And other Seasons constitute the year The wondring North shall see the springing Vine And Moors admire at Snow beneath the Line New Species then of Creatures shall arise A new Creation Nature's self surprise Then Youth shall lend fresh vigour to the Earth And give a second breed of Gyants birth By whom a new assault shall be perform'd Hills heap'd on Hills and Heaven once more be storm'd Since Nature's then so lyable to change Why should we think this late Contagion strange Or that the Planets where such mischiefs grow Should shed their poyson on the Earth below Two hundred rowling years are past away Since Mars and Saturn in Conjunction lay When through the East an unknown Fever Rag'd Of strange Effects and by no Arts Asswag'd From suffocated Lungs with pain they drew Their breath and bloud for spittle did ensue Four days the wretches with this Plague were griev'd Oh dismal sight and then by death reliev'd From thence to Persia the Contagion came Of whom th' Assyrians catch'd the spreading flame Euphrates next and Tigris did complain Arabia too stil'd happy now in vain Then Phrygia mourn'd from whence it crost the Sea Too small to quench its flame to Italy Then from this lower Orb with me remove To view the Starry Palaces above Through all the Roads of wandring Planets rove To search in what position they have stood And what Conjectures were from them made good To find what Signs did former times direct And what the present Age is to expect From hence perhaps we shall with ease descry The Source of this stupendious Malady Behold how Cancer with portentous harms Before Heav'ns Gate unfolds his threatning Armes Prodigious ills must needs from thence ensue In which one House we may distinctly view A numerous Cabal of Stars conspire To hurl at once on Air their bainsull fire All this the Rev'rend Artist did descry Who nightly watch'd the Motions of the Sky Ye Gods he cry'd what does your rage prepare What unknown Plague engenders in the Air Besides I see dire Wars on Europe shed Ausonian Fields with Native Gore o'erspread Thus Sung the Sage and to prevent debate In writing left the Story of our Fate When any certain Course of years is run E'er the next Revolution be begun Heavens Method is for Jove in all his State To weigh Events and to determine Fate To search the Book of destiny and show What change shall rise in Heav'n or Earth below Behold him then in awfull Robes array'd And calling his known Counsel to his aid Saturn and Mars the Thundring Summons call The Crab's portentous Armes unlock the Hall Mark with what various meen the Gods repair First Mars with sparkling Eyes and flaming Hair So furious and addicted to Alarms He dreams of Battels though in Venus Armes But see with what august and peacefull brow Of Gold his Chariot if the Fates allow Great Jove appears who do's to all extend Impartial Justice Heav'n and Nature's friend Old Saturn last with heavy pace comes on Loath to obey the Summons of his Son Oft going stopt oft pender'd in his mind Heaven's Empire lost oft to return inclin'd Thus much distracted and arriving late Sits grudging down beside the Chair of State Jove now unfolds what Fate 's dark laws contain Which Jove alone has Wisedom to Explain Sees ripning Mischiefs ready to be hurl'd And much Condoles the Suffrings of the World Unfolded views deaths Adamantine Gates War Slaughters Factions and subverted States But most astonish'd at a new Disease That must forthwith on helpless Mortals seize These secrets he unfolds and shakes the Skies The Gods Condole and from the
Mountain Trees in distant prospect please E're yet the Pine descended to the Seas E're Sails were spread new Oceans to explore And happy Mortals unconcern'd for more Confin'd their Wishes to their Native Shoar No walls were yet nor sence nor mote nor mownd Nor Drum was heard nor Trumpets angry sound Nor Swords were forg'd but void of Care and Crime The soft Creation slept away their time The teeming Earth yet guiltless of the Plough And unprovok'd did fruitful Stores allow Content with Food which Nature freely bred On Wildings and on Strawberries they fed Cornels and Bramble-berries gave the rest And falling Acorns furnisht out a Feast The Flow'rs un-sown in Fields and Meadows reign'd And Western Winds immortal Spring maintain'd In following years the bearded Corn ensu'd From Earth unask'd nor was that Earth renew'd From Veins of Vallies Milk and Nectar broke And Honey sweating through the pores of Oak The Silver Age. But when Good Saturne banish'd from above Was driv'n to Hell the World was under Jove Succeeding times a Silver Age behold Excelling Brass but more excell'd by Gold Then Summer Autumn Winter did appear And Spring was but a Season of the Year The Sun his Annual course obliquely made Good days contracted and enlarg'd the bad Then Air with sultry heats began to glow The wings of winds were clogg'd with Ice and Snow And shivering Mortals into Houses driv'n Sought shelter from th'inclemency of Heav'n Those Houses then were Caves or homely Sheds With twining Oziers fenc'd and Moss their Beds Then Ploughs for Seed the fruitful furrows broke And Oxen labour'd first beneath the Yoke The Brazen Age. To this came next in course the Brazen Age A Warlike Offspring prompt to Bloody Rage Not Impious yet The Iron Age. Hard Steel succeeded then And stubborn as the Mettal were the Men. Truth Modesty and Shame the World forsook Fraud Avarice and Force their places took Then Sails were spread to every Wind that blew Raw were the Sailors and the Depths were new Trees rudely hollow'd did the Waves sustain E're Ships in Triumph plough'd the watry Plain Then Land-marks limited to each his right For all before was common as the light Nor was the Ground alone requir'd to bear Her annual Income to the crooked share But greedy Mortals rummaging her Store Digg'd from her Entrails first the precious Oar Which next to Hell the prudent Gods had laid And that alluring ill to sight displaid Thus cursed Steel and more accursed Gold Gave mischief birth and made that mischief bold And double death did wretched Man invade By Steel assaulted and by Gold betray'd Now brandish'd Weapons glittering in their hands Mankind is broken loose from moral Bands No Rights of Hospitality remain The Guest by him who harbour'd him is slain The Son in Law pursues the Father's life The Wife her Husband murders he the Wife The Step-dame Poyson for the Son prepares The Son inquires into his Father's years Faith flies and Piety in Exile mourns And Justice here opprest to Heav'n returns The Gyants War Nor were the Gods themselves more safe above Against beleaguer'd Heav'n the Gyants move Hills pii'd on Hills on Mountains Mountains lie To make their mad approaches to the Skie Till Jove no longer patient took his time T' avenge with Thunder their audacious Crime Red Light'ning plaid along the Firmament And their demolish't Works to pieces rent Sing'd with the Flames and with the Bolts transfixt With Native Earth their Blood the Monsters mixt The Blood indu'd with animating heat Did in th' Impregnant Earth new Sons beget They like the Seed from which they sprung accurst Against the Gods Immortal Hatred nurst An Impious Arrogant and Cruel Brood Expressing their Original from Blood Which when the King of Gods beheld from high Withal revolving in his memory What he himself had found on Earth of late Lycaon's Guilt and his Inhuman Treate He sigh'd nor longer with his Pity strove But kindl'd to a Wrath becoming Jove Then call'd a General Council of the Gods Who Summon'd Issue from their Blest Abodes And fill th' Assembly with a shining Train A way there is in Heavens expanded Plain Which when the Skies are clear is seen below And Mortals by the Name of Milky know The Ground-work is of Stars through which the Road Lyes open to the Thunderer's Abode The Gods of greater Nations dwell around And on the Right and Left the Palace bound The Commons where they can the Nobler sort With Winding-doors wide open front the Court This Place as far as Earth with Heav'n may vie I dare to call the Loovre of the Skie When all were plac'd in Seats distinctly known And he their Father had assum'd the Throne Upon his Iv'ry Sceptre first he leant Then shook his Head that shook the Firmament Air Earth and Seas obey'd th' Almighty nod And with a gen'ral fear confess'd the God At length with Indignation thus he broke His awful silence and the Pow'rs