want my power 〈◊〉 worâ—â— to prize Thy Creature 's seldom rich 〈◊〉 wise I at thy needy Tribe and bablings smile No Money'd Ass of mine But has more VVit than thou claim'st thine Thou call'st them such who fell Estates the while 2. I by the young the old the rich ador'd The Beggars curse yet most by them implor'd I have no Tongue no Pen no Arms to fight Yet these command too by my might Compare and thou 't submit thy highest sense Unto my dumb Omnipotence 3. Thou tell'st of thy great Nine distressed thing And of Pernassus Treasures where they sing But sure they nothing there can Sow or Reap So poor they here their Poets keep Not all the fine things they can Write or say Allures the Seller to receive less pay VVhil'st Wit above all things I buy most cheap 4. I purchase Earth with all mankind can do The graces from thee I remove They own thee Queen whil'st I am made their Love The wisest Pens do on my errands go For me the Orators Charming Tongue best speaks My Bribe 's the wary Judge in secret takes Man scarce a Conscience has that me forsakes 5. Dost not behold the Courtiers supple knee Bow less unto the Throne than me I am the Politicians God At thee perhaps he 'l smile or Gravely nod I am his endless and his serious sense Unto Divines their Heavenly pence And few of them so Orthodox men know But to my Altars more than Heaven's will bow 6. Dully thou argu'st for thy self to tell That I in Earth's deep bosome dwell Since she her kindness does impart To place me next her heart Form'd by her own internal flames VVhence Phoebus took his Golden beams My Kingdoms there employ my slaves My charms alike command both Fools and Knaves 7. 'T is I continue Man's long-living name And his Inheritance convey Unto posterities antient day VVith me the Daughter purchaseth the Heir Love's price is mine though ne'r so dear Nor Vertue holds out where I War declare Whil'st in despight of all thy Creatures claim Detraction lessens or supplants their fame Wit Accursed thing 't is time I make thee feel Some lashes from my Satyr's pointed steel That on thy hardned Ribs such VVit may Coin As makes more vile the Metal thou call'st thine Were all thy Bowels Gold thy Heart a Pearl Thy Face a Diamond and thy hair a Curl Of Silver Locks each Breast an Agat Ball Of richest value to receive their fall And had thy Limbs with every outward part A golden form the Idol of thy heart What were all this but to be more contemn'd If nothing to thy inward worth be deem'd Heaven so rich Midas curs'd which thou shouldst fear Since for thy sake he wore the Asses Ear. Or else remember from great Maro's Lines How King Evander's poverty out-shines All Money'd Hero's thou could'st e're create When for his more Imperial state The Trojan Prince a Precept from him took On thy mean Treasures with contempt to look And as a King so like a God to be In shewing chiefly he despised thee Can'st thou like this a Royal Theorem finde Or an Exchequer worth so great a minde Wit is a Gift can never be entail'd Though of Illustrious Heirs has never fail'd Thy strength can buy but what men vainly spend The Riches of the VVise a Fool can end By Nature's Law men have no need of thee Who art the Miser's wealth and poverty With thy dumb Sense thou dost man's reason blinde And mak'st him rate thy value by his mind Who has enough thou giv'st not leave to spare Whil'st I my Treasures spend but no want fear The Reader will judge that Madam-Money was sufficiently provoked to make another Replication to the domineering Lady Wit but my Muse by whom I am here to be govern'd finding her Lines not able enough to decide the Controversie has left it to the arbitrement of wiser Heads than her own at least she does not conceive it necessary to furnish the world with more arguments on the part of Money than it has already As likewise she believes that she has done enough for the credit of her admir'd Madam Wit in allowing her lines the last Bum-stroke which she supposes Money is able enough to endure without crying out for more Verse to revenge her quarrel Of one who would live by his Wits WHo thus advises with his Friend His Money first well ne'r an end What shall I do somewhere to live My VVit is left me still to thrive Shall I unto the Court repair In hope my fate will better there I have a Petition all in Verse Which to the King I can Rehearse Or shall I credit get in Town To be a start-up Poet known And next a New-Play-wright set forth Since Rhiming now is so much worth Or for a Farce instead of Play Apply my wit that taking way Wiâ—s I can drink withal and VVhore Of some 't is said they ask no more And yet have Poets dub'd most able No better had King Arthur's Table When Lord Knight Squire drank a Round And VVine and VVit together sound Or shall I turn a common snap And Wenches cheat as well as Clap Or in the Law some knowledge have Some think it may compleat a Knave Divinity I cannot teach Yet told I have sense enough to Preach If not with Orthodoxal Wit The Presbyterians I may fit Of whom I have heard a many say They are inspir'd the Bag-pipe way A blessing Heaven breaths on their Lungs Which through the Nose comes off their Tongues Thus Calamy inspir'd did pass With Case and Manton Cromwell's Ass Who first on knee did for him Bray The Protectorian powerful way No Ass before the like had done But Balaam's had a Holy Tongue Then whether shall my Genius Chuse The Temp'ral or the Spiritual Muse When here my Friend a while had stop't And from his thoughts the best had lop't He thus reply'd 'T is hard to tell How wit un-money'd should do well That Comedy a many know Where wit to Money gives the blow Though I suppose what made the Jest The Poets Money then was least The Brains excess may pain the Muses feet VVhen Poets cannot have the Gout from meat VVherefore I 'de have thee to be able For Repartees at some good Table Or where a Madam does so quaintly treat That VVit and Love disgest her meat Let thy VVit think her thy best Muse Or be her Comedy to Chuse No matter for the Stages clap Or for a Poets Feather-cap In which we see some Laureats pass And yet not all discern the Ass If Taylors to one man go Three-times-three How many Botching Poets then may be Allow'd each Muse but Stich 'um as they can There are far better wayes to make a man VVit some does raise but Fortune many more She has both VVit and folly in her power VVho nothing has must Riches get by chance And Fortune so perhaps may thee advance VVho 's poor and good let
Sex throughout I 'le prove And Hundreds for thee gain He limits too much Nature's power That Courts the Spring but in one Flower 3. But if I thus thy charms can slight Well may some other too And then perhaps thou 't quit thy height As froward Haggards do That flye the watchful Faulconers call Till their own Pride compells their fall The Banquet SONG I Feasted on her Eye and look With every pretty grace And thought Love read his fairest Book As I beheld her Face 2. I suck'd a Cherry from her Lip Where grow Ten thousand more And my Tongue sayes without a slip None tasted so before 3. I drank such Nectar from her Eyes As sparkl'd in my Veins She made my Love both drunk and wise So mystical it raigns 4. In Wine she drank a kiss to me I kiss'd and drank another She vow'd with me she 'd equal be And kiss'd and so drank t'other 5. To Love and Wine said I this day Shall by us two be given They both are God's as some do say And wee 'l enjoy their Heaven The Value AM I profuse because I give Leave to my Soul with thine to live I 'le take th' Enquest of all that know What 's fit bright Beauty to allow If I my Cloris farther prize Then she do's merit from my Eyes 2. Let Taylors Judge if her smooth Shape Prompts not in them her secret Rape Or Shoo-makers their works most prize Because it fits her foot 's neat size Nor less the Glover pleas'd has bin To see her soft Hand near his Skin Each tire about her has a grace Yet adds not to her Shape or Face 3. Thou hast such charms can reconcile The Prodigal and Misers smile Audly who had a thrifty Curse For thee would soon have op'd his Purse Though scantly us'd for Cloaths and meat Some tell a Mistress he could treat 4. What 's then my Treasure that can kiss My self unto the height of bliss To warm my Soul at her Soul's fire And so exalt and quench desire The wonders Love can only do Two Souls do's Joyn yet keeps them two Time for such Joyes too small is given Yet nothing more resembles Heaven Had these Eternity to boot Love's Angels dwelt on Earth no doubt The Interval IF thou Love's pleasures think'st too short and sweet And finish'd Venus canst regret Let us deferre Embrace and next permit Th' Intervals of Love and Wit To Act and not first Court thy amorous Flame Were more to make thee blush for shame 2 A Lovers fire is soonest so put out It s Element should move about Thy Lip thy Cheeks thy Brow thy Nose and Eye And Judge how Naked thou wilt ply Love's Harmony if well compos'd of these His secret touch will better please 3. The act in too much pleasant haste is done Its Zenith but arriv'd 't is gone Though Nature is pretending to new height In ev'ry act of Love's Delight Yet all that our Enjoyments can explore Is what we knew or did before The Enjoyment I Must and will Enjoy 't is Nature's sense Which has on reason an Omnipotence The Leveller Love 's her Minister of State And Prince and Peasant's Joys alike makes great If Nature be no Fool nor thou nor I Can be thought such if with her we comply At this perhaps thou 't start or else begin To threaten both with that Big-word call'd Sin Whil'st reason 's own Religion does submit To feast where sense more busie is than wit If Nature Love designs to be her Farce Who can deny her mirth though near the The precise One THou Lov'st and yet seem'st to deny A tender-Conscienc'd way no doubt Who well the Spirit first will try Before the Candle is put out 2. This fair Enthusiast I 'le permit Nay more approve thy Heresie Love's Zeal does all Religions fit And Luther so a Pope could be 3. He taught the Lusty Nanne her Sin That with her Dildo play'd alone An example like to which had bin Found in Decretals of Pope Joan. 4. Thy Zeal thy Love does well devise Who for his Altars smiles to get Such flames themselves best Sacrifice And to that purpose we are met 5. At this she yields I know not how Her Eyes Phanatick-like up-cast But I suppose to implore now Love's inspirations long might last The Promise THou promis'd me two tedious dayes ago That I the pleasing feat with thee should do And now thou hast deferr'd me unto three The first odd Number 's mysterie And such a Root I have for thee 2. Thus far thy Arithmetick I can permit More to increase thy Sums of Love and Wit Some turns I grant may beautifie Love's Scene But if too long 't is kept in pain 'T will not endure one Female's Raign 3. Love has too many Idols in his power One Superstitious Beauty to adore Nay spight of what thy haughty self can do Thou hast a Thing for me does woo The Proudest Flesh about thee too 4. Yet yield as stately as thou canst devise More to be made Love's pomp and prize Like Lucrece ravish'd seem unto my eye But let thy thighs like Thaïs ply And as thy Dreams the Fact deny The Wife I 'De have her Beauteous gay as air Yet so my love to make her care That she may ne'r of mine despair 2. I 'de have her Lips like Cherries red But not the Hair upon her Head As 't was of Plato's Mistress sed 3. Her Cheeks should Rose and Lillies show Her Eye-brows drawn like Cupid's Bow Hair Tortoise-brown and sleeker too 4. Her Nose I 'de have a little high 'T is Love's delight and Majesty Or Mahomet has told a lye 5. Her Mouth should have no Austrian shape Lest Something else do like it Gape Or her Lock there my Key escape 6. To teach my Pen to paint her Breast The Balls which Love do's play with best I 'de have 'um well compleat the rest 7. Of a tall and slender race Naked best in every place Her Dress though neat her meanest Grace 8. Her Luxury should be to know How Love has lent to me his Bow And so receive my shaft below 9. Next her Embrace I 'de have her wit In every Joynt my reason fit Or from Minerva's Dart most hit 10. Penelope my House to guide More wanton lying by my side And such a She I 'de chuse my Bride Of a Lady whose love was unknown to her Servant SONG DO'st not perceive my Languishments and looks Or are my Eyes like Hieroglyphick Books Still to be read and not discern The Emblem 't is I bid thee learn Although my Heart a blush to spare Treats thus at distance from thy Ear. 2. Pitty that Mortal's Passions can't convey As Stars do theirs by mingling each a ray And not make use of duller Sense When Love bestows its Influence So might my kindl'd Eyes reveal What Stars less kind from thee conceal 3. But since my looks Love's Engines cannot make Impressions on thy heart I fain wou'd take
