fear So different a Mould from his is mine I 've often shrunk at what I 've only seen Instead of War my Books my Care have been While Jove he breaks his Thunder on my Head Had I more Friends in vain wou'd be their Aid A Goddess Guarded him with nicest care Snatch'd him from all the Dangers that were near And since he 's less that Governs in the Seas Than he that Governs in the highest Skie's Much better was his Fate my Friend than mine Jove ruins me while Neptune threatn'd him But then think how the greatest part is made Only suppos'd the half he never had My Griefs are all too certain much too plain No Fable do's embellish ought that 's mine Besides At last he reach'd his Houshold Gods Pray'd his Penates in their old Abodes But I can never hope Vlysses Place Till Caesar smiles and Heaven thunders less ELEGY V. He writes to his Wife and takes Occasion to Commend the Constancy of her Affection Compares her with the best of her Sex but excuses his Inability in Writing while he is still Wrack'd by his Misfortunes APollo Lydia lov'd but not as I My Dearest Wife have always Child lov'd thee Philetus tho' his Nymph and Song Divine Lov'd not his Battis with a Love like mine You so entirely have each part of me That my Affection a'most merits thee But ah my Injuries and yet I find You smile my Dear tho' all the World 's unkind Your Prudence guards me from severest Foes That think my Freedom e'nt enough to lose Men that wou'd Rob me of my Life Estate And all the Goods I ever valu'd yet As a Devouring Wolf by Hunger Led Ranges the Field and eager thirsts for Blood When he espies Ungarded from afar Some Sheep that have escap'd their Shepherd ' care He takes his Prey nor will the weakest spare Or as a Vulture Hovering to feize Some wretched Carkass that unbury'd lies So did these strive by Force to ruin me While guarded still on e'ry side by Thee Hector's Andromache of Old so Fam'd Must not be mention'd Dear when you are nam'd She wept her Hector whom Achilles slew Paid the accustom'd Rites that Widdows do But living never cou'd oblige like You. Good Laodamia they so much Boast Was never known till she her Husband lost Had you been Homer's Wife so good a Theme Had made his Lines tho' strong more perfect seem Penelope her self much less had own'd She at the most had been but second found Whether indulgent Nature gave you this Fond to Compose fo great exact a piece Or if a less than Heaven we admit Some Pious Matron made you so compleat I cannot tell so very great 's your share My wrongs are fewer than your Virtues are Alas my Verse is all too weak too small my Skill To paint the thousand Graces I wou'd tell Was but my Mind as undisturb'd and free Easie my Dear as you have known it be Generous I 'd give you then the highest Place Set you with Heroins of the nicest Race And make the wondring World at once confess The greatest and the best of them much less And tho' my Verse this lustre cannot give Yet in my Numbers you shall Ages live ELEGY VI. To his Friends that us'd to wear his Picture engraven upon Golden Plates YOu that my Picture fondly us'd to wear That Instance of your Friendship you may spare However take the Ornaments away The Ivy that I wore is much too gay Such a Poetick Airy Garb as that Becomes the Happy only and the Great Whose better Stars still guard 'em from ill Fate Not such as I that sink beneath the weight Methinks I see some Friend concern'dly stand Viewing the Golden Image in his Hand And often crying as he walks along Heavens how far my Dear Companion 's gone 'T is kind but such their Ovid better see When they behold him in his Poetry The lively'st Image that the Wretched know This paints themselves and their Misfortunes too Read my chang'd shapes tho' there is scarce a thought Good as design'd and finisht as it ought No sooner was the fatal Sentence Read But all my Art was with my Freedom fled Imperfect thus what I 'ad with pains begun I burnt the scatter'd Papers that I 'ad done As Thestius is said to burn her Son And yet methoughts 't was very hard that they Shou'd feel the flames that cou'd not disobey But so it was partly indeed in spite To the first Muse that flatter'd me to write Till by Degrees the Tribe my Ruin prove Falsly perswading me to write of Love And partly ' cause they rude and naked lay Artless and nothing what they were to be But since they 've stole the Press may they succeed Admonish and Delight my Friends that Read Tho' Criticks they may damn 'em by a Law They shou'd be tender that the Reason know As when an Artist wants the last best Stroak Tho' he with Pains may have abundance struck His great Design must yet unhappy look Thus all my Lines the latest Pencil want Still to refine before abroad they 're sent But place these Verses with the Foremost Line And these will show they 're born a'fore their time Be kind and gentle whosoe'r thou art Don't you too nicely view an Orphan's Part Snatch't from his Parent 's Funeral in hast Kickt into th' World unlick't by much too Fast What tho' we Judgment want we 've Innocence And this in Infants is a good Defence The Poet's Muse in better Times may smile And he your Kindness own and you his Skill ELEGY VII He Complains of an Acquaintance that after a long Familiarity had given him some reason to suspect his Friendship BAck from the Seas shall Rolling Waters run And visit Fountains where they first begun The Char'oteer shall drive an unknown way Rise in the West and change the present day The Earth admit of Stars all spangl'd be And Ploughs shall make deep Furrows in the Sky The Elements shall change their wonted state Water shall burn and Fire like Water wet All this tho' strange I Prophesie since you Prove false I 've known so long and thought so true Lord That a Man cou'd so regardless stand Foolishly Fearful to assist his Friend Nay not so much as decently to sigh Or show the common Signs of Sympathy Was such a strange unheard Stupidity That you the Sacred Name of Friend shou'd hate And all the Offices of Kindness quit What if you had a well-bred Visit paid And lookt and talkt as other Courtiers did Offer'd some Reasons to allay my Grief This had seem'd kind and that is some Relief Tho' your sincerity cou'd give no Tears You might have Flatter'd with affected Pray'rs However at the least you might have say'd Farewell I 'm sorry as the People did Some that were Strangers and no ways alli'd Did more than this affectionately cry'd Then how much more might I expect from you That call'd me Friend and all my Secrets