bespoke I was not more concern'd in that debate Of Empire when our Universal State Was put to hazard and the Giant Race Our Captive Skies were ready to imbrace For tho' the Foe was fierce the Seeds of all Rebellion sprung from one Original Now wheresoever ambient waters glide All are corrupt and all must be destroy'd Let me this Holy Protestation make By Hell and Hell 's inviolable Lake I try'd whatever in the God-Head lay But gangreen'd Members must be lopt away Before the Nobler Parts are tainted to decay There dwells below a Race of Demi-Gods Of Nymphs in Waters and of Fawns in Woods Who tho not worthy yet in Heav'n to live Let 'em at least enjoy that Earth we give Can these be thought securely lodg'd below When I my self who no Superior know I who have Heav'n and Earth at my command Have been attempted by Lycaon's Hand At this a murmur thro' the Synod went And with one Voice they vote his Punishment Thus when Conspiring Traytors dar'd to doom The fall of Caesar and in him of Rome The Nations trembled with a pious fear All anxious for their Earthly Thunderer Nor was their care O Caesar less esteem'd By thee than that of Heav'n for Jove was deem'd Who with his Hand and Voice did first restrain Their Murmurs then resum'd his Speech again The Gods to silence were compos'd and sate With Reverence due to his Superior State Cancel your pious Cares already he Has paid his Debt to Justice and to me Yet what his Crimes and what my Judgments were Remains for me thus briefly to declare The Clamours of this vile degenerate Age The Cries of Orphans and th'Oppressor's Rage Had reach'd the Stars I will descend said I In hope to prove this loud Complaint a Lye Disguis'd in Humane Shape I Travell'd round The World and more than what I hear'd I found O're Moenalus I took my steepy way By Caverns infamous for Beasts of Prey Then cross'd Cyllenè and the piny shade More infamous by Curst Lycaon made Dark
loos'd the Northern Wind fierce Boreas flies To puff away the Clouds and purge the Skies Serenely while he blows the Vapours driven Discover Heav'n to Earth and Earth to Heav'n The Billows fall while Neptune lays his Mace On the rough Seas and smooths its furrow'd face Already Triton at his call appears Above the Waves a Tyrian Robe he wears And in his hand a crooked Trumpet bears The Soveraign bids him peaceful sounds inspire And give the Waves the signal to retire His writhen Shell he takes whose narrow vent Grows by degrees into a large extent Then gives it breath the blast with doubling sound Runs the wide Circuit of the World around The Sun first heard it in his early East And met the rattling Eccho's in the West The Waters listning to the Trumpets roar Obey the Summons and sorsake the Shoar A thin Circumference of Land appears And Earth but not at once her visage rears And peeps upon the Seas from upper Grounds The Streams but just contain'd within their bounds By slow degrees into their Channels crawl And Earth increases as the Waters fall In longer time the tops of Trees appear Which Mud on their dishonour'd Branches bear At length the World was all restor'd to view But desolate and of a sickly hue Nature beheld her self and stood aghast A dismal Desart and a silent waste Which when Deucalion with a piteous look Beheld he wept and thus to Pyrrha spoke Oh Wife oh Sister oh of all thy kind The best and only Creature left behind By Kindred Love and now by Dangers joyn'd Of Multitudes who breath'd the common Air We two remain a Species in a pair The rest the Seas have swallow'd nor have we Ev'n of this wretched life a certainty The Clouds are still above and while I speak A second Deluge o're our heads may break Shou'd I be snatch'd from hence and thou remain Without relief or Partner of thy pain How cou'd'st thou such a wretched Life sustain Shou'd I be left and thou be lost the Sea That bury'd her I lov'd shou'd bury me Oh cou'd our Father his old Arts inspire And make me Heir of his informing Fire That so I might abolisht Man retrieve And perisht People in new Souls might live But Heav'n is pleas'd nor ought we to complain That we th' Examples of Mankind remain He said the careful couple joyn their Tears And then invoke the Gods with pious Prayers Thus in Devotion having eas'd their grief From Sacred Oracles they seek relief And to Cephysus Brook their way pursue The Stream was troubl'd but the Foord they knew With living Waters in the Fountain bred They sprinkle first their Garments and their Head Then took the way which to the Temple led The Roofs were all defil'd with Moss and Mire The Desart Altars void of Solemn Fire Before the Gradual prostrate they ador'd The Pavement kiss'd and thus the Saint implor'd O Righteous Themis if the Pow'rs above By Pray'rs are bent to pity and to love If humane Miseries can move their mind If yet they can forgive and yet be kind Tell how we may restore by second birth Mankind and People desolated Earth Then thus the gracious Goddess nodding said Depart and with your Vestments veil your head And stooping lowly down with loosn'd Zones Throw each behind your backs your mighty Mother's bones Amaz'd the pair and mute with wonder stand Till Pyrrha first refus'd the dire command Forbid it Heav'n said she that I shou'd tear Those Holy Reliques from the Sepulchre They ponder'd the mysterious words again For some new sence and long they sought in vain At length Deucalion clear'd his cloudy brow And said the dark AEnigma will allow A meaning which if well I understand From Sacriledge will free the Gods Command This Earth our mighty Mother is the Stones In her capacious Body are her Bones These we must cast behind with hope and fear The Woman did the new solution hear The Man diffides in his own Augury And doubts the Gods yet both resolve to try Descending from the Mount they first unbind Their Vests and veil'd they cast the Stones behind The Stones a Miracle to Mortal View But long Tradition makes it pass for true Did first the Rigour of their Kind expell And suppl'd into softness as they fell Then swell'd and swelling by degrees grew warm And took the Rudiments of Humane Form Imperfect shapes in Marble such are seen When the rude Chizzel does the Man begin While yet the roughness of the Stone remains Without the rising Muscles and the Veins The sappy parts and next resembling juice Were turn'd to moisture for the Bodies use Supplying humours blood and nourishment The rest too solid to receive a bent Converts to bones and what was once a vein It s former Name and Nature did retain By help of Pow'r Divine in little space What the Man threw assum'd a Manly face And what the Wife renew'd the Female Race Hence we derive our Nature born to bear Laborious life and harden'd into care The rest of Animals from teeming Earth Produc'd in various forms receiv'd their birth The native moisture in its close retreat Digested by the Sun 's AEtherial heat As in a kindly Womb began to breed Then swell'd and quicken'd by the vital seed And some in less and some in longer space Were ripen'd into form and took a several face Thus when the Nile from Pharian Fields is fled And seeks with Ebbing Tides his ancient Bed The sat Manure with Heav'nly Fire is warm'd And crusted Creatures as in Wombs are sorm'd These when they turn the Glebe the Peasants find Some rude and yet unfinish'd in their Kind Short of their Limbs a lame imperfect Birth One half alive and one of lifeless Earth For heat and moisture when in Bodies joyn'd The temper that results from either Kind Conception makes and fighting till they mix Their mingl'd Atoms in each other six Thus Nature's hand the Genial Bed prepares With Friendly Discord and with fruitful Wars From hence the surface of the Ground with Mud And Slime besmear'd the faeces of the Flood Receiv'd the Rays of Heav'n and sucking in The Seeds of Heat new Creatures did begin Some were of sev'ral sorts produc'd before But of new Monsters Earth created more Unwillingly but yet she brought to light Thee Python too the wondring World to fright And the new Nations with so dire a sight So monstrous was his bulk so large a space Did his vast Body and long Train embrace Whom Phoebus basking on a Bank espy'd E're now the God his Arrows had not try'd But on the trembling Deer or Mountain Goat At this new Quarry he prepares to shoot Though every Shaft took place he spent the Store Of his full Quiver and 't was long before Th' expiring Serpent wallow'd in his Gore Then to preserve the Fame of such a deed For Python slain he Pythian Games decreed Where Noble Youths for Mastership shou'd strive To Quoit to Run
