of the starry hoast Shon with re-doubled Light As well indeed the splendid Sov'reign might For if as learn'd Traditions say Myriads of Hero's Souls adorn the milky way Not since the fiery Atomes were Center'd in one eternal burning sphear Can the bright Ruler of Aetherial Air So glorious so divine a Constellation boast But oh when we our Guardian Angel lost What Deluges of Tears the mournful World it cost Distracted terror seiz'd on ev'ry place And wild amazement sat on ev'ry face Swift as the Winds and fatal too As the contagious drops of baleful Dew Through distant Realms the dreadful Tidings flew As o're the blasted Fields the killing Accents spread That Charles their Gracious Lord the King was dead The Tiller's Hands drop'd from his lab'ring Plough No more he cry'd the fertile Gleab I 'll sow For what alas avails the richest Harvest now On the bleak Mountains Shepherds raving lay And flung their well-fill'd Scrips and tuneful Pipes away On the steep Cliffs of dang'rous Rocks Their once-lov'd Kids and tender Flocks To ev'ry Wolf expos'd an easie Prey Bleating their Sorrows wander'd far astray Round his young Darlings's Neck the rev'rend Sire With horror struck and ready to expire His trembling Limbs for a support he spread But from his lovely Face turn'd off his aged head Unable and unfit to undergo The bitter weight of their united Woe With Hair dishevell'd their Garments torn Afflicted Matrons wish'd their Babes unborn Unkindly snatch'd from the soft Breast Where they were fondly lull'd all night to rest And with full Lux'ry wanton'd all the day The poor neglected Infants weeping lay They both involv'd in one sad Fate appear'd The tears of both unpitty'd their loud Cries unheard Ne're sure was Man lamented so before In the small Plains of â—…oab was alone The hideous Pomp of Sorrow shewn When Israel did the Death of their best Kings deplore But now behold ev'ry wild barb'rous shore Does the insufferable loss of our dear Prince bemoan So well were thro' all Realms his God-like Vertues known Blended together in the dismal Lot Our very Griefs were with our Joys forgot The vilest Poverty and worst of pain Oppress'd the starving indigent in vain The raging Stone and ev'ry sad Disease Like spreading Plagues did greater torments seize He fell alas as the devouring Serpent rose That dire Calamity did all the rest depose As when in Darkness deep as ancient night The sudden blaze of a consuming Light With Ruin Spoil and livid Flames burns down The tow'ring Fabricks of a stately Town When melting Shrines solemn Temples rise Like blazing Meteors in the threaten'd Skies Such were the shrieks of Woe such the bewailing Cries And oh when Fate seal'd the lov'd Monarch's doom Both Fire and Sword Pestilence were come Till our new Prophet rais'd his mighty hand Subdued the Host of Plagues and heal'd the groaning Land III. Deep were the marks of Grief in ev'ry face That bore the stamp of humane Race With Adoration to the sacred shade A Subject's Tribute ev'ry Subject paid But oh what Heart cou'd bear what Tongue express The racking torture and forlorn distress The Royal Mourners felt that woeful day When the dear Peace of all Mankind departing lay The gorgeous Palace all around With shining Architraves was richly crown'd And 〈◊〉 of burnish'd Gold the wealthy Pilâ—…â—…own'd With Adaâ—…t and ev'ry precious Stone The high â—…lted awful Throne Magnificent with â—…eaming Glory shon Bright as the Imperial seat of deathless Gods Yet in a moment 〈◊〉 the blest Abodes Without the Pomp 〈◊〉 â—…onious Woe Black dismal loath'd as the dâ—…d shades below Senseless as Statues in deep 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…nd Stood all the sad Attendants 〈◊〉 In Floods of their own tears like streâ—… tains drown'd Not when inexorable Death Seiz'd her imperial Lord's last gasp of â—…eath The precious Corps so pale and ghastly lay As when the fair unspotted face Of the dear Partner of his Royal Bed Drops such as Angels weep the holy Consort shed And knowing well the way To the bright Throne of everlasting Grace With never-ceasing Supplications pray'd To the good Gods for their propitious Aid Zealous and fervent at Heavens Gate she stood With ardent Raptures interceding more For that one precious Life than when the flood Had swept the face of Earth and at the sacred Shrine Of honour'd Themis Pyrrha did implore The