Think 't not Inglorious to prevail If by my Tongue I first assail Though all by it I can express Is short of what I bid thee guess Of Loving unadvis'd ASk not my Soul why 't is I love No more than why our Heaven 's above Love has its causes there conceal'd With mysteries to be reveal'd Then think bold Reason that thy Sense Disputes but with Omnipotence Thou't say perhaps I yield too soon So doth our Lives to Death alone Which if it lays on but a Hand Dissolves us straight at its command And shall not Love's immortal fire Kindle more swift then we expire Ask me no more then why or who I love because I must do so Nor need I pity to my heart Pleas'd with Love's wounds alone to smart On a Lady walking in Grayes-Inne-Walks THrice Lovely Maid as thou these Walks dost grace Soft Birds salute thy coming hither More than the Springs whose Beautie 's thine disgrace That blooming May does seem to wither Vexatious Lawyers that for Clients Gold Their wrangling Theams contemplate here Will wish their Tongues at they shall thee behold Had that soft quilt to bribe 〈◊〉 Ear. Or else perhaps unto thy beauteous fame These shades will henceforth Dedicate As once to Cyprus Venus gave a Name Though not of such Immortal date And thus amongst bright Beauties thee I spy'd Such difference have the Stars and Sun As if thy Glories did the rest so guide As they for Beams about him run Some that thou art Brown or Black perhaps will say Though that 's to me than fair more bright And who 'd not give some Blessings of the Day To be the only Queen of Night Forgive me then if charm'd with soft desires And who but wish'd as well as I Who more attempts too boldly do's aspire And by thy frowns deserves to dye Yet I would Ravish all thy pleasing Dreams Of Love when it enjoy'd thy Breast So as my Sleeps might be its actual Theams And thus suppose thou art possest But thou wilt smile at this Platonick boast Thou art so much Woman I dare say As he that thinks to count without his Hoast Will still have something left to pay SONG FAirest Virgin tell my Love but why Thou art at once so Proud and Fair Since few deserve a Victory That can Insult by making War Yet as thou play'st the Tyrant know In looks consists thy greatest might And thus their Charms can Serpents show When they unkindly wound the sight But 't is my guilt as well as thine That makes thee thus In-glorious great I did to Love my Heart resigne And so Conspir'd with my Defeat Whil'st thou though glorying in thy Charms Perhaps at last may'st quit thy strength As Honour treats to lay down Arms So let thy Vertue yield at length To one who slighted his Mistress THou tell'st me that my Love is poor But thine has Land and Coyn I wish Friend so had mine And yet I envy not thy store Though I love Money full well too And know the wonders it can do 2. It Spirits Love and makes it Fine Give 's us best Meat and Wine I ne'r Friend like it knew I dare be sworn as well as you And yet I doat not to behold A Bristow-Stone though set in Gold 3. Then prethee Jack be well advis'd Think not thou art more Wise ' Cause Money brib'd thy Eyes While mine could not be so surpris'd And 't is thy Judgment less than spight Since thou'dst give boot to change a Night Vpon a Lady AS some bold Pencil do's attempt to draw Such bright perfections his frail Skill o're-awe And Nature but presents to let us know We are to wonder and pay duty so Thus is my Pen Ambitiously at strife How to Admire and yet Express the Life Of your fair Vertues which to all appear Pure as the Light Harmonious as the Sphear So great an all as like the Sun you move Quickning at once Divinity and Love But were I Persian and ador'd him too I 'de quit my Faith so I might worship you Your Vertues so dilate as thence mankinde Sum those bright Glories in your Sex they find Such taking greatness and such winning ease That where you scarce will look you more then please As if you gently fear'd our hearts surprize By beaming lustres from your conquering eyes How happy may you make a wounded Breast When Love in all does for your sake contest And Rival wonders which your graces raise In Tongues and Hearts that must adore their praise The Enjoyment or Corinne Concubitus Translated out of Ovid's Elegies WHen Sol's bright Orb gave middle time to day Retir'd from heat stretch'd on my Bed I lay One Window shut the other open stood As light here shadowing pass'd as in a Wood Or Evening twi-lights gentle beams convey Or that soft Instant night salutes the day Such tender glimmerings blushing Virgins Steal Who fear that â—ight will scarce their shame conceal And thus Corinna gently does appear With Robes ungirt in tender folds her hair Such fair Semiramis in Bed does shew Or Laïs dress'd who many Lovers knew Her Robes I sever with a tender hand While she resists that Love she wou'd command Seeming to strive wish'd freedom to restrain But soon betrayes the Conquest Love must gain Thus interposing vailes being now lay'd by How did she ravish both my Heart and Eye What beauteous Limbs and Parts I view and touch Breasts to Impress even Gods might wish for such As smooth a Belly under these did lye 'Twixt spacious Sides next them her youthful Thigh What should I more Re-count that all must praise Then on her Body mine I gently raise Who cannot guess the rest as thus we lay So let Meridians pass with me each day Vpon an Inn that Lodged me on a Journey BEing come to Lodge where night oblig'd my Rest I found an Inn that welcom'd me a Guest But such a one as scarce Arabian Thief Would shelter in though for his Lifes Reprieve Or wilder Scythian but must soon conclude Himself less barbarous than this place was rude And next A surly Sir the Hoast call'd here Drinks Cap't to shew me he dares vouch his Beer Worse far than ever Joyful Barly named As even our Island its vile taste defamed My Course first Serv'd was Mutton but so poor That it might well have ban'd seven years before Then next a Hen with wonder I behold Shrunk into Bones and like the Hostess old What fancy could have fed when every Sense Far'd worse than Pilgrim sent on Penitence These mis-Chiefs to Reprieve to Bed call I Hoping some Damosel with her by and by VVas yet Reserv'd to sweeten my Course fare And make my Bed more soft while she lay there But soon my hopes did wither while appears A Thing for Age might date Chineses years Eve would have blush'd t' have seen a Grandchild prove So Curs'd by Nature and forsook by Love Her Eyes seem'd beg'd of Death her Nose and Chin Kissed and
so clos'd her famish'd Lips between I thought at first had been Death come to call Me by this Herald to my Funeral Or borrowed Shape of Witch that did appear To vex sad Guests by some Inchantments here Then I dispatch'd to Bed in hope Sleep might Reprieve the Ills seem'd threatned me this Night But there scarce Luke-warm lay'd but in a trice I felt worse Vermin than Curs'd Egypts Lice Fleas they call here this vexful nimble brood That long had suck'd the painful Carriers blood And now from this bold Custom dare maintain No blood so generous but their Lips may stain Thus in a moment did this active Crew Assault each Vein and from each loaded flew More swift than labouring Bees as if that I Had been all Honey for this nimble fly Sometimes I fear'd they would have made their prey On Soul and Body by this subtle way And as bold Epicurus once did call Atoms the VVorld's and Man's Original So seem'd these Particles of Life to try To suck mine too a like subsistency In this Amaze my Bed I soon forsake And from my Thoughts the swiftest Counsel take Which as I did the Sun in pitty shows Such chearful Beams as from glad Morning flowes I wish'd my Horse as swift as his that I From Night's worst Mansions this vile Inn might fly And that all Guests which next have Lodging here Might fewer Fleas there finde and better Cheer Love's Sympathy FRom Love the Loadstone Sympathy do's feel To which do's gently yield the hardn'd steel The Marble do's its hidden flames lament As on its smoothest Face Love's tears are spent For Love there 's nothing that do's want a sense What grows or lives partakes its Influence Each metals pond'rous Soul it 's like do's move And what 's not Gold partakes the Gold of Love The Diamond then more beaming Lustre wears When her transparent Male his flame prepares How Nature could thus Love and Life disperse Is too transcendent for my Thought or Verse Enough we know it is her kinder care That all subsistencies her Lovers are To every Sex she has a Sex assign'd Not as Men are by Hymen's Laws confin'd Nature do's not her limits so contract Love claims from her a larger Scope to act Man's Reason though the highest Lord of Sense Is forc'd to yield to its Omnipotence And thus we see its powerful Charms compel VVhen Mothers somtimes Love their Sons too well And Daughters can with Fathers do the same And so the Brother Courts the Sisters flame VVhether Venus then do's blush we cannot know Though near ally'd some tell her feat best do Laws may severely call it Nature's Sin Yet she has made for Love each Sex a Kin. On a Ladies little Dog THe gentle favours I perceive You oft this little Creature give With those Embraces and those kisses So many Mortals make their wishes My Muse is willing to record Since you are pleas'd to say the word 2. All that quaint Martial's Pen could raise To offer to smooth Catella Publii Epig 110. lib. 1. Issa's praise Is short of this you stroke and Love Yours though a Dog was meant a Dove Whil'st Nature pleas'd with her mistake Thus shap'd it chiefly for your sake 3. No Virgin in your Bed does lye But there does keep it Company On whom perhaps 't will fawn or creep But does your bosom chuse for sleep Though Cupid envy there its rest Who 'twixt your Breasts designs his Nest 4. Sometimes perhaps it farther gets Under your Smock as well as Sheets And so your Belly licks and Thighs I do not say what 'twixt them lyes Though Tongues polluted oft have bin This could not be a licking Sin 5. And as you thus Indulge its sleep Or wou'd with yours its slumbers keep This little Sentinel's awake T' defend the quiet which you take The Mouse it frighteth to her hold Lest her small noise be then too bold 6. No Joy or Sorrow is your own But by this Creature too is known So strangely taught by Nature's Book That it discerns your thought or look A Tongue it wants not much to speak Yet one does wish too for your sake Love Defined LOve is a Dwarf in Gyants Cloath Wearing the Robes which Lust bestows Loaded with vice yet nimblest so And by its power can wonders