knew The Dear Companion of my tender Hours My Goods my self my very Soul was yours How blest I was when Rome first showed me you Brought us acquainted made me think you true Has your repeated Oaths no force to bind All general and common as the Wind Sure Rome the great good Place I leave Cou'd ne'r nurse you no Monsters she can have Rather some Rock within the Scythian Sea Damn'd for a thousand Murders e'ery day Where Female Tygers Nurst you at their Breast Found you a Man but Chang'd you to a Beast But still there 's one way left and only one Freely to own the Injuri's you 'ave done By this tho' late you may oblige me so I may commend you as I blame you now ELEGY VIII To his Friend He shows him the Levity of the Vulgar how meanly they attend upon Fortune and withdraw their Services in Affliction He takes Occasion to Commend his Friend for several Qualifications and concludes the Elegy with an Instance of his Friendship MAy you live long my Friend and always well Know nothing of the Ills the wretched Feel And tho' my Pray'rs for me the Gods despise The same for you may Mount a Sacrifice While Fortune 's yours a Croud will hov'ring be Fondly Commending all they hear and see No sooner do's the Fickle Goddess Frown But all your Parasites my Friend are gone As Doves for new built Houses do prepare While Ruin'd Towers all neglected are As gath'ring Ants to crouded Barns do come So do's the Vulgar to the Richest Run As in the Sun your Sha dow do's Attend And Walks and Turns and Cringes as you Bend But when a Cloud appears the Part 's no more Tho' it seem'd more than half of you before So vulgar Souls will Dance to Fortune's Light A Cloud once spread they Vanish out of sight Heav'n knows my Soul I very often sigh And passionately Pray the Gods for Thee That these may all my Friend seem false to you Tho' I by sad Experience find 'em True While I was Prosperous as others great What Crouds for Favours wou'd my House beset The Building struck the Wary People Fly By one consent avoiding what was nigh Nor do I Wonder that they Thunder Fear Whose fi'ry Bolts the strongest eas'ly Tear Yet Caesar in adversity has said That Man 's the best that by his Friend has stay'd When good Orestes Worth fierce Thoas knew He Prais'd the Love in Pylades he saw Hector he often Patroclus approv'd Tho' he his Enemy Achilles lov'd When Theseus waited on his Friend in Death Pluto cou'd scarce believe so great a Truth Convinc'd he Mourn'd and pitty'd him that Fell Crying himself to see them love so well Alas how Few my just Complaints do move How few in Rome like those of old that Love So vast my Grief so very much my Fears So Boundless are my ever falling Tears That did not you the mighty Torrent stay The Gath'ring Flood wou'd Threaten like a Sea You that have Courage to be Good that Dare In greatest Dangers for your Friend appear Not meanly mov'd as sordid Spirits are Nor is your Judgment than your Courage less Your Eloquence as well as Virtues Please When you Defend the Nicest must Applaud Your Cause your Words your Thoughts so very good Eas'ly I can your Growing Fortune Read Some Greatness yet as I have often sayd No superstitious Omens tell me this Tokens that fond mistaken Zealots please My Reason's all the Augury I know By this no other Prodigy I go By this instructed Happiness I give Joy of the Present and the Future Goods you 'll have The small Pretence I early had to Wit Ruin'd my Fortunes when I came to Write Your better Arts not like my Trifling Skill Has rais'd your Honour and must raise it still But yet you know I ne'er was ill inclin'd My Thoughts were Salli's of a youthful Mind My Manners were not like my Verses loose And Love I only for Diversion Choose Then since you can excuse me justly too Defend me still as I have heard you do ELEGY IX In Praise of his Ship with some short Account of his Voyage JUstly I Praise my Ship so good so fine She bears Minerva's Name as well as mine So apt to sail she moves with any Wind And hasty leaves deserted Shores behind Proudly she scorns but just to overcome But reaches those that long have been from Home Defy's the strongest Billows when they Beat And Foaming all their wonted Force repeat I Boarded her when I to Corinth came And long without a Change I kept the same Thro' many Dangers I have safely steer'd Always entreating Pallas when I feard And now I hope to Make the distant Land The Getick Coast Augustus do's command She bore me once through boyst'rous troubled Seas A long and mighty dang'rous Way to Pass When standing to the Left we shunn'd before With much adoe we made the Imbrian shore Then with a gentle Wind and calmer Sea She eas'ly Touch'd at Samos in her Way O' th' other hand there stands a lofty Wood Fam'd for its Growth and for it's neighb'ring Flood Here I the wide Bistonian Fields survey Walking a Foot while she puts off to Sea From Hellespont Dardania she Gain'd And Lampsacus for her Priapus