naked does the World appear But see big with the Off-spring of the North The teeming Clouds bring forth A Show'r of soft and fleecy Rain Falls to new cloath the Earth again Behold the Mountain-Tops around As if with Fur of Ermins crown'd And lo how by degrees The universal Mantle hides the Trees In hoary Flakes which downward fly As if it were the Autumn of the Sky Whose Fall of Leaf would theirs supply Trembling the Groves sustain the Weight and bow Like aged Limbs which feebly go Beneath a venerable Head of Snow II. Diffusive Cold does the whole Earth invade Like a Disease through all its Veins 't is spread And each late living Stream is num'd and dead Le ts melt the frozen Hours make warm the Air Let cheerful Fires Sol's feeble Beams repair Fill the large Bowl with sparkling Wine Let 's drink till our own Faces shine Till we like Suns appear To light and warm the Hemisphere Wine can dispence to all both Light and Heat They are with Wine ineorporate That pow'rful Juice with which no Cold dares mix Which still is fluid and no Frost can fix Let that but in abundance flow And let it storm and thunder hail and snow 'T is Heav'ns Concern and let it be The Care of Heaven still for me These Winds which rend the Oaks and plough the Seas Great Jove can if he please With one commanding Nod appease III. Seek not to know to Morrows Doom That is not ours which is to come The present Moment's all our Store The next shou'd Heav'n allow Then this will be no more So all our Life is but one instant Now. Look on each Day you 've past To be a mighty Treasure won And lay each Moment out in haste We 're sure to live too fast And cannot live too soon Youth does a thousand Pleasures bring Which from decrepit Age will fly Sweets that wanton i' th' Bosome of the Spring In Winter's cold Embraces dye IV. Now Love that everlasting Boy invites To revel while you may in soft Delights Now the kind Nymph yields all her Charms Nor yields in vain to youthful Arms. Slowly she promises at Night to meet But eagerly prevents the Hour with swifter Feet To gloomy Groves and obscure Shades she flies There vails the bright Confession of her Eyes Unwillingly she stays Would more unwillingly depart And in soft Sighs conveys The Whispers of her Heart Still she invites and still denies And vows she 'll leave you if y' are rude Then from her Ravisher she flies But flies to be pursu'd If from his Sight she does her self convey With a feign'd Laugh she will her self betray And cunningly instruct him in the way TO The Dutchess On Her Return from SCOTLAND In the Year 1682. By Mr. DRYDEN WHen Factious Rage to cruel Exile drove The Queen of Beauty and the Court of Love The Muses droop'd with their forsaken Arts And the sad Cupids broke their useless Darts Our fruitful Plains to Wilds and Desarts turn'd Like Edens Face when banish'd Man it mourn'd Love was no more when Loyalty was gone The great Supporter of his awful Throne Love cou'd no longer after Beauty stay But wander'd Northward to the verge of day As if the Sun and He had lost their way But now th' Illustrious Nymph return'd again Brings every Grace Triumphant in her Train The wondring Nereids tho' they rais'd no storm Foreslow'd her passage to behold her form Some cry'd a Venus some a Thetis past But this was not so fair nor that so chast Far from her sight flew Faction Strife and Pride And Envy did but look on her and dy'd What e're we suffer'd from our sullen Fate Her sight is purchas'd at an easie rate Three gloomy Years against this day were set But this one mighty Sum has clear'd the Debt Like Joseph's Dream but with a better doom The Famine past the Plenty still to come For Her the weeping Heav'ns become serene For Her the Ground is clad in cheerful green For Her the Nightingales are taught to sing And Nature has for Her delay'd the Spring The Muse resumes her long-forgotten Lays And Love restor'd his Ancient Realm surveys Recalls our Beauties and revives our Plays His Wast Dominions peoples once again And from Her Presence dates his second Reign But awful Charms on her fair Forehead sit Dispensing what she never will admit Pleasing yet cold like Cynthia's silver Beam The Peoples Wonder and the Poet's Theam Distemper'd Zeal Sedition canker'd Hate No more shall vex the Church and tear the State No more shall Faction civil Discords move Or only Discords of too tender Love Discord like that of Musick 's various parts Discord that makes the harmony of Hearts Discord that only this dispute shall bring Who best shall love the Duke and serve the King A SONG FOR St. CECILIA's Day 1687. Written by John Dryden Esq And Compos'd by Mr. John Baptist Draghi 1. FRom Harmony from Heav'nly Harmony This Universal Frame began When Nature underneath a heap Of jarring Atoms lay And cou'd not heave her Head The tuneful Voice was heard from high Arise ye more than dead Then cold and hot and moist and dry In order to their stations leap And MUSICK' 's Pow'r obey From Harmony from Heav'nly Harmony This Universal Frame began From Harmony to Harmony Through all the compass of the Notes it ran The Diapason closing full in Man 2. What Passion cannot MUSICK raise and quell When Jubal struck the corded Shell His list'ning Brethren stood around And wond'ring on their Faces fell To worship that Celestial Sound Less than a God they thought there cou'd not dwell Within the hollow of that Shell That spoke so sweetly and so well What Passion cannot MUSICK raise and quell 3. The TRUMPETS loud Clangor Excites us to Arms With shrill Notes of Anger And mortal Alarms The double double double beat Of the thundring DRUM Cries heark the Foes come Chare Charge 't is too late to retreat 4. The soft complaining FLUTE In dying Notes discovers The Woes of hopeless Lovers Whose Dirge is whisper'd by the warbling LUTE 5. Sharp VIOLINS proclaim Their jealous Pangs and Desperation Fury frantick Indignation Depth of Pains and height of Passion For the fair disdainful Dame 6. But oh what Art can teach What human Voice can reach The sacred ORGANS praise Notes inspiring holy Love Notes that wing their Heav'nly ways To mend the Choires above 7. Orpheus cou'd lead the savage race And Trees unrooted left their place Sequacious of the Lyre But bright CECILIA rais'd the wonder high'r When to her ORGAN vocal Breath was giv'n An Angel heard and straight appear'd Mistaking Earth for Heav'n Grand CHORUS As from the pow'r of Sacred Lays The Spheres began to move And sung the great Creator's praise To all the bless'd above So when the last and dreadful hour This crumbling Pageant shall devour The TRUMPET shall be heard on high The Dead shall live the Living die And MUSICK shall untune
display'd Upon some lofty Mountain's top Go set the dreadful Standard up And all around the Hills the bloody Signals spread Forlo the numerous Hosts of Heav'n appear Th'imbattl'd Legions of the Skie With all their dread Artillery Draw forth in bright Array and muster in the Air. Why do the Mountains tremble with the noise And Valleys eccho back their Voice The Hills tumultuous grow and loud The Hills that groan beneath the gathering Multitude Wide as the Poles of Heav'ns extent So far 's the dreadful Summons sent Kingdoms and Nations at his Call appear For ev'n the Lord of Hosts commands in Person there 2. Start from thy Lethargy thou drowsie Land Awake and hear His dread Command Thy black tempestuous Day comes louring on O fatal Light O inauspicious Hour Was ever such a Day before So stain'd with Blood by marks of Vengeance Nature shall from her steady Course remove The well-fix'd Earth be from its Basis rent Convulsions shake the Firmament Horrour seize all below Confusion reign above The Stars of Heav'n shall sicken at the sight Nor shall the Planets yield their light But from the wretched Object fly And like extinguish'd Tapers quit the darkned Skie The rising Sun as he was conscious too As he the fatal bus'ness knew A deep a bloody Red shall stain And at his early dawn shall set in Night again 3. To the destroying Sword I 've said Go forth Go fully execute my Wrath Command my Hosts my willing Armies lead For this Rebellious Land and all therein shall bleed They shall not grieve me more no more transgress I will consume the stubborn Race Yet Brutes and Salvages I justly