do Most surely purchas'd though most dear And yet more common far than rare A Spiritual being in a Humane Soul The Boy of Age and Fool of Youth Vertue its Lye and Lust its Truth This the nice Widows early know As they digest a Second Vow Though it provoke their Childrens Tears The Itch of Love takes up their cares The Virgin at Fourteen can grieve So long her Maiden-head should live Though hearts and looks Love's Language tell The pleasure is in Lust's small Cell Where Womans Love with Mans does meet And from their Tongues receive no cheat For this each Sex their Courtships show And all that Both the Thing may do If dull Platonicks will rejoyce In calling Love their Vertues choice Their dry desires such need not blame That can enjoy the Liquid flame Whoe're for Vertue Love would Paint Must partly make of Lust the Saint The Fair and Honest ask no more Then what 's illegal in a Whore The old One A Lady Old would needs a Loving go Which soon her long desire comply'd unto Her fancy she found young and bold her Lust Hâ—r outward form she next to Wit does trust Wants she found some in every place but one Where Nature keeps desire when her part 's done So when the Earth cannot its teeming show It is refresh'd at least where Soil men throw The furrows in her Face her Womans Hand Neatly fill'd up and seem'd to Countermand Nature's decayes with her false Red and White Seeming by Day what she 'd be thought at Night Thus she adulterates her Teeth and Hairs And in despite of Nature young appears A flatt'ring Gallant feigns no fault to finde For we 'l suppose his ends oblig'd him kinde Through Love's own Region he attempts his way But finds he cannot Plough so deep in clay Her stiffness his oppos'd but fain would plye Though that was clos'd so long did open lye A Maiden-head he knew she could not have Yet more then Virgin did his entrance crave But such the Riddle is of Women old Their Lust is warm when Nature is most cold The Witty WIt in a Woman I desire With it she quickens best Love's fire A Whetstone sharpens most the Tool That something blunts when she 's a Fool. Dull if she be she 'l not soon know The heights belong to what we do And she that has in Love no trick Will hardly reach her Lover's nick But give me still a handsom Face I 'le fancy Wit in t'other place So well to man that part does fit She needs must feel she has there some wit For Love what VVoman wants a Soul Or can be call'd Dame-Nature's Fool. VVhere Beauty can't with VVit agree Give
did'st spring Thou wert full grown soon as the world and she Waiting to spread thy Immaterial wing And side by side with her to move Before she would her self improve Of thee she Mathematick Counsel took E're she set forward to pursue The mighty measures in her Book Or did one act of wonder do Nor had men known without thy night and day Whether Nature did for ever work or play 2. To all things else she Life and Bodies gave But thou her Incorporeal Childe Mysteriously must neither have Whil'st Death her every individual's Grave Of nothing but thy self 's beguil'd That with her thou might'st live to see Thy life continue her Eternity 3. Through all Horizons of the Universe Thou dost at once thy wondrous self disperse Each Star his Circle by thy Rule does guide Nay who can chuse but think Should'st thou stand still or step aside But that the Sun would leave his Zodiack too And bid his bounteous Eye for sorrow wink If for the worlds sake he no more might know The blessing of his Dayes and Hours And see his Heaven on Earth in Spring and Summer-flowers 4. So far above our Reasons search thou art That all the Idea of thy self men frame Does like some mighty nothing seem Thou motion guid'st and yet no motion art Thy being yet thou never did'st impart So much as in aspiring Poets dream Their busie Pencils can't thy figure take Thou steal'st away both as we sleep and wake Yet thy flight never was too swift or slow In Heaven or Earth one Minute's space Thy unerring Dyals under ground can go Thy silent feet 'twixt Life and Death still trace Keeping account how both Live and Decease Which contraries so far agree That Life and Death alike conversions be Of thine and Nature's living equally 5. VVhen learned Antiquaries search thy Rolls They Ages finde but can't thy Age compute From thy Epocha early thou set'st out E're man could read his being in thy Scrolls VVhil'st he laments thy too profound neglect Since he might have from thee more surely known VVhat did thy being and his own effect VVhether God's fiat man produc'd of clay Or that he started out of Earth some unknown way VVhich Nature by design or chance does ovvn 6. From what stupendious center first was took The point from whence began thy mighty round No Line or Character in Nature's Book Does shew us where thy self is found No more than how this world alas To our sense first produced was Or whence light did proceed to be Guided by the Sun and thee When thy Clocks told the world 't was day Before he durst the morning wake Or wisely could direct his way Who then of men his height did take Or saw his steeds their flaming steps first make 7. We use thee most of things yet know thee not Thou seem'st to us to have thy self forgot Yet best of faculties in the Worlds great Soul Whose Memory does far surmount All but thine own Account The sum of that vast Circles square Which cannot be computed here Unless our measures scale that endless Rule That 's more eternal than the world is old To most Prophetick Reason never yet was told On former Poets THough Death's pale Scepter men obey Their written Wit does last decay Surviving that resistless fate Does Soul and Body separate And of all mortal acts we see Comes nearest Immortality Thus Johnson's Wit we still admire With Beaumont Fletcher's lasting sire And mighty Shakespear's nimble vein Whose haste we only now complain His Muse first post was fain to go That first from him we Plays might know Though in each Muse of theirs we finde VVhat 's now above all humane kinde Our greatest Wit is to allow We cannot write as they could do Which time succeeding proves so good That 't is not yet well understood As if it were our fate to be In Wits perpetual Infancy Strong plots like theirs we can't disgest But like to Children think that best Which trifles with our appetite And judge as ill as now we write Though long our Story boasts great Kings Not every Raign good Poet sings Nature is pleas'd not to permit A propagation of their Wit Confessing that her mighty store Is not so rich as 't was before Poets are Prodigies of men And such she gives but now and then To Gyant-Wit 't is only given T' aspire unto the Muses Heaven If so inspir'd had been the bold We read Olympus storm'd of old Jove would have lay'd his Thunder by And welcom'd their Society To his Muse ENough my Muse thou hast play'd 't is time to rest Now I grow old thou art past or at thy best Thy Wit like Beauty most should Youth inspire With me thou may'st take cold by thy own fire Too much thy Gamesome thoughts I have obey'd Too tart for some thy Salt my Verse has made What Beauty will be Charm'd with what I say Or write of Love if it 's no Part I play Naso's soft Arts his fair Corinna knew And what he Sung 't is thought did practise too Thalia blusheth most in woods to sing When Poets from her Verse receive no spring Tersicore Heroickly does hate The loftiest Muse that Love Invites too late Here pausing thus to me my Muse begun Would'st thou be peevish with my cheerful Song On which the youthful will bestow a smile And to this froward Age commend thy toyle Thy Salt may please th' Ingenious Criticks taste And sleight th' unseason'd jeers which others waste Is' t not enough I do rejoyce thy Song And call thy Love and Verse for ever young My Bays to future time appear most green When nought of Poets but their Souls are seen My pleasing charms the serious entertain And in the Aged youthful Wit maintain From my Records men best their manners read The Comick good which now the Stage does need Waste not thy self or make more tedious Night With high and labour'd Songs I can delight The smooth-writ Elegy or short way The witty Martial with the world did play Rome's Empire's greatness and its crimes are known From that full sense his nimble Line 's have shown The Muses value all proportions fit And what 's call'd little may have much of VVit She ended thus and next presents my Pen VVhich if I finde inspir'd I 'll write agen Miscellanies or Essayes I Thank Heaven that I have taken so far leave of my Muse as to come from Verse to Prose which I take to be somewhat a better way of Writing plain English though I find I can cramp Words as well as another or leave a Line with a foot or two of sense more than it needs and besides that I have as many to 's and do's prove's and love's with such other necessary Implements as the best Toner of them all There 's nothing that I find our Language so plentifully affords or that falls on my pate with so little invocation of my sense as Rhime does I find it fattens the most
sort My sole concerns with his our Loves did joyn And his Republick-cares embrac'd with mine Not that I would my Fannus should surmise That his esteem declar'd us equal wise Nay durst my thoughts that Parallel extend 'T were less than to have been our Scipio's Friend Few Noble Friendships Ages past could show Nor shall like his and mine the future know Fan. Wisely has Lelius to this period brought His Scipio's worth which shall survive all thought Though Romes Dominion with its weight should sink Our foes like us would then on Scipio think But to our Loves it would most grateful be Did Lelius farther treat of Amitie Thy precepts on that subject fain we 'd hear Nor can it but oblige a worthy ear Scaev. What Fannus moves thy Scaevola has said When no less earnest I thy Wisdom pray'd On Friendship 's Sacred Text thy thoughts to know To which Rome's Worthies so much greatness owe This home-bred glory first her Empire rais'd Whose Faith no less than arms by foes was prais'd Lel. To what from Lelius kindly you require This time of leisure think not his desire Can be averse or that your Loves could finde Discourse more welcome to a Friendly minde Though well I know what strength of thought 't wil take And what distinctions subtle Schoolmen make Who in nice-worded deeds their Friendships place Or with Pedantique Maxims it debase What Paradoxes of all kinds do we Observe in Greeks admir'd Philosophy Our Duties they with such contest do show That in their Ethicks Authors Wars we know This makes me Judge how vainly man is taught Who Reason learns from Canting Schools by rote Forgetting knowledge is our Nature's light For which with Syllogisms these Gown-men fight Their differences fond Science did increase Which taught Religions to dispute their peace When humane-concord Faiths did soon invade Indulg'd to Priests advanc'd their pious Trade Not that we do good precepts useless read As our frail manners or our Faiths them need Though I admire far more that Sacred life Of untaught Nature when with Vice at strife Or such a Soul for precepts is too great Which wise simplicity had Roman state With courage Fortune never could subdue But in extreams were then most happy too These without teaching did their Fates controul Who kept more knowing Schools within their Soul What should I Regulus or Camillus name With such of ours whose worth surpassed fame Their lovely deeds their Countreys Love declar'd Whose vertues by our foes were only fear'd No publick Cheat Rome's Ancients did contrive Who only in the Common-wealth would thrive They did not greatness in soft Vestments cloath But all effects contemn'd