Fam'd Then to the Seas the same Leander Crosst When Beauteous Hero urg'd him to be Lost From hence she had Fair Cyzicon in view So famous for the Arts her People knew Thence to Byzantium she Bore away Where we behold two Seas within one Bay And now Minerva grant that she may Pass Those Moving Isles that lye upon the Seas Next let her reach the Thynnian Bay and Fall 'Till she comes near Anchialus high Wall Then she Mesembria and Odesus must Make And view some Towers for their Bacchus sake And those Alcathous when Wandring Made With all the Houshold Gods he had So to Miletus where 's the Place I 'm sent To end a weary Life in Banishment And if I safely tread th' expected shore I 'll Sacrifice a Lamb to Pallas Pow'r Heav'n knows we cann't at this time Compass more And you two Brothers you this Island Prays Conduct us in our double diff'rent ways Let one the Euxine make with happy Gales While the other to Bistonia sails Let Winds Convey us to the Place we wou'd Tho' diff'rent both yet both have very good ELEGY X. This is an Apology for the fore-going Elegies the whole Book being made during the Fatigue of his Travels which he urges in Excuse THere 's not a Letter Reader but I writ Unhappily pursuing my ill Fate I writ it most in cold December's Frost While the Adriatick with her Billows Tosst The rest I Finish'd when the Isthmus passt We all took Ship again and sail'd in haste So odd a Thought amaz'd the Cyclades To see a Poet writing on the Seas I Wonder'd too the Patience of my Muse That in a Storm she shou'd not then Refuse The Waves alas had never been her use
Love the tender Virgin 's Dream He taught 'em Laws to manage all their Fire And while they Burn'd themselves with strong Desire Dissemble still and make their Lovers dye But Dye to Live and Meet with greater Joy What are the Iliads that the World approves But Wars occasion'd by Forbidden Loves How Helen melted by her Paris Voice Yields to his Charms and eagerly enjoys Had not Vlysses Wife so many Won Homer his Odysses had ne'er begun Nor we have Read the Wanderer from Home In all the Various Passions Homer Paints There 's none more Taking that he Represents Then when he tells how Mars with Venus lay And makes each God a Witness of their Joy How pleasantly her Husband is ' Reveng'd To let 'em lye till he prepares the Chains Many the Instances I yet cou'd heap Wou'd not the Reader and my Muse both sleep Catullus always most Correctly Writ His Lesbia the Subject of his Wit Hortensius and Servus lov'd like me And who wou'd fear to Follow such as they Gallus for Lycoris was never Blam'd Talking too much not Writing Gallus Damn'd Tibullus writes how freely Women swear What strange deluding sort of things they are They value strictest Oaths no more than Wind When e're they please to change a Fickle Mind How Wittily they will a Keeper Balk And when their Husband 's jealous how they talk And he Tibullus best these Truths might know At once the Cully and the Poet too Propertius next so great and very good How Men admir'd and Women lov'd he show'd Propertius yet Repeated Honours had Caesar his Friend approving what he did When these Succeeded all so well I thought I might pursue the Measures that they Taught I fear'd not where so many Ships had Past Or thought my Bark wou'd Shipwrackt be at last Had I but Play'd the Droll in Mimick Wit Had then bin safe and pleas'd a laughing Pit All Ages Sexes Flock with hast to these And love the Bawdy that they find in Plays To hear a Toothless Strumpet split her Sides Laugh 'till she pisses at the Words she Reads Judge me the Author 's such a Witty Man He must do more than other People can Thus I had made a Party to Retreat Had I but thus Buffoon'd it when I writ And all my Nonsence wou'd have bin Sheer Wit Shall stammering Mimicks then Protected live And others want the Favours that they have Shall Ovid suffer while he wou'd Delight Others be safe that do what Ovid writ My Lines by th' Mob as theirs huzza'd have bin ' And mine and theirs Augustus you have seen But seen as when we different Paintings view Diverting for the Skill the Painter knew And he a certain Due Reward receives Tho' he a Monster nay the Devil gives Within your Palace various Pictures hang The best Drawn Pieces by the Nicest Hand And yet more famous for their House than Paint Your Fathers Uncles by a long Descent Not far from these nay in the nearest Room Some Women hang as Naked as they 're Born Let greater Pens for bloody Wars prepare Inur'd to Dangers as their Hero's are Let these in strains their Caesar's Battels speak And show in Arms how like a God you look While others skill'd i' th art of Heraldry Tell all the Wonders of your Family How for some Ages Hero's have bin bred And how Augustus do's the rest exceed This I have often wisht but wisht in vain Nature designing me a weaker strain Far from the best yet not the worst so mean Virgil the Wonder of a Wonderous Age Whose Art does still some mighty things Presage Whose Writings give unto our Poets Laws Whether a great or humble Theme they choose If Warriours read in him their Art they find Honour and Courage in the Trojans joyn'd If Lovers take his Aeneids down They read how Dido and the Hero 's found How Jove he Thunder'd in the World above Kindly assisting their Design of Love Thus he in Notès so artfully cou'd Play The Fierce and Gentle all in him agree In him they Meet a pleasant Harmony Nor did he once disdain the Herdsman's Song But writ Bucolics in his Mother Tongue How Corydon for his Alexis Burn'd How proud Alexis Corydon he scorn'd He show'd how Nysa Mopsus lov'd A Humour Women always mov'd Tho' Mopsus Nature had design'd a Jest Mopsus was Rich and Nysa lov'd him best Thus when the