spare Useless is all my Vengeance there Ungrateful Man 's the greater Monster far On guiltless Beasts I will the Land bestow To them th' Inheritance shall go Those elder Brothers now shall Lord it here below And if some poor remains escape behind Some Relicts left of lost Mankind The astonish'd Herds shall in their Cities cry When they behold a Man Lo there 's a Prodigy 4. The Medes I call to my assistance here A People that delight in War A generous Race of Men a Nation free From Vitious Ease and Persian Luxury Silver is despicable in their Eyes Contemn'd the useless Metal lies Their conqu'ring Iron they prefer before The finest Gold even Ophir's tempting Oar. By these the Land shall be subdu'd Abroad their Bows shall overcome Their Swords and Flames destroy at home For neither Sex nor Age shall be exempt from Blood The Nobles and the Princes of thy State Shall on the Victor's Triumphs wait And those that from the Battel fled Shall be with Chains opprest in cruel Bondage led 5. I 'll visit their Distress with Plagues and Miseries The throws that Womens Labours wait Convulsive Pangs and bloody Sweat Their Beauty shall consume and vital Spirits seize The ravish'd Virgins shall be born away And their dishonour'd Wives be led To the insulting Victor's Bed To brutal Lusts expos'd to Fury left a Prey Nor shall the teeming Womb afford Its forming Births a Refuge from the Sword The Sword that shall their pangs increase And all the throws of Travel curse with Barrenness The Infants shall expire with their first breath And only live in pangs of death Live but with early crys to curse the Light And at the dawn of Life set in Eternal Night 6. Even Babylon adorn'd with ev'ry grace The Beauty of the Universe Glory of Nations the Caldeans pride And joy of all th' admiring World beside Thou Babylon before whose Throne The Empires of the Earth fall down The prostrate Nations Homage pay And Vassal Princes of the World obey Thou that with Empire art exalted now Shalt in the dust be trampl'd low Abject and low upon the Earth be laid And deep in ruines hide thy ignominious Head Thy strong amazing Walls whose impious height The Clouds conceal from human sight That proudly now their polish'd Turrets rear Which bright as Neighbouring Stars appear Diffusing Glories round th' inlightn'd Air In flames shall downwards to their Center fly And deep within the Earth as their Foundations lie 7. Thy beauteous Palaces tho' now thy Pride Shall be in heaps of Ashes hid In vast surprizing heaps shall lie And even their ruines bear the Pomp of Majesty No bold Inhabitant shall dare Thy raz'd Foundations to repair No pitying hand exalt thy abject State No! to succeeding Times thou must remain An horrid exemplary Scene And lie from Age to Age ruin'd and desolate Thy fall's decreed amazing turn of Fate Low as Gomorrah's wretched State Thou Babylon shalt be like Sodom curst Destroy'd by flames from Heaven and thy more burning Lust. 8. The day 's at hand when in thy sruitful Soil No Labourer shall reap no Mower toil His Tent the wandring Arab shall not spread Nor make thy cursed Ground his Bed Tho' faint with Travel tho' opprest with thirst He to his drooping Herds shall cry aloud Taste not of that imbitter'd Flood Taste not Euphrates Streams they 're pois'nous all and curst The Shepherd to his wandring Flocks shall say When o're thy Battlements they stray When in thy Palaces they graze Ah fly unhappy Flocks fly this infectious place Whilst the sad Traveller that passes on Shall ask lo where is Babylon And when he has thy small remainder found Shall say I 'll fly from hence 't is sure accursed ground 9. Then shall the Savages and Beasts of Prey From their deserted Mountains haste away Every obscene and vulger Beast Shall be to Babylon a Guest Her Marble Roofs and every Cedar Rome Shall Dens and Caves of State to Nobler Brutes become Thy Courts of Justice and Tribunals too O Irony to call them so There where the Tyrant and Oppressour bore The Spoils of Innocence and Blood before There shall the Wolf and Savage Tyger meet And griping Vulture shall appear in State There Birds of prey shall rule and ravenous Beasts be great Those uncorrupted shall remain Those shall alone their genuine use retain There Violence shall thrive Rapine and Fraud shall reign Then shall the melancholy Satyrs groan O're their lamented Babylon And Ghosts that glide with horrour by To view where their unbury'd Bodys lie With doleful crys shall fill the Air And with amazement strike the affrighted Traveller There the obscener Birds of Night Birds that in gloomy Shades delight Shall solitude enjoy live undisturb'd by light All the ill Omens of the Air Shall scream their loud presages there But let them all their dire Predictions tell Secure in ills and fortifi'd with woe Heaven shall in vain its future vengeance show For Thou art happily insensible Beneath the reach of Miseries fell Thou need'st no desolation dread no greater Curses fear Out of Horace Lib. II. Ode 3. AEquam Memento I. BE calm my Delius and serene However Fortune change the Scene In thy most dejected state Sink not underneath the weight Nor yet when happy Days begin And the full
you the weak Definer know 3. Say why shou'd the collected Main It self within it self contain Why to its Caverns shou'd it sometimes creep And with delighted Silence sleep On the lov'd Bosom of its Parent Deep Why shou'd its numerous Waters stay In comely Discipline and fair Array Prepar'd to meet its high Commands And with diffus'd Obedience spread Their op'ning Ranks o're Earth's submissive head And march through different Paths to different Lands Why shou'd the constant Sun With measur'd steps his Radiant Journeys run Why does he order the Diurnal Hours To leave Earth's other part and rise in ours Why does he wake the correspondent Moon And filling her willing Lamp with liquid Light Commanding her with delegated Power To beautifie the World and bless the Night Why shou'd each animated Star Love the just Limits of its proper Sphere Why shou'd each consenting Sign With prudent Harmony combine To keep in order and gird up the regulated Year 4. Man does with dangerous Curiosity These unfathom'd Wonders try With fancy'd Rules and Arbitrary Laws Matter and Motion he restrains And studied Lines and fictious Circles draws Then with imagin'd Sov'raignty Lord of his new Hypothesis he reigns He reigns how long till some Usurper rise And he too mighty Thoughtful mighty Wise Studies new Lines new Circles feigns On t'other's Ruine rears his Throne And shewing his mistakes maintains his own Well then from this new toil what Knowledge flows Just as much perhaps as shows That former Searchers were but bookish Fools Their choice Remarks their Darling Rules But canting Error all and Jargon of the Schools 5. Through the aerial Seas and watry Skies Mountainous heaps of Wonders rise Whose tow'ring Strength will ne're submit To Reason's Batteries or the Mines of Wit Yet still Enquiring still Mistaking Man Each hour repuls'd each hour dare onward press And levelling at God his wandring Guess That feeble Engine of his Reasoning War Which guides his Doubts and combats his Despair Laws to his Maker the learn'd Wretch can give Can bound that Nature and prescribe that Will Whose pregnant Word did either Ocean fill And tell us how all Beings are and how they move and live Vain Man that pregnant Word sent forth again Through either Ocean Might to a World extend each Atom there And for each drop call forth a Sea a Heav'n for every Star 6. Let cunning Earth her fruitful Wonders hide And only lift thy staggering Reason up To trembling Calvary's astonish'd top The mock thy Knowledge and confound thy Pride By telling thee Perfection suffer'd Pain An Eternal Essence dy'd Death's Vanquisher by vanquish'd Death was slain The promis'd Earth prophan'd with Deicide Then down with all thy boasted Volumes down Only reserve the Sacred One Low reverently low Make thy stubborn Knowledge bow Weep out thy Reason's and thy Body's Eyes Deject thy self that thou may'st rise And to see Heaven be blind to all below Then Faith for Reason's glimmering light shall give Her Immortal Perspective And Grace's presence Nature's loss retrieve Then thy enliv'ned Soul shall know That all the Volumes of Philosophy With all their Comments never cou'd invent So politick an Instrument So fit as Jacob's Ladder was to scale the distant Skie THE Last parting