of pride and floath These Noblest patterns of best Friendships were Each publick private Amity their care Thus Rome bad Members unsinistrous great Whilâ—st mean Intrigues self-ended mâ—n create When to Cabal designs they close embrace And in a Vizard wear a publick face This shews what sublime Ethicks do impress The Souls of those that pious Friendships bless Which in the Counsel 〈◊〉 my Love you ask To be your vertues great and highest task No humane good deserves a name like it That does adverse and prosperous Fortune fit Which to accomplish I 'd be understood T' advise you place your Friendships on the good We best our selves do guide as they direct By which two Souls one common good effect Man's life has many rugged wayes to go The smooth our paths of Friendship chiefly show Nor need I with the nicely learn'd debate What prudence is requir'd to this blest State A subtlety by them too fondly rais'd Who goodness by its wisdom would have prais'd Though wise and good so strictly they agree That 't is in man impossible to be Enough the prudence of my Friend I know If he my Duties in his own does show More to dispute than will our lives supply Were like such notions that in Schools must dye If in my Friend I goodness Justice prove By him without the Learn'd I 'm taught to Love Rome's Discipline our Fathers vertue taught Who out-did Ethicks Greece had learn'd by rote Such who embellish worth by reason's Law Want no profoundness which from Schools men draw With our best powers if vertue we pursue We for our selves at least most wisely do This innate prudence first did man direct His civil rule and Friendship to effect When Cities layd Foundations of their power Appeasing Vice the Monster did devour All humane concord so much bless'd to be The first effects of pious Amity Without which Mankinde still had Savage been And Reason's Lord a wilde destroyer seen Each man to man a warful Privateer On Earth and Seas where force could domineer Did reason not adapt his mighty Soul Fit for all Creatures and his own controul From this high step our Natures did contract Man's Neighbouring kindness and that stricter pact His more United Love does Friendship name Sacred to few as it to few first came What definition can this subject raise So truly great as it exceeds our praise Of all man's Soul 's divinest gifts the height Rayes of that sublime flame and Heavenly light Which did the graces of his Love inspire From whence Heroick Friendship kindl'd fire Let others sordid riches pleasures make Th' Ignoble pastime which their Souls do take Mine never meanly shall my Soul devest Or think my reason sensually can feast Which most denotes the frailues of our life Though with our prudence should be most at strife My chiefest good in vertue shall consist And with my Friendship most I 'll Vice resist This shall direct me and its worth preserve A path from which great minds should never swerve Life werâ— Ignoble could we not rejoyce Our Concords in our Love 's deserving choice What can so sweetly our swift time convey Or what such wise and kinde returns can pay In prosperous things Friends equally are pleas'd And in adverse by them our fates are eas'd My Friends misfortune I more sadly bear Than for my self my vertue can take care On Elements which Nature kindly gives All things subsist as well as mankinde lives Yet not these blessings we more vulgar know Than Friendship does its Nobler uses show From Childhood Youth its caution us directs And has on old-Age no less wise effects I 'd sooner live without the light or air Than of my comforts in a Friend despair Let Riches Honours on their wings take flight Or in fruition Fool their appetite My bosom feeds on pleasures highest Feast When to my Friend my Soul 's a worthy guest Of him my minde a fill can never take All times and seasons he does welcom make His Love forbids my future good to fear Or doubt my present joyn'd with mine his care Who can his life but happily maintain When such a prop its burthen does sustain His Breast a Mirror is in which I see A joynt reflexion of felicity Him absent present I alike delight Nay dead his vertues still survive his sight In
strife VVho constant to his Friend in either is Has in himself the best of humane bliss And like to Heaven in ample goodness moves Not hindred by the fate of those it loves Our Friends oblige our Souls and Bodies trust Which shews how great 's our guilt when prov'd unjust Man's Faith and Love his vertue most refine The brightest Gems in which our Souls can shine Gentle and easie in a Friend I praise With such plain manners Love does smoothly raise To all vain-glorious or of froward sense I least desire my Friendships to dispense Nature has men agreeable design'd Whose Faith and Vertue still continue kinde A constant goodness to it self 's a grace And is the Throne on which my Love I 'd place What 's less becoming of a Friendly Ear Than if it credit what it should not hear Or who 'd delight in accusations brought Much less accuse that would a Friend be thought Such may in front appear Serene and Just Though he 's no Friend that can his Friend distrust Doubt is unworthy of a Noble minde The weak and faithless change in humane-kinde Nor to my Soul a question it can be Did both require an equal amity Whether in Youth or Years my Friends I 'de take No more my reason suits than that we make The Horse or Camel do our service young Whil'st Friendship by long usage grows more strong Do we not see how Custome gives some right To things we use and adds to their delight Who long has known a mountain-seat may finde As much content as when from Sun and Winde Another makes the shade and woods his choice Yet in their us'd abodes alike rejoyce Many the graces are our Souls require To fit that union which our Loves desire Superior place of birth a Friend may claim But in affection must have equal name Of all our Roman Worthies none are known That would precedency in Friendship own Man's vertue should like Parallels comply Whose just extent in one broad line does lye Though ag'd before the youthful he 'll embrace That with grave knowledge will his Friendship grace To Age our wise fore-fathers would submit Which did their youth for War and Councel fit Where we affect in deeds we must it show The hearts untill'd when barren Love does grow Man's goodness is in good of others plac'd Who lives unto himself is meanly grac'd My mind's best Gifts and Fortune I 'll impart Unto all such who have oblig'd my heart The great to meaner Friends support should give He lives divinely for man's aid does live Wisely did Poets in their Fables lay Obliging deeds great men to meaner pay In which we Kings and Hero's often finde Preserv'd by Ruralls that of humane-kinde None should above such obligations live The Cottage sometimes to a Court can give Man's goodness has most Universal right The mean and greatest equal but one height Superiours speak themselves whose good descends He 's to no purpose high that nothing bends As much Interiors by their vertue rise And who is great that can their worth despise Nature in men her own degrees does raise Though headless Fortune gives the worthless praise Some of necessity Supream must be As vertue does advance their dignity Nor must Inferiors be concern'd to finde Fortune and Merit to themselves less kinde Than unto such in both above them plac'd But judge their Friendships are in them best grac'd Though that Ingratitude I have often found Where Pride has swell'd or made the heart unsound How frequent may we hear such men regret The worth of others or meanly else repeat Some Friendly act of theirs did it advance As if 't were meant them less by choice than chance Of all men odious those I hold to be Who on their Love put this Indignity Basely he does his obligations weigh That for them bids his Friend take care to pay No value by th' obliger should be set He meanly takes that can oblig'd forget Such justly may their own neglects believe Who to themselves too great a merit give Or else does only happen unto those Whose manners they suspect will raise them foes Though men opinion'd thus themselves neglect A vertuous Friendship succors that defect Their utmost merit Love will soon allow And no less aids the worth it does avow Yet our affections must their limits see Whose great and Noble cannot therefore be Oblig'd his Friend shall equally partake Things which respect and Nature different make No more than one beloved of a King Should look that it to him a Crown would bring VVe must not more oblig'd our selves desire Than what our just capacities require The prudent will their value duely weigh Who knows his price his worth in part does pay self-Self-love's a Crime which in our Souls we finde And sometimes Friendship 's too Indulgent kinde VVhen it impedes such deeds men should pursue And to their safeties more than honour true This in the Poet well we may discern Where Lycomedes Love would so concern Neoptolemus who Troy with dangers sought Neglecting kindness he too tender thought Duely he weighs himself and Friend who moves For such respect their vertue more improves No less what 's fit to ask we should conceive Than what becomes a givers worth to give Justly we can't with their desires comply Whose want of merit bids us to deny And is that fate our amities produce When vertue 's disproportion'd for their use The best of cautions men their Souls can give Is not too soon their Friendships to believe Lest our affections meanly we bestow Or place our Love where vertue is a foe Such to endear we wisely should select Whose just desert does first their choice effect He rather violates man's friendly Lawes That does esteem without a vertuous cause Our Charity to all we must allow Whilst Friend to all would vicious Friendship show The worlds ill manners he must needs embrace That his esteem does universal place So few have merit that we must not hope To give our amities too large a scope The mean of men are mans Ignoble foes And all such Friendships sordid Interests close No more of humane good in them we finde Than what appears unto themselves most kinde These for their benefits the richest use As if like lattest beasts they men might chuse Such motives only can our hearts unite That have unto our Souls obliging right Men Love themselves without design or end No less should our respects endear a Friend Which if not mutually transfer'd must be Dâ—sign'd â—or ends of worthless amitie True Friendship such mysterious Ethicks Joyns As it in two one Moral worth defines A Friend unto a Friend 's not less the same Than if both Souls into one Body came 'T is Nature's partial care in Man and Beast That both too sensually themselves love best Yet man no Creature does so brutish finde Whose sense does not instruct it to be kinde So far the meanest Animals agree Nay more invite their like to Amitie If this