Mantuan Poet led the way I thought to follow such a Guide as he To write like him cou'd ne'er have ruin'd me Nor yet do I more serious Subjects want Some Books of Sacred Feasts I have in Print One while my Muse in Tragick Buskins Trod All very solemn grave and some said good Another Work with Care and Pains I wrote Tho' in my Sentence 't was unfortunate Wanting the Authors last performing Stroak To give it Graces for the nicest Look In this my Metamorphosis I show The Face of things from Nothing down to you Wou'd you in this but Read my Innocence You 'd find how much the Poet lov'd the Prince You 'd Read in e'ery Line my very Soul Intirely yours without Reserves at all Nor was I ever Tempted when I writ Inferiour Men with disrepect to Treat I always hated a Satyrick Wit Ne'er Wounding any but the Author yet This show'd the Temper of a Peaceful Mind Form'd in my Infancy by Age refin'd For this no well-bred Roman triumphs now Pleas'd at the Punishment I undergo But rather Mourns the dismal story told And often wishes that I were recall'd May these Great Caesar move your Royal Breast 'Till you Remit my Sentence part at least If it 's too much to Pardon grant some Place Nearer my Native Country much than this The End of the Second Book The Third BOOK OF OVID IMITATED The Book entreats the Reader to be Candid and before he Condemns to consider the Disadvantages it was writ with He shows his coming to Rome where he met with a Guide that acquainted him with all the Curiosities of the Place ELEGY I. BE gentle Reader whosoe'er thou art Pitty a poor unhappy Wanderer's Part The Wretched Off spring of a Wretched Man Banish'd his Countrey to a Forreign Land But be n't affraid nor Blush at what he gives No thoughts of Love are Read within these Leaves The Author 's not so sensless to be merry now To Write as happy Poets when they Write do When Reason in her Infancy he knew And thought his Wit the better of the two 'T was then a lasting Train of Ills he laid Pleas'd with the Fond Ideas that he had He writ of Love and Flatter'd e'ery Sense Promis'd himself no Injuries from thence Had he but thought how Fond Pygmalion Woo'd How proudly when he lov'd the Statue stood No living Beauty he had ever Took Or Dar'd the Lightning that those Angels Look Or had but Caesar spoke such Writings Sin He'ad sooner anger'd any God than him But now his Subject's chang'd ah now too late Now when he feels
liv'd but liv'd with Ease But if the Thread of Life the Sisters spun Was but design'd till now and 's a'most done It had bin kind to let me stay'd at Home And there ye Gods expected till it Run Then I 'ad a Grave within my Country had And all my Friends the decent Rites had paid Secure I 'ad slept without Reflection layd Now in a distant Land remote from all Living and dying I unpity'd Fall No tender Friend to do the last kind Work To Close my Eyes for ever after Dark When you receive these Lines my Dearest Wife Let not my cares too much encrease your Grief Inur'd to Sorrows you know better things You know too much Concern a Weakness bring Long you have learnt the Melancholy Trade Read all the Mystery's it ever had Besides Child Death it self's no Punishment You lost your Husband in his Banishment The worst of Deaths the Gods con'd e'er invent A Death with infamy to th' Vilest sent And now if Heav'n wou'd pardon what is past This Pray'r I 'de make and breath it with my last May no Remains of me but all entire Stretcht on the Pile in fiercest Flames expire For shou'd what sond Pythagoras says be true That after Death our Souls a Being know More Wretched still to dye in such a Place Unknown the Way I shou'd be Doom'd to this Converse with Ghosts that Devils liv'd That never cou'd on Earth be once believ'd This makes me Charge those Servants that I have To see all Burnt some Ashes only save And these enclos'd within a well made Urn To Italy with haste I wou'd have Born And thus tho' dead my Dear I shall return And who can blame your pious care in this 'T is all inhumane if it shou'd displease The Theban dead his Corps were stole away And bury'd too in spite of a Decree Let well-chose Sweets be scatter'd o're my Grave And let my Marble this Inscription have Here in this Melancholly Vault below Lyes injur'd Ovid all that 's Ovid now Vndone and ruin'd while he he strove to move By telling Stories of endearing Love Now whosoe'er thou art that passest by Pray Heav'n that Ovid may securely lye Since thou thy self hast lov'd as well as he This is enough to signifie the Man The rest my Books will do they speak my Fame Louder and better than Inscriptions can Much more I have to say much more cou'd find Cou'd I with strength deliver all my Mind Take then unfinish'd what your Husband gives May you enjoy and long the World he leaves May you of Blessings have so vast a store 'Till Heav'n can give or you can ask no more The last good thing your Ovid he presents He gives you Health the Blessing that he wants ELEGY IV. To his Friend Advising him to shun the dangerous Conversation of the Great recommending a Private Life with the Advantages of a Retirement TAke this my Friend in Dangers often known That durst in worst of Times a Friendship own Live to self always avoid a show The Private do the truest Pleasures know Value thy self on Nature's better Care Prefer her Gifts before his Lordship's Ear Despise the Gaudy Titles that he has The Mouldy instances of former Praise Believe me for I know it very true None live so happy as the Private do A small convenient little House I 'd choose With some few Friends try'd by the nicest Laws This I 'd Prefer by much before a Court With all the Powder'd Fops that there Resort Scarce in appearance Men so Antick drest Yet