OF Hector and Andromache FROM THE SIXTH BOOK OF Homer's Iliads Translated from the Original BY Mr. DRYDEN ARGUMENT Hector returning from the Field of Battel to visit Helen his Sister-in-Law and his Brother Paris who had fought unsuccessfully hand to hand with Menelaus from thence goes to his own Palace to see his Wife Andromache and his Infant Son Astyanax The description of that Interview is the Subject of this Translation THus having said brave Hector went to see His Virtuous Wife the fair Andromache He found her not at home for she was gone Attended by her Maid and Infant Son To climb the steepy Tow'r of Ilion From whence with heavy Heart she might survey The bloody business of the dreadful Day Her mournful Eyes she cast around the Plain And sought the Lord of her Desires in vain But he who thought his peopled Palace bare When she his only Comfort was not there Stood in the Gate and ask'd of ev'ry one Which way she took and whither she was gone If to the Court or with his Mother's Train In long Procession to Minerva's Fane The Servants answer'd neither to the Court Where Priam's Sons and Daughters did resort Nor to the Temple was she gone to move With Prayers the blew-ey'd Progeny of Jove But more solicitous for him alone Than all their safety to the Tow'r was gone There to survey the Labours of the Field Where the Greeks conquer and the Trojans yield Swiftly she pass'd with Fear and Fury wild The Nurse went lagging after with the Child This heard the Noble Hector made no stay Th' admiring Throng divide to give him way He pass'd through every Street by which he came And at the Gate he met the mournful Dame His Wife beheld him and with eager pace Flew to his Arms to meet a dear Embrace His Wife who brought in Dow'r Cilicia's Crown And in her self a greater Dow'r alone Aëtion's Heyr who on the Woody Plain Of Hippoplacus did in Thebe reign Breathless she flew with Joy and Passion wild The Nurse came lagging after with her Child The Royal Babe upon her Breast was laid Who like the Morning Star his beams display'd Scamandrius was his Name which Hector gave From that fair Flood which Ilion's Wall did lave But him Astyanax the Trojans call From his great Father who defends the Wall Hector beheld him with a silent Smile His tender Wife stood weeping by the while Prest in her own his Warlike hand she took Then sigh'd and thus Prophetically spoke Thy dauntless Heart which I foresee too late Too daring Man will urge thee to thy Fate Nor dost thou pity with a Parent 's mind This helpless Orphan whom thou leav'st behind Nor me th' unhappy Partner of thy Bed Who must in Triumph by the Greeks be led They seek thy Life and in unequal Fight With many will oppress thy single Might Better it were for miserable me To die before the Fate which I foresee For ah what comfort can the World bequeath To Hector's Widow after Hector's death Eternal Sorrow and perpetual Tears Began my Youth and will conclude my Years I have no Parents Friends nor Brothers left By stern Achilles all of Life bereft Then when the Walls of Thebes he o'rethrew His fatal Hand my Royal Father slew He slew Action but despoil'd him not Nor in his hate the Funeral Rites forgot Arm'd as he was he sent him whole below And reverenc'd thus the Manes of his Foe A Tomb he rais'd the Mountain Nymphs around Enclos'd with planted Elms the Holy Ground My sev'n brave Brothers in one fatal Day To Death's dark Mansions took the mournful way Slain by the same Achilles while they keep The bellowing Oxen and the bleating Sheep My Mother who the Royal
t' Arabia a new Passage sought While Ships for Camels the rich Lading brought To th' outmost East we since a Voiage made And in the rising Sun our Sails display'd Beyond the Ind large tracts of Land did find And left the World's reputed bounds behind To pass the World 's reputed bounds was small Performances of greater Glory call Our fam'd Adventures on the western Shore Discovering Stars and Worlds unknown before But waving these our Age has yet beheld An inspir'd Poet and by none excell'd Parthenope extoll'd the Songs he made Sebethe's God and Virgil's sacred Shade From Gardens to the Stars his Muse would rise And made the Earth acquainted with the Skies His Name might well the Ages pride sustain But many more exalted Souls remain Who when Expir'd and Envy with them dead To equal the best Ancients shall be said But Bembus while this List we do unfold In which Heav'ns blessings on the Age are told Leo the most illustrious place do's claim The great Restorer of the Roman Name By whose mild Aspects and auspicious Fire Malignant Planets to their Cells retire Jove's friendly Star once more is seen to rise And scatters healing Lustre through the Skies He onely He our Losses could repair And call the Muses to their native Air Restore the ancient Laws of Right and Just Polish Religion from Barbarian Rust. For Heav'n and Rome engag'd in fierce Alarms With pious Vengeance and with sacred Arms Whose terrour to Euphrates Banks was spread While Nile retir'd t' his undiscover'd Head And frighted Doris div'd into hisoozy Bed While some more able Muse shall fing his Name In Numbers equal to his Deeds and Fame While Bembus thou shalt this great Theme rehearse And weave his Praises in eternal Verse Let me in what I have propos'd proceed With Subject suted to my slender Reed First then your Patient's Constitution learn And well the Temper of his Bloud discern If that be pure with so much greater ease You will engage and vanquish the Disease Whose venome where black Choler choaks the Veins Takes firmer hold and will exact more Pains More violent Assaults you there must make And on the batter'd Frame no pity take Who e'er can soon discern the lurking Grief With far less labour may expect Relief But when the Foe has deeper inroads made And gain'd the factious humours to his Aid What Toil what Conflicts must be first sustain'd Before he 's dispossest and Health regain'd Therefore with Care his first approaches find And hoard these usefull Precepts in thy Mind From noxious Winds preserve your self with care And such are all that from the South repair Of Fens and Lakes avoid th'unwholsome Air. To open fields and sunny Mountains fly Where Zephyr fans and Boreas sweeps the Sky Nor must you there indulge Repose but stray And in continu'd actions spend the Day With ev'ry Beast of Prey loud Warproclaim And make the grizly Boar your constant Game Nor yet amongst these great Attempts disdain To rouse the Stag and force him to the Plain Some I have known to th'Chase so much inclin'd That in the Woods they left their Grief behind Nor yet think fcorn the sordid Plow to guide Or with the pondrous Rake the Clods divide With heavy Ax and many weary blow The towring Pine and spreading Oak o'erthrow The very House yields Exercise the Hall Has room for Fencing and the bounding Ball. Rouze rouze shake off your fond desire of Ease For Sleep foments and feeds the foul Disease 'T is then th'Invader do's the Vitals seize But chiefly from thy Thoughts all sorrows drive Nor with Minerva's knotty Precepts strive With lighter Labours of the Muses sport And seek the Plains where Swains and Nymphs resort Abstain however from the Act of Love For nothing can so much destructive prove Bright Venus hates polluted Mysteries And ev'ry Nymph from foul Embraces flies Dire practice Poison with Delight to bring And with the Lovers Dart the Serpent's sting A proper Diet you must next prepare Than which there 's nothing more requires your care All Food that from the Fens is brought resuse Whate'er the standing Lakes or Seas produce Nor must long Custome pass for an Excuse Therefore from Fish in general I dissuade All these are of a washy Substance made Which though the luscious Palate they content Convert to Humours more than Nourishment Ev'n Giltheads though most tempting to the sight And sharp-fin'd Perch that in the Rocks delight All sorts of Fowl that on the Water prey By the same Rule I 'd have remov'd away Forbear the Drake and leave Rome's ancient Friend The Capitol and City to Defend No less the Bustard's luscious Flesh decline Forbear the Back and Entrails of the Swine Nor with the hunted Boar thy Hunger stay Enjoy the Sport but still forbear the Prey I hold nor Cucumber nor Mushroms good And Artichoke is too salacious Food Nor yet the use of Milk would I enjoin Much less of Vinegar or eager Wine Such as from Rhaetia comes and