lustre's here they once did shew Fricatrices or a She upon a She. TWo Females meeting found a sportful way Without Man's help a Tickling game to play They cozen'd Venus yet consented so That something like it they resolv'd to do What Nature to their aid did next present We must suppose was short of their intent The Fairest then lay down the other strove Manhood to act with Female power and love Their nimble heat dissolv'd the active dew Which from their Pearls within its moisture drew But soon their pleasures were deceiv'd to finde The-one Thing wanted to which both had minde Like Vessels that no Rigging want or Gale Ply here and there for want of a Top-sail One said she was the Woman t'other swore She ought to be the Man and she the Whore Who upper lay the under now would be But which should be the Woman can't agree At last at their mistake they yield to smile And grant Loves pleasures nothing can beguile A Man they wanted and a Man would have Since he the Dildo has which Nature gave On Clelia SONG MOre white and soft than Swanny Down My Clelia does to me appear Her Red besides as much her own Which but in Paint so many wear 2. Her Beauties Winde and Sun endure Each Feature still its Spring does show Love does his Summer there secure And there his Cherries lively grow 3. Like some bright Nymph that joys much more The healthful Looks in fields she gains Than of Love's Captives in her power Or how ador'd by them she Raigns 4. If Eden's Crime had never been I would have sworn for thy fair sake It had been for some mighty Sinne Few women like thee heaven does make 5. Though had I Adam been thou Eve And had a Paradise withal The Forfeit first my Love should give So I might but enjoy thy Fall The Conceited WHo can the value of thy Genius know That in conceit alone do'st all things do With Storyes fram'd thou entertain'st our Ear Though nothing but thy self in them appear Good Poet thou art not 't is very plain Since thy Life's farce thy Lines can best maintain From Wit unto the Stars thy thoughts advance And talk'st of Letters and of Heaven by chance If thus thou mock'st thy self who would mock thee My Pen at least thy Mimick shall not be The Chaste I 'Le grant thee something more than Flesh and Blood If thou desir'st to be so understood Or that an Angel did thy Form dispense From his Divine and brightest quintessence And that no more of Love thou own'st within Then to pronounce it Vanity or Sin Or like a flower which when the Orb of light Refresheth with his Influence and sight To shew its obligations from above Yieldeth to blush for warmth though not for Love But this being granted what is it to be Esteem'd in Flesh and Blood a Mysterie Canst thou long hope thy Soul should circling play In all thy sprightly Veins yet never say 'T is touch'd with sense or that thy Blood should float Through all Love's Channels and not there promote His Loadstones use more strong effects do's feel From thy soft Beams then t'other do's from Steel To Live and Love is Natures highest right Who either do decline her Blessings spite Then still be not so modest to deny Lest most conceive thou giv'st thy self the lye Or If thou think'st no man can merit thee Thou but thy Image liv'st to all and me The Interrogation TEll me my Muse why thou desir'st to be So much Indulg'd to Love's soft Poesie Oor do'st thou think thy Flames can kindle wit Equal to what is on that Subject writ Love is a Theam too ancient to create A Poet other than of latest Date The Shepherd first on tender Reed could play His fellow-Rural's charm'd with Loves soft lay Diviner Orpheus Woods and Trees could move To us Records the wonders of his Love Eliza in great Maro's lasting Lines Speaks her soft flames and with Troys ruine shines Illustrious Muses Verse taught Love such Art That Cupid still from him best acts his Part. If we ascend from ours to Homer's time An take along our own best sense and Rhime The witty Fletcher and Elaborate Ben And Shakespeare had the first Dramatique Pen In most of their admired Scenes we prove Their Busines or their Passion turns to Love Cowly no less good man than Poet too Blush'd not his Verse should us his Mistress show Beauty from Poets more than Painters lives He but their Lines in fading colours gives We can't now Helen from Apelles take But Homer's Pencil her fair Life did make So much oblig'd are all of Woman-kinde As they their Fairest from the Muses finde My Muse no less ambitious bids implore Her for some Treasure of Love's witty store Which she assur'd me never could decrease While Lusters were beheld in womens face Then represents her dams unto my eye Asking to which my thoughts did most comply Whether the Amorous Brown my Verse should praise Or if the Fair I 'd more Celestial raise Or else the lovely Black that Charms the sight Should be my Theme as she 's the Queen of Night This pass'd and in a Trance a while I lay Expecting what Love to my Muse would say Which soon resolv'd that if she 'd finde me Wit Each handsome woman should have Love with it Love's Bow SUre Cupid has no other Bow Than what Heav'ns various Arch does show From which he sends his Amorous Darts And thence as many Wounds gives hearts If this Complexion of the Sky Can Image Love's Variety 2. Some Shafts he colours like the cheeks Of Lilies dy'd in Morning-streaks Others he gives a deeper Ground Whence lovely Brown or Black do wound Varying with these his Mothers eyes Adorn'd like Crystal of the skies 3. Thus count the Rays each heart do take With all the mingles Love does make And Archimedes Art will prove Deficient to proportion Love Though he could number every sand Suppos'd 'twixt heav'n and earth to stand 4. There 's then no Rule can Love desery define But as it suits thy Brest or mine Whether it be from taking Feature Or the Agreeable by Nature Though each of these alone at best Renders the Lovers half in jest 5. Give me such Looks may raise Desire Next Wit to quicken more my Fire Else but too soon my Love may waste As it on Lust's swift wings does haste Whilst he rates onely Beauties flame Gives to a Blank a Prizes name 6. Yet might I chuse my Love should be Of Nature's best simplicity When Wit unartifi'd does grace The Rose and Lilies of the Face This must be Nature's onely she And I declare her so to me SONG NOw having prov'd thy fond delays With all thy pride and scorn No more my love shall make Essays Since to be still forlorn What Soldier that would Honour win Will teach his Prowesse such a Sin 2. I 'le find some easie thing to Love Unpractis'd in disdain Or else thy
praise Few Body-politicks her Ethicks raise The good have ever kept the longest Lent Or mock'd if they bid Luxury repent To Preach down sin is more a use or Trade Too oft with Pulpits Vice has Traffick made O that we could not say our Paths to Heaven Were by our Sacred guides trod more uneven Or that it was not made a pious Curse To yield such superstition to the Purse But men are men and ever will be so Both Coats and Cassocks can one inside show In spite of forms man by himself is lin'd And in all Churches have their motly kind If Spiritual goodness somewhat over-weigh Our Temp'ral Crimes who need for more to pray Much of strict honesty were taxe on Heaven Rome seem'd content two Cato's her were given Others her Members like the worlds prov'd just Unto their Int'rest if not to their trust Why should we then complain that many now Byass themselves unto the publick so Patriots enough are to be cheaply bought Or blush not if they ask before they are sought Men must do something to be more of note Crimes are oft paid when Honesty 's forgot All ages can't alike themselves refine Some most for Vertue some for Riches shine What 's ours I 'le not assert that were to bid My Muse in such course Lines as these be chid 'T is rude in Satyrs if to Courts they stray With such soft leisure they must fear to play Men of their Brain more wise effects may show Than to send Censure where they ought to bow Shall I believe that giddily men feel Their weights told so by Tongues mistake or reel Who seeks a place or who for trust is fit Is too much the Impertinence of Wit Or whether craft or merit makes some great Suits not our search if an Intrigue of State To be well govern'd or to think we are so Does best become us and our Prayers too In Subjects wise and modest sense is shown When they submit their cares unto the Throne For their sakes Princes are with Rule oppress'd T' Obey's the easiest part if not the best Which thought well ponder'd admiration brings That the World has not Crowns to spare for Kings May we believe all those who boldly tell They would amend what others do not well Or is' t because their Vertue is in pain Untill well humour'd or employ'd with gain Such Mountebanks enough Receipts proclaim And most men halt because they 'd have them lame But O the busie Politicks of these dayes State-Counsel's no less censur'd than our Plays Whence is' t such modern Prudence does arise Can Antichristian-Coffee make more wise Than their Fore-fathers soberly could think On States or Turkish Kings without their drink Good Beer and Beef with them could well agree Or for Twelve pence had better Sack than we Judicious men ought for such times to pray No less than Poets who have least to pay Of Change and Death THis Theam without my Muse my thoughts can reach My Soul and Nature do enough me teach To know my end 't is but Death's certain night To which Life's Taper must resign its light Man's breadth and height his Bodies shade can show Death's Metaphor attends on all we do Our rest and sleep nay Love 's espous'd charms Yield to the pale embrace of his cold arms His Sickle of the young a Harvest makes Or old before their strength Life's ague shakes 'T is Nature's kindness if our wrinckl'd brow Shews first the furrows of Death's secret Plough Teaching our Souls and Bodies to prepare For other being when disjoyned here VVhere man's long Love of Luxury and ease Has Nature's cure as 't is her worst Disease How ready men Supinely bad will hope Though undeserv'd of Heaven Life's longest scope As if that Death so busie is withall Would Vice forget or still reprieve its fall The greatest Monarchs spreading thoughts and might Pursu'd by Death and Time confess their flight Could now great Julius his past Conquests see And no place his to seat his Majesty Or Rome's Augustus to the world appear And walk a stately Lord of nothing here How would they mourn their Empires early fall Rais'd to aspire till Nature's Funeral How 〈◊〉 their greatness blush were to them read Theâ—â—â—â—nest thoughts and deeds their Empire dead Th◠〈◊〉 with Caesar now might weep Nâ— for more worlds but this no power can keep Tâ—â—ir meanest Slave as well himself might bring To Rome or Babylon and be their King Man's glories here are like a Stages Scene Beheld but till the next does Intervene If such great acts of men their periods have How soon for others does fame finde a grave So much she Articles against men here They ought not long to hope her future care Man covets future fame himself to cheat Death kills to him what merit Life can get Man's end has most complyance from his will VVhen Conscience keeps no black Records of ill 'T is not the dark like Children that men fear But lest their Impious deeds pursue them there This certain honour does by Death accrew If when it comes 't is bravely welcom'd too Death's must is only man's fit time to end 'T is vain to wish it when it can't attend Not our desire or fear should it procure VVho is on purpose Sick deserves no Cure Heaven grant my end may so my soul comply That least it fear it self when I must dye I could not forbear to annex unto this Contemplation the soft and Pathetick Verse of Ovid which since relating to Age that walks almost hand in hand with Death I finde no less proper for my self than others who have any long acquaintance with Life Jam mihi deterior canis aspergitur aetas Jamque meos vultus ruga senilis arat Jam vigor quasso languent in corpore vires Nec Juveni lusus que placuere Juvant Nec me si subito videas cognoscere posses Aetatis facta est tanta ruina meae Confiteor facere hoc annos c. I think I could add another complaint of his Age which could not but more tenderly concern the Soul of so excellent a Poet. Impetus ille sacer qui vatum pectora nutrit Qui prius in nobis esse solebat abest In Spheram Archimedes Translated out of Claudian WHen Jove this Chrystal Sphear did first behold He smil'd and to Olympus Court thus told Can Mortal powers arrive unto this height That we should take in Humane art Delight The Sacred mov'ment which our Heaven does show This Syracusian wonder tells below Each various order of our Starry Sphear His shining Globe Epitomizeth there The Sun 's bright eye there sees his dayes and years And what a various brow his Phebe wears How was this Artist pleas'd this Globe to make Spangl'd with Stars like ours their Progress take Salmoneas may his feigned Thunder boast Archimedes Skill Heaven's power resembleth most Of Time A Pindaricque Ode FIrst great of Nature thou must surely be Yet never from her Womb