when they Talk their Garb's by much the best To live with such as these is Hell to Wiser Men That love their Ease and Studys more than Gain When Jove in anger Throws his Thunder round He levels taller Buildings with the Ground While Humble Cottages untouch'd are found The naked Sail-yard all Attempts defys Fearless of all the force of Waves and Skies While swelling Sails are drove thro' dangerous ways Russl'd by Winds that trouble widest Seas O had I took what here I now advise You ' ad known me still at Rome in perfect Peace He who by Chance comes down upon a Plain Falls without danger and may rise again Why was Fam'd Daedalus found safe when he With Wings as well as Icarus did Fly This was the Difference and only this One kept the Ground the other Made the Skys When Daedalus fell he rose again with ease But t'other falling from a Praecipice Dy'd i' th' Attempt and dying Nam'd the Seas Believe me Friend and take my very Soul The Truths I tell are good and study'd all Quit not Retirement for Noise and Show Or Pompous Titles as the Great Ones do Happy the good Unknown who in a Middle State Contented lives more Vertuous than Great He answers all the Ends the Gods enjoyn No time but 's very well employ'd by him What e'er he says is all severely true He do's not talk as Parasites in Courts must do He 's always just to what he do's pretend And is where e'er he promises a Friend Friendship admits of no dissembling Arts But boasts of pure entire and perfect parts Allows no more of nauseous Flattery Than pious Laws approve of Treachery But all her Rules so well you understand You can in loftyer Strains than I commend You praise it too by practising the Good And living Perfect as the Better shou'd Often I think with what a kind sad look When I left Rome your last Farewell you took With what affection you return'd my Kiss How much concern you show'd in the Surprize What Floods of Tears descended from your Eyes This was Compassionate and very Kind But this is but a part of what 's behind When e'er the Rabble fond of Misery Breath'd out my Name with Infamy You like a Guardian Angel still stood firm And for my Sake oppos'd the loudest Storm For this the World shall pay eternal Praise And read your Name in never dying Verse My Person 's Banish'd but my Name 's still free And boasts a great and glorious Liberty ELEGY V. To his Friend Whom he calls by a Feign'd Name Charus WHen the last Morn's unwelcome Light came on When I must leave my Wife my Friends and Rome Well I remember then how kindly you Profess'd a Friendship ever since prov'd true Nor had I long my Friend the Blessing known Which made it dearer than it wou'd have bin That you while I undone neglected stood Shou'd then an early Friendship too make good Was such a generous and noble thought It reach'd the highest Pitch that Friendship ought Nor yet do's Absence alter your Design But still my Charus you continue Mine Often you dare to take a Sufferer's Part And none than Charus boasts a nicer Art Your Eloquence with so much force can move Severest Judges a'most partial prove What can you do then when a sort of Right Pleads for your Friend and you my Friend Plead it This is my Case in this use all
your Skill Caesar is good and will forgive an Ill For mine 's a Crime because he thinks so still The Great and Valiant is the Generous Foe He scorns what little petty Conquerors do His Honour prompts him by a better Law The Fault once own'd he soon Forgives the Crime And ne'er upbraids till he 's provok'd again So fiercest Lions tho' their Power great Pardon the Weak when Prostrate at their Feet Such an Acknowledgment decides the Fray And this is certainly the nobler way But Wolves and Bears of an inferiour Race Always the same are fierce in every Place They no Submission take but seize their Prey And rudely bear the trembling Beast away Who was e'er Rougher than Achilles was Yet Dardanus his Griefs took so much Place His VVrongs was read in Fierce Achilles Face Such thoughts as these make me expect Relief That Heav'n will one day mitigate my Grief Had I bin conscious of some Mighty Fault I durst not then so much as this have Thought Had I in VVine profan'd great Caesar's Name Manag'd reflectingly so good a Theme Had I bin Treacherous I shou'd desire to dye Rather than live with so much infamy But for beholding what I cou'd not shun Banish'd for what my Eyes have only done Is hard and yet for this I 'm Banish'd Rome Now what I ask is you wou'd intercede If Liberty is never to be had Pray my Removal from this horrid Place And I 'le rest satissy'd my Friend with this ELEGY VI. To Perilla GO to Perhilla Letter hasty Go Tell her of e'ery Circumstance you know You 'll find her Waiting by her Mother stand List'ning and Running at the least Command What e'er she 's doing of tell her of me She 'll leave it all and quickly follow thee A thousand times she 'll ask you how I do Whether I 'm melancholly still or No Whether my Health e'ent injur'd by my Fate And I grown old and bend beneath the Weight To all she says make her this short Reply I live but live impatiently to Dye Tell her the Mases are my Care again And all the Pleasure that I have's in them And while you talk ask her be sure why she Busy'd in other Studies left her Poetry She had a sort of Right by Birth to plead Her Father's Wit has always bin allow'd 'T was very hard shou'd Children only live Entitl'd to Diseases that their Parents have Sometimes a Fathers Wit 's a happy Share A Promising Portion in the meanest Heir When Nature in Perilla prov'd her Care And Form'd her Perfect as the Nicest are When every Stroak Foretold a certain Reign And Pregnant Wit early deserv'd a Name 'T was then I brought her to the sacred