from the Rhine The Sabine Vintage is of safer Use Which mellow and Well-water'd fields produce But if your Banquets with the Gods you 'd make Of Herbs and Roots the unbought Dainties take Be fure that Mint and Endive still abound And Sowthistle with leaves in Winter crown'd And Sian by clear Fountains always found To these add Calamint and Savery Burrage and Balm whose mingled sweets agree Rochet and Sorrel I as much approve The climbing Hop grows wild in ev'ry Grove Take thence the infant Buds and with them join The curling Tendrells of the springing Vine Whose Armes have yet no friendly shade allow'd Nor with the weight of juicy Clusters bow'd Particulars were endless to rehearse And weightier Subjects now demand our Verse We 'll draw the Muses from Aonian Hills To Natures Garden Groves and humble Rills Where if no Laurels spring or if I find That those are all for Conquerours design'd With Oaken Leaves at least I 'll bind my Brow For millions sav'd you must that Grace allow At first approach of Spring I would advise Or ev'n in Autumn months if strength suffice To bleed your Patient in the regal Vein And by degrees th' infected Current drein But in all Seasons fail not to expell And purge the noxious Humours from their Cell But fit Ingredients you must first collect And then their different Qualities respect Make firm the Liquid and the Gross dissect Take therefore care to gather in their prime The sweet Corycian and Pamphilian Tyme These you must boil together with the Rest In this ensuing Catalogue exprest Fennell and Hop that close Embraces weaves Parsley and Fumitory's bitter Leaves Wild Fern on ev'ry Down and Heath you 'll meet With Leaves resembling Polypus's shagg'd feet And Mayden-hair of virtue strange but true For dipt in Fountains it reteins no Dew Hart's-tongue and Citarch must be added too The greater Part and with success more sure By Mercury perform the happy Cure A wondrous virtue in
Yet when you do anoint take special care That both your Head and tender Breast you spare This done wrapt close and swath'd repair to Bed And there let such thick Cov'rings be o'e-rspred Till streams of Sweat from ev'ry pore you force For twice five Days you must repeat this Course Severe indeed but you your Fate must bear And signs of coming Health will streight appear The Mass of Humours now dissolv'd within To purge themselves by Spittle shall begin Till you with wonder at your feet shall see A tide of Filth and bless the Remedy For Ulcers that shall then the Mouth offend Boil Flowers that Privet and Pomgranets send Now onely now I would forbid the Use Of generous Wine that noble Soils produce All sorts without distinction you must fly The sparkling Bowl with all its Charms deny Rise now victorious Health is now at hand One labour more is all I shall command Easie and pleasant you must last prepare Your Bath with Rosemary and Lavander Vervain and Yarrow too must both be there 'Mongst these your steeping Body you must lay To chear you and to wash all Dreggs away But now the verdant Blessings that belong To new discover'd Worlds demand our Song Beyond Herculean bounds the Ocean roars With loud applause to those far distant Shoars The sacred Tree must next our Muse employ That onely could this raging Plague destroy Just Praise Urania to this Plant allow And with its happy Leaves upon thy Brow Through all our Latian Cities take thy way And to admiring Croud the healing Boughs display E'en I may self shall prize my Streins the more For Blessings never Seen nor Sung before Perhaps some more exalted Poet warm'd For Martial Streins with this new subject Charm'd Shall quit the noble business of the Field Bequeath to Rust the Sword and polisht Shield Leave wrangling Heroes that o'ercome or Dye Both shrouded in the same obscurity Pass o'er the harast Soil and bloudy Stream To prosecute this more delightfull Theme To tell how first auspicious Navies made More bold attempts and th' Ocean's bounds essay'd To sing vast Tracts of Land beyond the Main By former Ages guess'd and wisht in Vain Strange Regions Floods and Cities to rehearse And with true Prodigies adorn their Verse New Lands new Seas and still new Lands to spy Another Heaven and other Stars descry When this is done resume their Martial Strein And crown our Conquests in each savage Plain That ev'n from Vanquishment advantage draws Enrich'd with European Arts and Laws Shall sing what future Ages will confound How Earth and Sea one Vessel did Surround Thrice happy to Bard whom indulgent Heav'n A Soul capacious of this Work has giv'n My weaker Muse shall think her Office done Of all these wonders to record but one One single Plant which these glad Lands produce To specifie and shew it's sov'reign Use By what adventures found and wasted o'er From unknown Worlds to Europe's wondring shore Far Westward hence where th' Ocean seems to boil Beneath fierce Cancer lies a spacious Isle Descry'd by Spaniards roving on the Main And justly honour'd with the Name of Spain Fertile in Gold but far more blest to be The Garden of this consecrated Tree Its Trunk erect but on his Top is seen A spreading Grove with Branches ever Green Upon his Boughs a little Nut is found But poignant and with Leaves encompass'd round The stubborn Substance toothless makes the Saw And scarcely from the Axe receives a flaw Dissected various Colours meet your view The outward Bark is of the Laurel hue The next like Box the parts more inwards set Of dusky grain but not so dark as Jet If to these mixtures you will add the Red All colours of the gaudy Bow are spread This Plant the Natives conscious of its use Adore and with religious Care produce On ev'ry Hill in ev'ry Vale 't is found And held the greatest Blessing of the ground Against this Pest that always Rages there From Skies infected and polluted Air The outward Bark as useless they refuse But with their utmost force the Timber bruise Or break in Splinters which they steep a while In fountains and when soak'd in Vessels boil Regardless how too fierce a fire may make The juice run o'er whose healing Froth they take With which they Bath their Limbs where Pustles breed And heal the Breaches where dire Ulcers feed Half boil'd away the Remnant they retain And adding Hony boil the Chips again To use no other Liquor when they Dine Their Countries Law and greater Priest enjoyn The first Decoction with the rising Light They drink and once again at fall of Night This course they strictly hold when once begun Till Cynthia has her monthly Progress run Hous'd all the while where no offensive Wind Nor the least breath of Air can entrance find But who will yield us credit to proceed And tell how wondrous slenderly they Feed Just so much Food as can bare Life preserve And to its joint connect each seeble Nerve Yet let not this strange Abstinence deter And make you think the Method too severe This Drink it self will wasted Strength repair For Nectar and Ambrosia too are there All offices of Nature it maintains The Heart refreshes and recruits the Veins When the Draught's tane for two hours and no more The Patient on his Couch is cover'd o'er For by this means the Liquor with more ease Expells in streams of Sweat the foul Disease All Parts O prodigy grow found within Nor any Filth remains upon the Skin Fresh youth in ev'ry Limb fresh vigour's found And now the Moon has run her monthly Round What God did first the wondrous use display Of this blest Plant what chance did first convey Our European Fleet to that rich shore That for their Toil so rich a Traffique bore Our Song shall now unfold a Navy bound For no known Port nor yet discover'd Ground Resolv'd the secrets of the Main to find And now they leave their Native shore behind Clap on more Sail and skudd before the Wind. Thus on the spreading Ocean they did stray For many Weeks uncertain of their way The thronging Sea-Nymphs wondring at the Pride Of each tall Ship appear above the Tide And with proportion'd speed around them glide Charm'd with each painted Stern and golden Prow With each gay Streamer striving as they go To catch their Pictures in the Flood below 'T was night but Cynthia did such beams display So strong as more than half restor'd the Day When the bold Leader of this roving Train The bravest Youth that ever stemm'd the Main As on the Decks he lay with anxious care And watchfull o'er his charge conceiv'd this Pray'r Bright Goddess of the night said he whose sway All humid Things and these vast Seas obey Twice have we seen thy infant Crescents spring And twice united in a glorious Ring Since first this Fleet commenc'd her restless toil Nor yet have gain'd the Sight of any Soil O