and other requisites of private life I hold it no less commendable as to the publick or body-politick of man at large take it in the two Essentials of a people Peace and War a Moderation in either of these cannot but be the best temperament of power To be over-long in peace does very often enervate a People or is apt to produce such restiffness through the Luxury of Ease Pride and Riches that it precipitates them into many pernicious extravagancies such as were the horrible effects of the long peace preceding our late Civil War As on the other side to be over-harress'd with Arms or poverty a most infallible consequence of the Calamities of War does both create and strengthen discontents and faction whereas if used as moderately exercising the strength and vertue of a people it redounds not seldom to their advantage and glory but such a temper of State is more happily imagin'd than easily found it being very hard for a Government exactly to qualifie or proportion to both these the humour of a people besides which there are not a few external respects of Neighbours and Confederate Nations that must go into the ballance However my Argument must be granted in both cases this advantage that what comes nearest a Medium must be allowed the best There is amother Mediocrity which I cannot but commend and I assure you of the highest concernment that is to say in Religion I confess I am afraid of having my brain too much fum'd with Zeal lest it grow giddy turbulent rash and by such mistakes wicked as was the case of our late Reformers or so unnecessarily hot that I must needs engage in Polemick Fisti-cuffs with Divines in the Schools or course the follies or indifferences of Opinions till they turn head against my Reason or invite it to wrangle about such things they cannot teach me or I them I am rather content to be so far out of the noise of the pit as I would not willingly hear such Cocks crow much less combate their Arguments On the other side I would not be so blockish in my Devotion that it should need boxing from a Pulpit or not be able to employ my contemplation of Heaven without my Ear be so boisterously taught it I would have my Religion at least as well-manner'd as my converse that is to say civil and discreet I thank God I have seen a Surplice wore in England and France and thought it superstition in neither I can profit from one in a Coat and Breeches as well as in a Cassock I am apt enough to allow men sacred so they do not oblige me to receive Oracles from them I know how to commend my Shoomaker though I do not altogether tye my shooe his way And as I approve a moderation in this Supream concern so I would make it my choice in the vertues and moralities of life For example in Love and Friendship I cannot but believe that an extream in either does render men more uneasie and unuseful to one another than a moderate and consequently a more agreeable relation would produce there being no capacity of vertue more apt to impair than what comes nearest an extreamity every little misunderstanding does make it too nice or piquant to continue its fervour long as is obvious enough in such cases of affection wherefore I will have sufficient content if I am but moderately assured of either I finde that ease and plainness are very grateful to my disposition in all kinds to which as I would proportion my manners so I would do no less for my Food Cloaths and Converse I would not be troubled with too much wit or want what is enough to embellish behaviour A complemental or finical man should no more be of my society than a Puppet that moves makes legs and faces upon a wyer I have enough of such Punchinello 's and it may be they of me if they afford me quietly my choice 't is all I look for if not I must tell them that I care as little for the modish allowance of their wit as they can for the freedome of mine I use no Salt purposely to gall their Throats If my Genius has spared enough to season these Papers fit for my Readers pallat let him taste for me however I will not be afraid to tell the world what I think best If I have stirred up any Spiritual or Temporal Zeal to oppose me I know no better way than to refer them to this Essay where I hope I may be found so far in the right as to occasion a moderate approbation or pardon The Dubitant I Count it no disrepute to our Religion that it is doubted by some as well as believed by many since I have not read of any perswasion but had as many opposers as Defenders I finde it the same under the Law as under the Gospel and yet the Gentiles and Ethnicks that would have argued down these had as much to do in their disputes with one another Doubt ever had and ever will have some fellowship with Believers or will be a near Neighbour to them and men must be content with its company whethey they will or no. There is nothing that can be asserted to come so immediately from Heaven as no mixtures of men shall accompany it such as have authority must be the deliverers or imposers of it God has taken more care of the essence of our belief than of the manner and circumstances such he has thought fit to leave to the prudence of our Governours and Teachers who as they do not finde it requisite to impose over-much on the wise on the other side will alwayes finde enough to entertain or amaze the weak and ignorant and it does become their wisdomes so to do since all Worships are no less composed of the knowing the impertinent and foolish than Body-politicks are wherefore some sweetning is allowable alwayes according to mens several capacities somewhat like that of Poetry in Hudibras one thing for rhime another for sense I know a man that taking occasion to admire Prophecies and of all Books of the Prophets the Psalms of David as they are Sung in English cited this passage From Turk and Pope Good Lord deliver us without which he acknowledged that he had never been so sully confirmed how great a Prophet David was the man meant well and as little thought that Hopkins had sung this inspiration instead of David and yet I undertake not absolutely to blame the addition it was perhaps thought necessary at that time to make the Pope and Turk equally terrible by the authority of a Prophet Vulgar apprehensions will be apt to receive impossibilities or contradictions as the glittering of Copper-lace can set forth a Stage well enough to them If a Gold or Silver Sute enter now and then between the Acts they do not much more admire it The brain of man must be pleased with inequalities as the weak are generally the most easie and
would enslave their awe But pass we hence to Scaevola's greater fame Where Tullie's richest words exalt his Name And Lelius did with him of Friendship treat With Caius Fannus soon after di'd the great And warlike Scipio from Affrick not more fam'd Than in this Treatise we have Lelius nam'd Which from me Atticus thy Love requir'd Nor is there subject more my Soul defir'd Than Friendship gives the Gold of Worth and Love Which does mankinde to noblest acts improve Of Cato's prudent age before I writ And thought its Patronage might thee befit He wisely liv'd but flourish'd most in years Which reason Mankind's fâ—mest staff most fears So much his Wisdom did my Soul delight That more his words than mine I strove to write The same for Lelius here my Pen would do Whose sage desert's convey'd with Cato's too Think now he speaks or dictates to my Theam As it admir'd th' immortal Cato's Name Lelius to Scipio-Affrican a Friend What praise or greatness farther can extend And thus to Fannus Lelius had exprest Fan. Who then reply'd Let our discourse not fist With too short mention of his mighty fame That rais'd the honour of our Roman Name Of his and Cato's worth who would not hear To which our Senate such respect did bear Thy graces too for ever Fame must own Not lâ—ss to us than to wise Cato known Gifts of thy minde too great for to compare But with his People Senate held so dear Thou wise from Nature Manners study too What more than these could Cato's merit show Thy Prudence does felicity so place As 't is the Gole for thy swift Vertues race And accidents of man dost so despise That thou instructest Fortune to be wise Of me and Scaevola thy great Friends have sought How Scipio's death did wound thy noble thought Because that in these Nones thou did'st not come To Brutus Gardens the delight of Rome Where no day pass'd but we from thee might hear Thy prudent Comments so divinely rare Appli'd to things most high import mankinde Bestowing thus the Treasures of thy minde Scaev. True I must witness what our Fannus spake When thy Friends griev'd lâ—st Lelius Soul might take Too strict a sorrow for great Scipio's death Or bid adieu to life on wings of breath To which I answer'd though I had observ'd Thou in thy value of him had'st not swerv'd From moderation best declares the wise Yet might thy Soul be pierc'd with humane eyes No grief could there be wanting does become The Friend of Scipio and concern of Rome But for what cause thou hast withdrawn of late To sorrow or thy sickness does relate Lel. Of me kinde Scaevola has justly spoke Nor has my Soul such vain impression took That I can mourn one hapless hour away Which duty to my Countrey bids me pay This Constancy expects and Rome of me Which for no sorrow must neglected be Great Scipio's Friendship I admired more Than my best thoughts can e're his loss deplore His vertue best instructeth me to know How Publick-duty private does allow This in our Zamas Battel was beheld When Romans did their lives to glory yield He wept not in that day one Roman's fall But joy'd their Valours forc'd their Funeral And should I mourn his death who di'd so great ' Twou'd look as if Fate could his Fame defeat But ere I more of his high vertue speak Thy Love does Fannus me too equal make To matchless Cato who chief of Mortals knew What humane Wisdom most became to do Nor think that mighty Sage Apollo chose Before his Prudence could himself propose His deeds and sayings might have added sense To what Greeks feign their Oracles dispense But to my Scipio I will now return And tell you how my Soul his death does mourn Should I depriv'd of him my loss deny 'T were worse than Stoïcal stupidity Touch'd I am deeply and may truly say My Soul's best joy deceas'd in his last day Nor can I hope that man shall ever be Grac'd as I was with such an Amity He dy'd so great that 't were my Friendship 's crime To wish he liv'd to dye a second time Which does present such comfort to my Soul That I the world 's fond way of grief controul No hurt to Scipio could by death accrew His famous loss to me most harm did do Though too much my misfortune to lament Were a concern too great in my content His vertue did arrive to such a height That more Immortal 't is than Stars or light What did he not accomplish man can praise Or who a wish above his deeds would raise How much did Rome his Noble youth admire Majestick great yet full of Martial fire His Unckle Father both great Consuls Slain In one dayes Field fierce