Spring And gave her to the Nine a grateful Offering They soon inspir'd with Art and Thought And all her Lines were Smooth as she were Taught None than Perilla more sublimely Flew Yet never lost her Rules severely True If Charming Lesbia sung a nobler Song Lesbia with Pains had Read the Muses long Perilla in her Infant Age writ strong Often with Pray'rs I blest th' Auspicious Sign Kist the young Girl in all her Actions Mine Often I wonder'd at the mighty Pow'r A Tale I 'ad heard but never knew before Thus was my thoughts Rais d to a vast Height To see my Darling Care Perhilla Great When strait some angry God his Thunder threw And striking me he struck Perilla too No sooner was my Banishment Decreed But my great hopes were in a Moment dead Perilla all her Books aside had laid What tho' by Reading I 'm unfortunate You may expect my Dear a better Fate Beauty 't is true you have a wondrous Share But Beauty Child tho' every Parent 's care Shines but a while and then will Disappear But Ladies that have Wit and Beauty too May boast more Slaves than Richest Tyrants do Nay when Time has Plough'd the lovely Face And all Perilla's thousand Charms decrease Her Eyes less sprightly and her Lips less red Ner Nose her Cheeks look nothing as they did Her Wit shall still a mighty Empire know And all Mankind shall to Perilla Bow Let this my Dear make you assume your Pen And read with care your Authors o'er again And Bless the World with th' Issue of your Brain FINIS VERSES UPON Several Occasions WITH SOME Translations Out of the Latin and Greek Poets By the same Author LONDON Printed for Richard Cumberland 1697. VERSES UPON Several Occasions ODE 3. Horace Lib. 1. To VIRGIL Taking a Voyage to Athens MAy Venus happily Conduct my Friend And Helen's Brothers shining Stars defend May Aeolus whose Voice the Winds obey Make thee his Care and still the Raging Sea Chain in his Den each Wind but what you want And like a God Protect and Storms prevent And you Fond Ship proud of your Burthen now Sail with more care than usually you do Safely convey him to the Attick Lands The best of Poets and the best of Friends In this you will Preserve my better Half My Virgil Dearer to me than my self His Heart was more than Brass who first durst go And visit distant Shoars as we do now Safe in a Ship the Floting Monsters see And be no more Concern'd i' th' Deep than they Caress the Watery People as they come And smile as tho' some Common thing he'ad done In vain the Prudent Deities divide Confine Mankind by an impetuous Tide While Impious Ships can Cross the Roughest Seas In spite of all the Force of Waves and Skies Nothing 's so Mad that foolish Man won't do Courting Forbidden Ills because they 're so Prometheus long ago begun the Way Stealing Jove's Fire to Animate his Clay But soon the God persu'd him with his Pow'r Sent him Diseases never known before While Death mov'd slowly in a lazy Pace Ages Man liv'd and good and happy was But now his Life 's Contracted to a Span Scarce sooner is he Born than he is gone His Sin made jealous Heav'n snatch him hence With hasty Death confound his Arrogance Fond Daedalus with Wings must needs go Try To Cut the Air and reach the Liquid Sky A Pow'r which Nature's wiser Laws deny Thro' Hell below the Fierce Alcides Ran A Place where none one wou'd 'ave thought wou'd gone Grown Gyants in Impiety we swell And Brave the Gods that wou'd at quiet dwell Nay Jove Assault in his Imperial Throne Uneasy if he lays his Thunder down ODE 5. lib. 1. To Pyrrha WHat Youth unskill'd in Pyrrha's Wanton Art Offers his Love and gives thee all his Heart With Choice Perfumes like a drest amorous Beau Courts Charming Pyrrha as I us'd to do Knocks at thy Door and fears to be deny'd Loving his Pyrrha more than all beside For whom do you those Flowing Locks prepare Careless yet finer than the nicest are When time shall show him what his Pyrrha is How will he Curse his Fond mistaken Bliss When he ne'er us'd to swelling Seas before Looks back and sees the dear
deserted Shoar How often will he Weep his Wretched Fate And Curse his Stars that so severely Hate Tho' now he eager Rifles all thy Charms And thinks no Blessings like his Pyrrha's Arms Ne'er doubts at all but you will always Prove Constant like him Engaging still in Love Unhappy Men to whom unknown you shine Who fondly think you're Good because you 'r Fine I felt the Storm my Self and then I Vow'd For ever after to Adore th' Assisting God And here this Table shows I dread the Flood To Clarinda TO Pray's a Priviledge the Gods allow They kindly give us leave to Love 'em too And what the Gods Approve I hope you do Poets like me Complain Admire Adore Love Write Dye and Dying own your Pow'r And tho' the Nymph's as Good and Fair as you T was ne'er Clarinda thought a Crime to Bow The Sun his Beams does equally Display And kindly gives the Good and Bad a Day Your Charms as powerful are as great as his More than his Heat your Wit and Beauty please But shou'd your Influence no farther go Than those that live and look and talk like you As just Astraea from the World you 'd Fly And Heav'n Oblige with better Company Gods when we View the Beauties of your Mind Unmixt with Pri de Ambition or Design Nature had fondly giv'n so vast a store Had not your Family bin Prodigies before Wit unaffected States and Empires Rules Endears the Good exposes Fops and Fools If Wit alone Commands and makes a Slave How many Thousands must Clarinda have Whose Tongue or Eyes can either Kill or Save When Beauty mov'd and Love and Wit first Took In soft engaging Numbers Lovers spoke Easy you Reign'd and willingly they Bore The pleasing Bondage of so just a Pow'r Like them of old we Love and like them too Artless we Write