breast Form'd sad Conjectures of this dreadfull Pest This this said he the Gods avert our Fate Is that dire Curse which Phoebus did relate The Birds prodigious Song I now recall The strange Disease that on our Troops shou'd fall As therefore from the Altar they retir'd Our Gen'ral of the Native Prince enquir'd To what dread Power these Off'rings did belong What meant that languishing infected Throng And why the Shepherd by the Altar stood And wherefore Sprinkled with the gushing bloud To which the Island Monarch noble Guest With annual Zeal these Off'rings are addrest To Phoebus enrag'd Deity assign'd And by our Ancestours of old enjoin'd But if a foreign Nations toils to learn And less refin'd be worth your least concern If you have any Sense of Strangers fate From its first source the Story I 'll relate Perhaps you may have heard of Atlas name From whom in long descent great Nations came From him we sprang and once a happy Race Belov'd of Heav'n while Piety had place While to the Gods our Ancestours did Pray And gratefull Off'rings on their Altars lay But when the Powers to be despis'd began When to leud Luxury our Nation ran Who can express the Mis'ries that ensu'd And Plagues with each returning Day renew'd Then fair Atlantia once an Isle of fame That from the mighty Atlas took its Name Who there had govern'd long with upright Sway Was gorg'd intire and swallowed by the Sea With which our Flocks and Herds were wholly drown'd Not one preserv'd or ever after found Since when outlandish Cattle here are slain And Bulls of foreign Breed our Altars stain In that dire Season this Disease was bred That thus o'er all our tortur'd Limbs is spread Most universal from it Birth it grew And none have since escap'd or very few Sent from above to scourge that vicious Age And chiefly by incens'd Apollo's Rage For which these annual Rites were first ordain'd Whereof this firm Tradition is retain'd A Shepherd once distrust not ancient Fame Possest these Downs and Syphilus his Name A thousand Heifers in these Vales he fed A thousand Ews to those fair Rivers led For King Alcithous he rais'd this Stock And shaded in the Covert of a Rock For now 't was Solstice and the Syrian Star Increast the Heat and shot his Beams afar The Fields were burnt to ashes and the Swain Repair'd for shade to thickest Woods in vain No Wind to fan the scorching Air was found No nightly Dew refresht the thirsty Ground This Drought our Syphilus beheld with pain Nor could the suff'rings of his Flock sustain But to the Noon-day Sun with up-cast Eyes In rage threw these reproaching Blasphemies Is it for this O Sol that thou art styl'd Our God and Parent how are we beguil'd Dull Bigots to pay Hom'age to thy Name And with rich Spices feed thy Altar's flame Why do we yearly Rites for thee prepare Who tak'st of our affairs so little Care At least thou might'st between the Rabble Kine Distinguish and these royal Herds of Mine These to the great Alcithous belong Nor ought to perish with the Vulgar throng Or shall I rather think your Deity With envious Eyes our thriving Stock did see I grant you had sufficient cause indeed A thousand Heifers of the snowy Breed A thousand Ews of mine these Downs didfeed Whilst one Etherial Bull was all your stock One Ram and to preserve this mighty Flock You must forsooth your Syrian Dog maintain Why do I worship then a Pow'r so Vain Henceforth I to Alcithous will bring My Off'rings and Adore my greater King Who do's such spacious Tracts of Land possess And whose vast Pow'r the conquer'd Seas confess Him I 'll invoke my Suff'rings to redress Hee 'll streight command the cooling Winds to blow Refreshing Show'rs on Trees and Herbs bestow Nor suffer Thirst both Flock and Swain to kill He said and forth with on a neighbouring Hill Erects an Altar to his Monarch's name The Swains from far bring Incense to the Flame At length to greater Victims they proceed Till Swine and Heifers too by hundreds Bleed On whose half roasted Flesh the impious Wretches feed All quarters soon were fill'd with the Report That ceas'd not till it reacht the Monarch's Court Th' aspiring Prince with Godlike Rites o'er joy'd Commands all Altars else to be destroy'd Proclaims Himself in Earth's low sphere to be The onely and sufficient Deity That Heav'nly Pow'rs liv'd too remote and high And had enough to do to Rule the Sky Th' all-seeing Sun no longer could sustain These practices but with enrag'd Disdain Darts forth such pestilent malignant Beams As shed Infection on Air Earth and Streams From whence this Malady its birth receiv'd And first th' offending Syphilus was griev'd Who rais'd forbidden Altars on the Hill And Victims bloud with impious Hands did spill He first wore Buboes dreadfull to the sight First felt strange Pains and sleepless past the Night From him the Malady receiv'd its name The neighbouring Shepherds catcht the spreading Flame At last in City and in Court 't was known And seiz'd th' ambitious Monarch on his Throne In this distress the wretched Tribes repair To Ammerice the Gods Interpreter Chief Priestess of the consecrated Wood In whose Retreats the awfull Tripod stood From whence the Gods responsal she exprest The Crowd enquire what Cause produc'd this Pest What God enrag'd and how to be appeas'd And last what Cure remain'd for the Diseas'd To whom the Nymph reply'd the Sun incens'd With just revenge these Torments has commenc'd What man can with immortal Pow'rs compare Fly wretches fly his Altars soon repair Load them with Incense Him with Pray'rs invade His Anger will not easily be laid Your Doom is past black Styx has heard him swear This Plague should never be extinguisht here Since then your Soil must ne'er be wholly free Beg Heav'n at least to yield some Remedy A milkwhite Cow on Juno's Altar lay To Mother Earth a jet-black Heifer slay One from above the happy Seeds shall shed The other rear the Grove and make it spread That onely for your Grief a Cure shall yield She said the Croud return'd to th' open'd Field Rais'd Altars to the Sun without delay To Mother Earth and Juno Victims slay 'T will seem most strange what now I shall declare But by our Gods and Ancestours I swear 'T is sacred Truth These Groves that spread so wide and look so green Within this Isle till then were never seen But now before their Eyes the Plants were found To spring and in an instant Shade the ground The Priest forthwith bids Sacrifice be done And Justice paid to the offended Sun Some destin'd Head t' attone the Crimes of all On Syphilus the dreadfull Lot did fall Who now was plac'd before the Altar bound His head with sacrificial Garlands crown'd His Throat laid open to the lifted Knife But interceding Juno spar'd his Life Commands them in his stead a Heifer slay For Phoebus Rage was now remov'd away This made our gratefull Ancestours enjoin When first these annual Rites they did assign That to the Altar bound a Swine each time Should sland to witness Syphilus his Crime All this infected Throng whom you behold Smart for their Ancestours Offence of old To heal their Plague this Sacrifice is done And reconcile them to th' offended Sun The Rites perform'd the hallow'd Boughs they seize The speedy certain Cure for their Disease With such discourse the Chiefs their Cares deceive Whose Tribes of different Worlds united live Till now the Ships sent back to Europes shore Return and bring prodigious Tidings o'er That this Disease did now through Europe rage Nor any Med'cine found that cou'd assuage That in their Ships no slender Number mourn'd With Boils without and inward Ulcers burn'd Then call'd to mind the Bird 's prophetick sound That in those Groves Relief was to be found Then each with solemn Vows the Sun entreats And gentle Nymphs the Gardians of those Seats With lusty Strokes the Grove they next invade Whose weighty Boughs are on their Shoulders laid Which with the Natives methods they prepare And with the healing Draughts their Health repair But not forgetfull of their Country's good They fraight their largest Ships with this rich Wood To try if in our Climate it would be Of equal use for the same Malady The years mild Season seconds their desire And western Winds their