Annibal did gain Whose Fate and Carthage were reserv'd to be The fame and glory of his victory Romes Consulship he never did demand His vertue not himself did for it stand Though twice that honour'd office he has grac'd Once before due as soon when due so plac'd Wars present future Triumphs he obtain'd Whil'st Carthage conquer'd what power next remain'd For Empire of the world with Rome durst cope So much his deeds oblig'd her warlike hope His manners to his actions honour were Subduing passions Nature's roughest War He Armies taught the worth of Civil Laws Which more Victorious made Rome's Martial cause 'T were endless all his graces to declare What pious Son his Mother held so dear Liberal to such alli'd to his high blood Just unto all to Friends most kindly good These deeds I doubt not are well known to you And how our City him lamented too That Crown'd his end and who 'd be valu'd more Than him great Rome held worthy to deplore Each year he liv'd more joy his past still brought Who aged di'd yet unimpair'd in thought His Life so great that Death it self took care For his Soul's flight his Bodies pain to spare The day before his last auspicious come When him our Conscript-Fathers waited home To us foreshew'd that Romes rewarding Gods Would soon demand him to their bless'd abodes Who can consider his desert and say Souls dye and live our Bodies Mortal way This made me judge how wise and pious thought Religious rites unto mans practice brought Concluding that Immortal Souls must be Disrob'd of Sense their mean felicity A Theorem our Ancients held Divine And as 't was worthy Scipio's so 't is mine He it confirm'd almost with his last breath To shew he better things did hope by death Wherefore his end my friendship can't lament Since Heaven in him receives a full content Nay could I think that Souls with Bodies dye And felt no more of humane misery 'T is palpable that as death brings no good So it our hurt cannot be understood In Scipio dead I am bless'd as I rejoyce My Soul 's high honour in his Loves great choice From him I learn'd what friendship did import And saw its meanness in the vulgar
him the better part of me subsists My Soul my Body moves but Loves most his This vertue should man's best esteem create Which does to such Transcendent deeds relate The force of Union here the world maintains Where providence with such high grandure raigns Should it one cause of Concord disunite Twou'd puzzle Heaven to set its works at right To humane life Man's discord is a Curse Which than all beings renders Mankind's worse This the world's reason knows both just and true Though 't is man's crime and fate so bad to do In words who will not worthy acts commend Or him that with his peril serves his Friend But how unworthy are such Ethicks made If of their practice Reason is afraid Orestes Pylades such Friendships make As either sought to dye for eithers sake This fiction we on Theatres behold A Noble Moral in high Language told VVhich to applaud yet live less great and wise Shews that our Fables do our lives despise Our guilty Nature blushing to confess It knows more good than we in deeds express Thus far my speech this Noble Theam has brought And what remains from others may be sought Fan. Too soon a close our Lelius us affords On this high subject heightn'd by his words Fit to prolong the fleeting hours of day And raptures to our nightly sleeps convey The thred of thy discourse yet more extend Though it will length still want when it do send Scaev. Well hast thou Fannus spoke great Lelius worth Thy Love provokes him farther to set forth As once I did when sweetly pass'd the day In Scipio's Gardens whilst with us did stay The accurate Philus gravely argu'd too Yet learn'd from Lelius what was fit to do VVho did so wisely Justice make his cause That it might have been written with Rome's Laws But on our Friendly subject more to touch And briefly to declare what I think such By it the most agreeing Love I mean Or such admits few turns to raise its Scene Which constancy and Justice must defend Who 's various soon may falsly be call'd Friend A worthiness of minde my Love expects From him I love or he my Love neglects Lel. Hard 't were my Scaevola in Friendships cause VVhich of all humane has the kindest Laws T'enact such strict Conformities of life VVhich with our Natures have too high a strife Vertue 't is true we chiefly should allow And yet not Criticize upon it so That no allay should pass amongst its gold VVhil'st we our souls in Bodies do behold Compos'd of dross in which 't were vain to think Our minds can pass Lifes-strands and nothing sink Friendship I can't resist could I not finde A well-deserving Love in humane kinde Vertue in us must this foundation lay Our Friends would else like bribes their Friendship pay As on this subject often I have thought This worthy question by my Soul was brought Whether man's helpless life or want should be Sufficient ground to enter Amity Or whether giving and receiving prove The mutual endearments of his Love Which vertues near affinities express Though more the Beauties of its cause confess That from our Nature's goodness did arise Or from above inspir'd the great and wise VVhose Souls Divinely did themselves prepare To fix such Concords before Friendships were VVhich had I not a Friend it 's worth would show How much beforehand me the world does owe. Our Souls their own internal Love assign'd But scorn'd to be unto themselves confin'd VVhich great instinct diffusive soon was made VVhil'st men did Traffick for their vertues Trade Unburthen'd with the fraight of meaner ends VVhich for design or profit seek out Friends In Friendship nothing feign'd or false should be A choice unmixt of man's felicity Pure as we Souls in Bodies can suppose VVhen to their Vice alone declared Foes How contrary a course the world does run And few there are who are not first undone Before the vertue of their Friend they prove Or his ingratitude does meet their Love A Friend too dearly by his Friend is bought That proudly gives respects or would be sought Expecting for his good deeds to be pray'd VVho takes my Money is less meanly paid Than such a sordid or unkinde return A grief our Souls are most oblig'd to mourn Their best estate of life is then destroy'd VVhen Friendship fails or meanly is enjoy'd My Love I place not to advance my gain But on a worth that may with mine remain In which consists the prudence of our choice VVhen minds are match'd that best themselves rejoyce On vertues lovely-Ethicks man should feast Before his amity deserves a guest Her entertainment highly does invite Our Souls the good of others to delight For whose bright sake we vertuous Friendships show Nay prove its force toward such we do not know Who can great Curius or Fabritius name Though dead and not rejoyce their living fame As much proud Tarquin's memory we hate VVith Cassius Melius vicious in our State Though Martial Pyrrhus did with Rome make VVar Him less than Annibal we hated far His vertue did his Arms more friendly make But how unworthy did Rome's honour take The cruelty of that great Punick foe Our Cities lasting Odium well does show If we th' effects of probitie confess Oblig'd by Enemies its worth express How much a greater power does goodness gain VVhich more familiar we with friends maintain And with our hours such benefits renew As most endear our Loves and Vertues too VVhat 's beneficial we shall surely finde Though 't were a meanness by us first design'd To fly unto our Friends when fate us drives Is like a Pilot in a Port survives VVhich in a calm perhaps he ne'r had sought So in a storm our Souls should not be brought To Friendship 's harbour to which we should steer More to protect our goodness than our fear In our best strengths our amities should meet Not in our froward age or youthful hear But when we wisely obligations weigh Yet need them less than ready such to pay VVhat did my Scipio of his Lelius want Nor did my Fortune more my Friendship scant His vertue I design'd my Loves high choice And his as gratefully did mine rejoyce Large is th' extent of good that does accrew To such who wisely Noble Loves pursue Their profits sure yet enter'd for no gain Nor are they ours of whom we can complain That our concerns oblig'd us to require Such kinder deeds as they should first desire Request 's a bribe good men should seldom take VVho would be sought to can his Friend forsake The fruit and growth our vertue should expect Is that our Friendship greater it effect How then should we contemn that giddy race VVho their unworthy Loves in pleasures place A motive we in sensual creatures see VVhich for such brutal ends as kinde can be No wonder then if we dissent from these Who more their Bodies than their Souls would please Unworthy farther mention to obtain But in a vile contempt
of thought remain Our more Etherial minds should upward move VVhose center 's here but have their Sphear above From whence benignly on us do descend Those divine comforts betwixt Friend and Friend In whom our Souls industriously delight Their own fruition's in their appetite Unwearied to enjoy as to improve That Friends may merit equally and Love This only should their worths contention be And best denotes and profits Amitie VVhil'st such self-ended-Friendships do contract Imply disunion as they make their pact VVorldly respect mean humane Nature joyns And soon as meanly dissolution finds Man's Friendships Sacred are that still remain Link'd to our Souls with their divinest Chain Thus far its hight and rize I do declare Unless you 'd more enlarg'd this subject hear Scaev. Too soon would Lelius cease what 's well begun Rather believe thy race of words does run Less swift than does our ear receive delight Nor have we yet from thee but distant sight Of that fair Gole to which our Love should haste VVhen on its noblest wings it flyes most fast Fan. VVith Scaevola's request does Fannus joyn As our affections we to thee assign The End of the first Part. PART II. MArk then you Excellent as I set forth The sage discussion which great Scipio's worth Did with his Lelius on this Subject raise For which I more his noble Friendship praise Though nothing has mans Ethicks so perplext As knowledge joyn'd with practice of this Text. When amicably good our Manners be We after life rejoyce their memory But how inglorious do our Friendships fall If before death we see their Funeral Nor small 's the task mans highest vertues take When in the various change of things they make Their Amities as constant as their life Preserv'd from discord or injurious strife This sense my Scipio wisely did declare Who least of men had cause his worth to fear He in his own great soul did grieve to finde Most to their Vertues less than Interest kinde How few expedients of mans life comply That don't perplex or thwart his Amity In publike cares the good sometimes dissent Which makes the evil worse they would prevent Adversities mans friendships disunite Or as we grow in years impair its might Mixt with our Childhoods Pastimes is this crime And more obnoxious to our youthful time The Gown of Manhood most no sooner take But they their friends before their Youth forsake To Luxury man's nature 's frail and kinde And for its sake our souls are oft disjoyn'd Honour and Riches strongly have their cause The high usurpers on our friendly laws For these unto our Forums most will croud And strive in Eloquence to be most loud How truly Worldlings for their money grieve That not a tear for vertues sake will give Most can lament a Friend or Father's loss Compelling drops ill nature seem to cross But if concerns of profit those