of any thing but you Heaven ne'er wants it's Thunder yet the Air Is sometimes Calm Serene and very Clear Shou'd Storms arise and Winds for ever Blow While Nature Triumph'd in so Wild a Show No longer we shou'd Relish Life below Like Heav'n Madam let your Goodness move While we Return our Wonder and our Love And tho' you gently Reign yet like the Skies Command your Lightning when we Dare Despise Upon Philis Frowning PHilis those Frowns will never Punish now Had you but Frown'd some Twenty Years ago Some injudicious Lover might have Whin'd And sigh'd because his Philis were unkind Age now hath made your Forehead far from streight By Planting Wrinkles that the Young Men hate Nor do the Elder love a Wither'd Face By which they Read their own as in a Glass Deaths Heads and Skeletons Physitians keep But never lay 'em by 'em when they sleep Then Smile my Philis do and Paint thy Skin Defye the Girls and try to be Fifteen To a young Lady of Sixteen upon her Marrying a Man of Seventy Three IN vain Clarana Nature gave you Charms To spend your Youth in Nisus Frozen Arms To hug a Poor Insensible Old Man Whose Teeth and Eyes as well as Tast is gone Or shou'd he have a Tooth which few believe 'T is Odds but with a Kiss the Tooth you have Had you bin ever Lewd I shou'd have thought Some Pious Fancy had the Pennance Taught Yet this can never be no Fear of Evil Cou'd ever make Clarana love the Devil No Popish Priest cou'd such damn'd Doctrine tell To Merit Heaven send a Soul to Hell 'T was Gold that Reconcil'd the Difference And made Sixteen with Seventy three dispence Vpon a Young Ladies Birth-Day Aged 7. WHen Bolder Atheists Nature's power deny She gives the Wandring World a Prodigy Easily Confounds their deepest laid Design Proving her Care with something strangely Fine ' Such was her Work when this Day 's Welcome Light Made her in you Assert her utmost Right When Heav'n return'd for Pains your Mother knew The most Engaging Blessing Heav'n cou'd do And Blest not only her but All in you Long may you live our Wonder and our Care Witty as Great and Good as you are Fair You need not Kneller's Paint nor Waller's Pen Nature without their Art design'd your Reign When Age shall ripen all those Growing Charms And e'ery Look with wonderous Force Alarms When willingly a Thousand Lovers Dye And tell their Heart by speaking with their Eye A mighty Empire Madam then you 'll know While none Contends for Empire but for you To Philis FOr God sake Philis be n't so Coy I never lov'd you yet not I Had you Drest well been Fair and Clear And Sweet and Clean as others are Good natur'd humble Modest Witty Fine Well-bred and something Pretty Amidst ten thousand Lovers then Philis 't is odds but you 'd had some Nay I perhaps might then been Caught However Lov'd you in a Fit When Drunk or Mad to Philis run And Kist her Mouth and Curst my own Tho' this may lucky prove 't is true To any one that Marrys you Shou'd he be Ill and want to Spew 'T is only Philis viewing you Or shou'd he be advis'd to Sh te The self-same Object do's the Feat But shou'd my Philis e'er be Wed What Monsters Philis must you Breed With staring Eyes and Asses Ears With Monkeys Tales and Skins like Bears For fear of this live Virgin still And venture leading Apes in Hell A SONG CLarinda still disputes my Love Unkind denys my Flame Tho' all my Looks my Passion prove Yet still I Love in vain When Gods above their Lightning Throw The strongest feel their Pow'r But this Clarinda they ne'er do 'Till we refuse t' Adore But you as Good was you as Kind Can Unprovok'd Destroy Careless behold the Swain you find When he for you must Dye And tho' none Boasts a better Right Yet let me this Advise Conceal those Beauty 's that Invite Or Pity him that Dyes Hor. ODE 34. lib. 1. He Resolves to be Religious I Who the Deitys so seldom Pray'd But follow'd the Delights of Sense That no Religion ever yet Obey'd But Epicurus fond Pretence My impious Error have at last perceiv'd At last grown Good and Vertue 's Rules believ'd For very lately Jove I angry heard His Rolling Thunder rent the Sky The Wondering World amaz'd were all affraid And Trembl'd at his Majesty His Lightning Prov'd his awful Reign and Pow'r And made me too tho' very late Adore How did he shake Remotest Lands and Seas The Noise disturb'd the very Dead The Ghosts in Wild Disorder all Arose And Pluto tho' a God Obey'd The Lightning Pierc'd his Shady Walks so Bright His Weaker Flames were all Extinguisht quite How does he sport with greatest Monarchs Pow'r Snatch from their Heads the Glorious Crown And make the Meanest Royal Ensigns Wear To Prove all Kingdoms are his Own And under him we see Blind Fortune Reigns Never more pleas'd than in the greatest Change ODE 9. Hor. Lib. 3. A Dialogue betwixt Hor. and Lydia Horace WHile I was welcome to my Lydia's Arms And no
smooth Youth had any Part How did I Prize my Lydia's melting Charms And eager gave her all my Heart No joys like what her amorous looks cou'd Teach Each happy Smile was worth a Crown No Persian King was ever half so Rich As I while Lydia was my Own Lydia Whilst Horace Soul my Beauty cou'd Inspire And Chloe's Charms ne'er Warm'd his Breast How did I meet him with a Glowing Fire And never thought my self so Blest His Seeming Passion gave Assurance too While Woods resounded Lydia's Name Too Credulous Lydia thought him True And often boasted of the same Horace Ah Lydia Chloe now has all my Heart For her I willingly wou'd dye Chloe that Sings and Plays so fine a Part Chloe her self all Harmony Lydia Ah Horace Calais succeeds you now And Boasts a finer Mien and Air So much in Feats of Love out-does you too I 'de dye two Deaths to save my Dear Horace What if my former Love returns again