willing Sails inspire Iberian Coasts you first were happy made With this rich Plant and wonder'd at its Aid Known now to France and neighbouring Germany Cold Seythian Coasts and temp'rate Italy To Europe's Bounds all bless the vital Tree Hail heav'n-born Plant whose Rival ne'er was seen Whose Virtues like thy Leaves are ever green Hope of Mankind and Comfort of their Eyes Of new discover'd Worlds the richest Prize Too happy would Indulgent Gods allow Thy Groves in Europe's nobler Clime to grow Yet if my Streins have any force thy Name Shall flourish here and Europe sing thy Fame If not remoter Lands with Winter bound Eternal Snow nor Libya's scorching Ground Yet Latium and Benacus cool Retreats Shall thee resound with Athesis fair Seats Too blest if Bembus live thy Growth to see And on the Banks of Tyber gather thee If he thy matchless Virtues once rehearse And crown thy Praises with eternal Verse FINIS ERRATA Page 5. line 12 for newer reade never p. 35 l. 3. for wandring r. wondring p. 58 l. 5. for to Bard r. Bard to * * Titles of Honour * * Edmerus Fleta ††De diis Syris ‖ ‖ Marmora Arundeliana * * Mare Clausum * * His Epitaph made by himself in the Temple Chappel * * Orestes * * Tarpeia * * Leander * * Hero NOTE The Translator propos'd to turn this Ode with all imaginable Exactness and he hopes he has been pretty just to Malherb only in the sixth Line he has made a small Addition of these three words as they say which he thinks is excusable if we consider that the French Poet there talks a little too familiarly of the King's Passion as if the King himself had owned it to him The Translator thinks it more mannerly and respectful in Malherb to preterd to have the Account of it only by Hear-say
Night had cover'd Heav'n and Earth before I enter'd his Unhospitable Door Just at my entrance I display'd the Sign That somewhat was approaching of Divine The prostrate People pray the Tyrant grins And adding Prophanation to his Sins I 'll try said he and if a God appear To prove his Deity shall cost him dear T was late the Graceless Wretch my Death prepares When I shou'd soundly Sleep opprest with Cares This dire Experiment he chose to prove If I were Mortal or undoubted Jove But first he had resolv'd to taste my Pow'r Not long before but in a luckless hour Some Legates sent from the Molossian State Were on a peaceful Errant come to Treat Of these he Murders one he boils the Flesh And lays the mangl'd Morsels in a Dish Some part he Roasts then serves it up so drest And bids me welcome to this Humane Feast Mov'd with disdain the Table I o're-turn'd And with avenging Flames the Palace burn'd The Tyrant in a fright for shelter gains The Neighb'ring Fields and scours along the plains Howling he fled and fain he wou'd have spoke But Humane Voice his Brutal Tongue forsook About his lips the gather'd foam he churns And breathing slaughters still with rage he burns But on the bleating Flock his fury turns His Mantle now his Hide with rugged hairs Cleaves to his back a famish'd face he bears His arms descend his shoulders sink away To multiply his legs for chace of Prey He grows a Wolf his hoariness remains And the same rage in other Members reigns His eyes still sparkle in a narr'wer space His jaws retain the grin and violence of face This was a single ruine but not one Deserves so just a punishment alone Mankind's a Monster and th' Ungodly times Confed'rate into guilt are sworn to Crimes All are alike involv'd in ill and all Must by the same relentless Fury fall Thus ended he the greater Gods assent By Clamours urging his severe intent The less fill up the cry for punishment Yet still with pity they remember Man And mourn as much as Heav'nly Spirits can They ask when those were lost of humane birth What he wou'd do with all this waste of Earth If his dispeopl'd World he would resign To Beasts a mute and more ignoble Line Neglected Altars must no longer smoke If none were left to worship and invoke To whom the Father of the Gods reply'd Lay that unnecessary fear aside Mine be the care new People to provide I will from wondrous Principles ordain A Race unlike the first and try my skill again Already had he toss'd the flaming Brand And roll'd the Tunder in his spatious hand Preparing to discharge on Seas and Land But stopt for fear thus violently driven The Sparks should catch his Axle-tree of Heav'n Remembring in the Fates a time when Fire Shou'd to the Battlements of Heav'n aspire And all his blazing Worlds above shou'd burn And all th' inferiour Globe to Cinders turn His dire Artill'ry thus dismist he bent His thoughts to some securer Punishment Concludes to pour a Watry Deluge down And what he durst not burn resolves to drown The Northern breath that freezes Floods he binds With all the race of Cloud-dispelling Winds The South he loos'd who Night and Horror brings And Foggs are shaken from his â—laggy Wings From his divided Beard two Streams he pours His head and rhumy eyes distill in showers With Rain his Robe and heavy Mantle flow And lazy mists are lowring on his brow Still as he swept along with his clench't fist He squeez'd the Clouds th' imprison'd Clouds resist The Skies from Pole to Pole with peals resound And show'rs inlarg'd come pouring on the ground Then clad in Colours of a various dye Junonian Iris breeds a new supply To feed the Clouds Impetuous Rain descends The bearded Corn beneath the Burden bends Defrauded Clowns deplore their perish'd grain And the long labours of the Year are vain Nor from his Patrimonial Heav'n alone Is Jove content to pour his Vengeance down Aid from his Brother of the Seas he craves To help him with Auxiliary Waves The watry Tyrant calls his Brooks and Floods Who rowl from mossie Caves their moist abodes And with perpetual Urns his Palace fill To whom in breif he thus imparts his Will Small Exhortation needs your Pow'rs employ And this bad World so Jove requires destroy Let loose the Reins to all your watry Store Bear down the Damms and open every door The Floods by Nature Enemies to Land And proudly swelling with their new Command Remove the living Stones that stopt their way And gushing from their Source augment the Sea Then with his Mace their Monarch struck the Ground With inward trembling Earth receiv'd the wound And rising streams a ready passage found Th' expanded Waters gather on the Plain They flote the Fields and over-top the Grain Then rushing onwards with a sweepy sway Bear Flocks and Folds and lab'ring Hinds away Nor safe their Dwellings were for sap'd by Floods Their Houses fell upon their Household Gods The solid Piles too strongly built to fall High o're their Heads behold a watry Wall Now Seas and Earth were in confusion lost A World of Waters and without a Coast. One climbs a Cliff one in his Boat is born And Ploughs above where late he sow'd his Corn. Others o're Chimney tops and Turrets row And drop their Anchors on the Meads below Or downward driv'n they bruise the tender Vine Or tost aloft are knock't against a Pine And where of late the Kids had cropt the Grass The Monsters of the deep now take their place Insulting Nereids on the Cities ride And wondring Dolphins o're the Palace glide On leaves and masts of mighty Oaks they brouze And their broad Finns entangle in the Boughs The frighted Wolf now swims amongst the Sheep The yellow Lyon wanders in the deep His rapid force no longer helps the Boar The Stag swims faster than he ran before The Fowls long beating on their Wings in vain Despair of Land and drop into the Main Now Hills and Vaies no more distinction know And levell'd Nature lies oppress'd below The most of Mortals perish in the Flood The small remainder dies for want of Food A Mountain of stupendous height there stands Betwixt th' Athenian and Boeotian Lands The bound of fruitful Fields while Fields they were But then a Field of Waters did appear Parnassus is its name whose forky rise Mounts through the Clouds and mates the lofty Skies High on the Summet of this dubious Cliff Deucalion wafting moor'd his little Skiff He with his Wife were only left behind Of perish'd Man they two were Humane Kind The Mountain Nymphs and Themis they adore And from her Oracles relief implore The most upright of Mortal Men was he The most sincere and holy Woman she When Jupiter surveying Earth from high Beheld it in a Lake of Water lie That where so many Millions lately liv'd But two the best of either Sex surviv'd He