obtain All may conclude that such no sorrow feign What Plague so desperately mans soul infects As that we finde his covetous vice effects For this he forfeits Honour life of Fame Destroying Goodness to enrich his Name He Friendship cheaper than his Grain can sell Whose Coyn th' impression of his Love does tell The Best concerns of Honour do admit As glory to their Vertue and their Wit Though Passions here sometimes their loves divide Swelling those graces with ambitious pride Dissentings from a friend such justly finde That seek to byass his discreeter minde Who asks what is not fit of me to have More justly my Dislike than Love does crave Whilst some t' assist their Vice will friends desire Yet think amiss when Vertue bids retire From aiding of such Crimes they would commit As most their Friends before their Vice will quit The seeming-good the best pretences finde And to oblige their ends as outward-kinde And thus the inward soul of Vice conceal Till deeds the evil of their hearts reveal A worthless love who would not but neglect Since 't is to vertue but our just respect Though many ways on mankinde Fate impends It most appears in disuniting friends So ill proportion'd is our humane life That vertuous men with bad must live at strife The just extent of Friendship we should weigh Lest we beyond its bounds our selves convey Our Countries love we chiefly must preserve Opposing such who from it ill deserve Could Coriolanus justly friends invite T' assist his Arms against our State did fight Who can be worthy of a Romane name That on its Ruine would exalt his fame Who Becellinus Tyranny would aid So vilely did his Monarch-friend invade Or Spurius Melius base designes assist Or the more dangerous Gracchi not resist Whose factious Greatness set Rome's hearts on fire A Fever by which Empires oft expire When pop'lar men their fierce Seditions move And their Ambition cheats the Peoples love Though all Rome's worthy friends did first forsake Th' unworthy Cause and Party these did take But how ignobly Blossius had comply'd When before me and Consuls undeny'd His friendship to seditious Gracchus Cause And was that Roman's friend to break Rome's Laws Which though his death did expiate his end Declares him not worse Citizen than friend Thus no excuse our Amities can give If we Ill men for love of others live In every act that Vertue we forsake The moral good of men a foe we make Whate'r we ask or what we grant a friend Must not to vitious self-respects extend What made Rome's Consulate so wisely great With all the Magistrates of Romane State But that they use of Vertue understood And never sought or ask'd but what was good From whence our vigorous State took noble life And was with Vice more than with Foes at strife The end of the Second Part. The third and last PART FIrst to confirm such â—â—â—s our Friendships binde Our Amities should â—â—rictly be design'd Free from Complimentâ— with unworthy deeds Lest in our Souls shoot up injurious weeds And choke those flowers of Vertue mans delight Should be to cultivate and make more bright Whilst nothing for our Friends but good we do And for its interest onely to them sue Secur'd in what we ask without delay As our desires one equal good obey Thus mingling souls we mutual love endear And nothing great or wise without our care Who will deny their actions just controul Advis'd by friends to whom we joyn our soul True reprehensions we from such must hear And what their loves require submissive bear To our Friends eyes our brests transparent be And better than our selves our selves they see The surest Pilots to direct our course Against the raging world's impetuous force No smooth-fac'd flatteries from them we finde The Syrens which ensnare frail Humane-kinde But Truth unmask'd as it may useful prove T' assist our Vertues and increase our Love Some whom the Graecians would for Wisdom praise As on this Theam they subtil notions raise Require mans Amities should not be such That he may feel their burden being much
appear in Creatures rul'd by sense How much should reason for man's good dispense Lest it to which his brutal vassals bow Him Tyrant to himself and them does show Our humane being has the chiefest grace Where Friendship 's fair Societies we place Nor had man's vertue e'r such greatness shown If good men had enjoy'd their worth alone A solitary vertue few desire That would not uselessly themselves admire Our Ethicks then attain their Noble height VVhen to our selves and others they have right VVhich bless'd estate man chiefly does possess As his Societies his Love express In this we honest glory pleasure finde And what Crowns all tranquillity of minde VVho ever was so Impious to deny That Friendship gives to man felicity In other things we reason may dispute In this the most Ill-natur'd sense is mute That even all such who vertue most contemn The useful good of Friendship will esteem Such men whose manners were so strictly wise As they could honour pleasures wealth despise Yet no such Cynick amongst these we finde That did reject the Love of all mankinde The good and bad in this alone conspire Since Vice does make this vertue its desire There 's few ill-natur'd vicious that aflect Their manners should oblâ—ge their own neglect Or that their practis'd evil would allow Did none to it or them a kindness show Which tells men would in all estates receive Affection to their lives a life does give If any so Morose and Curst appear That they for man's converse do little care Or to some Solitude with hate retire Yet in that bitterness they 'd soon desire Some one to whom they might their ill express And more rejoyce the evil they confess The worst of men their like will kindness show Who has no Friend lives to himself a foe If man on Earth so happily were plac'd That he a fill of all delights embrac'd And only man's converse deny'd to him VVho lives so bad would this a pleasure deem Nay more could one above the Stars ascend And were so bles'd besides to comprehend The brightest glories Heaven and Nature know Yet even all this unpleasant bliss would show VVithout he could it to some breast impart Kinde to partake the wonders of his heart No blessing reason will receive to be Depriv'd of Man's converse and amity These for our help and comfort she requires And do no less oblige our just desires So many wayes by Nature man is taught How vertues pleasing good should win his thought That to themselves they most absurdly live Who from their Out-law'd Vice commands receive Nor can men Friendship so secure express As nothing shall impede its happiness Some mis-conceptions we may well pass by More to advance our own fidelity Where I admonish it shall be my care Not to offend his Love I bid beware My Ingenious Friend neat Terence has observ'd That flattery more Friends than truth preserv'd Truth does the vicious grieve because their shame Whil'st wise and good improve by taking blame Such more unto their Vice than Friends are kinde That of their Crimes would not be put in minde He is a worthless Friend whose Love is lost In having of his evil manners crost Who 's so offended to himself 's unjust And ruines Friendship to preserve his Lust Who has a wish of good unwilling sees How men Indulge their infelicities If such we flatter we smooth Vices way VVhich slides more fast if not oblig'd to stay Below a Friend or Free-mans-Soul he lives That neither counsels truth or truth receives Where truth distastes or is refus'd an ear There vertues safety we may justly fear Wise Cato this discern'd whose prudence chose Rather to merit the most bitter foes Than Friends that sooth the failings of man's life Or would not with his Vices be at strife From such we truth are never sure to know Whil'st malice or revenge do oft it show Who disapproves the Crimes his Soul do wrong Will joy to hear them from a candid Tongue There 's no concern should men more cautious make Than not for Friend a flatterer to take Truth 's Copy in no paint of sense is known Whose grace simplicity best shows alone How unbecoming Eloquence does show Which pop'lar men on flattery bestow How loath'd are such when we compare their ends With our upright and graver Roman Friends In Scenes of Fiction that which seems to bâ—â—ng The truth to light we hold the highest thing What then is worthy Friendship 's just esteem Which in all actions falshood does condemn An open heart affection does declare Which Truth discovers without search or care Men fruitless Love and are belov'd in vain Unless their Souls improvement thence do gain A Sycophant on him does most prevail Whose heart resembles his that does assail Whil'st such to Parasites betray their ear That sooth themselves or love their praise to hear Vertue her self so wisely understands That all vain-glory has her countermands The seeming good their vertue most do cheat And by dissembling Vice make it more great Such in their feign'd repute will take delight Whose manners unto goodness have least right With these small concord worthy men can hold Whose Tongues to blemish falshood must be bold If one of two obliging truth neglects The other sooths such lyes the first affects Can any judge their hearts are friendly joyn'd When both to truth and vertue are unkind An airy Monster puft up thought is made That vainly owns such worth it never had Or stupid guilt which flatter'd Souls does blinde Who joy what in themselves they cannot finde Though Reason's sight is seldom not so keen That by it open flatt'ry 's unseen The occult and subtle men should most beware Which Serpent-like glide wilely to the ear ' Gainst such our Prudence highly should oppose Who are but seeming Friends are worst of foes Some I have known that would discussions raise Appearing to decline their sweetn'd praise Until they greater blandishments invite And give up reason to their fond delight These from untutor'd sense receive a shock As all vain-glorious Wit it self does mock But pass we these imperfect deeds of men To finish this high Theam which Tully's Pen Gives to the world amongst that useful store Of matchless Eloquence he writ before By whom thus Lelius his discourse now ends Know Scavola and Fannus much lov'd Friends That vertuous Friendship does such worth declare As it's relapse or fall we cannot fear In whose stability our Souls finde rest Though with our passions or deep care opprest A splendent Love that does convey such beams As kindle in mens hearts their mutual flames The highest good that worthy minds can chuse Whil'st bad-mens manners only it abuse Who loves without ends loves his Friend indeed He 's meanly kinde that 's kinde for his own need Vertue does her effects enough dilate Where good 's the cause men need not good intreat The wise and vertuous cannot miss their ends Who prove men worthy e're they call 'em Friends Similitude our appetites rejoyce No less becomes the prudence of man's choice His like in age and manners to delight What suiteth youth in old appeareth light Life's frailty does this just support require That good-men's aid and Love we should desire The worth of Friendship lasts when life does end And so great Scipio dy'd and lives my Friend In Life and Death his vertue is the fame Conspicuous to posterity and fame No great and noble deeds can man atchieve But may a pattern seem which his did give Mens worthy acts by death have their increase Fame most unenvy'd lives at Life's decease Thus I my Age and Memory employ To make my dead and living Friends my Joy Let your Loves also do the same with mine And to your Friendships strictly vertue joyn Without which no good act deserves esteem As its obliging thought shall close this Theam FINIS