And I for Lydia shou'd dye Fondly admire each Smile and Dread each Frown ' And Chloe's Charms again deny Lydia Tho' lovely Calais shines like any Star Is Young and Gay and Constant too Yet I must Own I love my Horace more And I had rather live with you ODE 19. Hor. Lib. 1. To Glycera VEnus engages with her Art Officious Cupid Plays his Part Besides my Inclinations move And Wanton still are Pressing Love Glycera more Bright than Marbles Shines Glycera my very Soul inclines Her Pretty Womanly Disdain Doubles my Love as well as Pain Every well Appointed Frown Makes me Glycera more your own How have I view'd that lovely Face How do I still with Wonder Gaze Venus left her Cyprian Grove And came to teach me all her Love As soon as I the Goddess met She told me she wou'd have me Write But Write no more says she of Wars That fill your Head with idle Fears How Parthians Fight and Fighting Fly What is such Stuff to you or I Write me some Stories that may move And Melt the Longing Girl with Love While trembling Limbs and sparkling Eyes Disorder'd words and short-breath'd Sighs Show how she Loves and Loving Dyes In this the Goddess I 'll Obey In this same Place an Altar lay Here Offer at the Goddess Shrine And Beg she wou'd as now Incline And make the Charming Glycera mine The Parting CLarinda's Eyes have prov'd Love's Empire True Made me tho' long a Rebel Own it too When I Commanded took my last Farewell Gods what strange Disorders did I feel How my swol'n Eyes discharg'd ther mighty store And Wept as tho' they'ad never Wept before As Snow around the Taller Mountains hangs Which Rain dissolves and to the Valleys brings Whos 's Rapid Torrent threatens all the Way Not stopt by Houses till it Reach the Sea So was it when my Eyes brim-full o'erflow'd None saw the Stream but fear'd the growing Flood And had not I thro' Weakness Dy'd away No doubt but I my Self had made a Sea Often I 'ad heard of Venus and her Son Often been told what Miracles they'ad done How they cou'd make the Obstinatest sigh Nay more much more admire adore and dye But these were idle senceless Tales to me An Infidel in Love's Divinity Venus I thought might Charm some Amorous Youth And Cupid's Beauty might have bin a Truth But to Believe his Arrows Bow and Darts Were Form'd to Murder or to Soften Hearts Were Stuff I thought but find it very True And willingly Retract my Error now Some Months agon as I Clarinda Gaz'd My Heart unusual Pulses Beat amaz'd I unaccountably began to Sigh But soon disorder'd all thought Death were nigh Ne'er Dreamt of Love i' th' least not I Till One whom long Experience made Wise Told me 't was Love the Symptoms had bin his No sooner had he told me what he knew But strait an Arrow from Love's Quiver flew And prov'd his Story litterally True Forgive me Cupid tho' I late Adore I Feel as well as Dread the Conquerour And if I e'er again Reflect on Thee May I be Damn'd for my Apostacy Forgive me Venus for I 've injur'd you Profane ne'er Worshipt as I Ought to do Forgive me lovely Maid to you I Bow Fore you have sinn'd and humbly Own it too To see Clarinda and to Rail at Love Deserv'd no less than Thunder from above Tho' you 'ave no need of Forreign Aid or Skill Your Eyes with Lightning can as surely Kill Sooner the Gyants might their Heaven Scale Than I against Clarinda's Force Prevail But Oh! when I a full Obedience show'd And Own'd you Fair and found you very Good Not Proud Reserv'd nor yet more Free Than Well-bred Ladies always ought to be How happy was I thought by all that knew How smoothly did the pleasing Minutes Flow Till that too too severe Decree that Day Curse on it's Light that Hurry'd me away Not Trembling Ghosts with more Abhorrence Go Change their Abodes for Gloomy Walks below Than I Confounded from Clarinda Went Plung'd in the Deepest Sea of Discontent Horace ODE 29. Lib. 1. To Iccius Upon his Changing his Study of Philosophy for that of War MUch did I wonder Iccius when I heard That you mov'd with th' Arabian Gold Had Chang'd the Course that you so long had steer'd And all your Ease and Freedom sold That you Philosophy shou'd leave for War And growing Old begin to Fight Chains for Sabean Kings and Medes prepare A Work you never thought of yet What lovely Virgin shall Entreat my Friend Rob'd of the Charming Youth she lov'd What Royal Boy your Hapiness attend With joys that Iccius always Mov'd Who now Affirms that Floods mayn't backwards Run Nay Tyber's self forsake her Course Like other Streams see Springs where she begun And ' ffright the Mountains with their Force Since you your well chose Books aside have laid And all the Pleasure Learning brings Begin to learn a bloody dangerous Trade That always promis'd better Things ODE 31. He asks a moderate Fortune with much Health WHat will the Poet ask the Gods to day For what when he performs his Offerings Pray Not for the Rich Sardinia's Fruitful Ground Nor Fatted Herds in Dry Calabria found Not Gold nor Ivory nor Richest Meads Where Deep but Pleasant Lyris silent Glides Let them that have 'em Prune their Tender Trees Manage with Care what ever Fortune gives Let the Rich Merchant safe Arriv'd at last In Golden Goblets drink a mighty Draught Thank Heaven for his Deliverance from Harms Out-sailing Pyrats and out living Storms Olives and Mallows rather be my Food Ease my Delight and Books my Chiefest Good The Golden Age. SUch was the World when no Contention Reign'd When Heaven with Ease and Plenty blest Mankind When Nature in a Pure but simple Dress Taught Men the truest way to Happiness E'er Artifice Intrigue Cunning Design Had yet employ'd the Busie States-Man's Mind E'er Bolder Atheists durst Dispute the Earth And make it take an Accidental Birth Owe all its Order