Powers divine They would again the perish'd Race of Man restore Tho often she before But for short Absence had endur'd the smart Which Bodies feel when from their Souls they part In that deplorable emergent horror Grief like her gracious Lord's Disease Did her rent Heart so violently seize Which nearest was the Grave cou'd scarce be seen The dying Monarch or the living Queen IV. But now at length altho omitted long And willingly indeed delay'd Must by my bold advent'rous Song Its homage where â—…t is most due be paid But how the Scene of horror can be wrought Enough tormenting to the sight or thought Tell me ye sacred Pow'rs that know If you your selves the misery can shew And humane Soul the sad Infusion bear To tears abandon'd and hard Grief forlorn How did the Royal Pair their parting mourn What Desolation vehement Despair And sighing Tempests fill'd the groaning Air Tho noblest Courage his great Soul does arm Against the fear of any mortal harm And even then the Loyal Iames did shew Brave and mignificent in mighty â—…oe What furious Torrents burst his gushing Eyes When he cry'd out the King Oh my lov'd Brother dies The last dear gasp of Breath and dying Groan He took when he had scarce another of his own Tho from the Minute that Great Charles was dead A glorious Crown descended on his Head And three vast Realms his awful Scepter sway'd Who that beheld him scarce of Mortal Birth Groveling in dust and tears upon the Earth Wou'd â—…ot believe so much the change had cost He at that Moment the World's Empire lost Nay even when it was too late To grieve against irrevocable Fate When the blest King was rais'd from dark abodes To the bright Synod of immortal Gods His tender Passion and fraternal Love Like a declining Tempest strove Still in his Breast the rowling Surges move As if his Regal Ornaments were more Envenom'd than the poyson'd Robe Alcydes wore V. Who cou'd have thought the Mighty Charles so well Supported cou'd so soon have fell While the brave Prince in rugged War did weild With dauntless Courage his magestick shield And as of old Anchises pious Son Thro' flaming Arms to save a Father run Tho Death he often met i' th dreaded forms Of fiercest Battels and the loudest Storms Such rev'rent Homage did his Valour draw The deform'd Tyrant still he kept in awe But oh what treacherous Fate Does on the best of humane Glories wait Whilst smiling Cupids round his Head did play As in the midst of flowing Joys he lay The grisly Monster seiz'd the noble Prey So
â—…aw With a chasâ—…e hand thou might'st the chasâ—…e net draw Yet if by cunning sâ—…ealth some Rival Maid Should the soft Pleasures of my Love invade May some unknown misfortune meet her may She suddenly become some wild Beasts prey But thou fair Youth such rough Delights forbear And let thy Father of the Chase take care Thou softer Pleasures follow Thou and I And quickly to my Bosom quickly fly A Translation out of 〈◊〉 To SLEEP WHat horrid Crime did gentle Sleep displease That he refuses me the common ease Of Bird and Beast nay ev'ry breeding Trâ—…e Seems but to nod with Sleep to waking me Fierce Rivers softly glide Seas faintly roar And roul themselves asleep upon the Shore Seven times the Moon has measur'd out the night Seven times my Eyes out-watch'd her borrow'd Light The shining Stars as in their Orbs they move As oft have seen me waking from above Still my Complaints reviv'd Aurora hears And mov'd with Pity baths me with her Tears How will my Strength to bear my Grief suffice Like Argus I have not a thousand Eyes That may alternately their watching take His Body never was all o're awake Perhaps some amorous Youth kind Sleep denies To lodge at present in his wanton eyes With waking Arms he clasps the yielding Dame And quits his Rest to ease a restless Flame Let the ill-treated God take Wing to me Who have so long beg'd for his Company I will not ask him a whole Night to stay A happier Man must for that Blessing pray Let him but call upon me in his way The ATHEIST I. GReat knowing Hero Who dares boast A Conquest o're the Lord of Host Thou wear'st a Soul that scorns to be Corrupted with the Notion of a Deity Thou know'st this World was made by chance In thy eternal Atoms luckey Dance That in their heedless motion hit At last on thee thou mighty Man of Wit Thy shuffl'd Atoms that thus joyn'd And to make a World combin'd By the last Trumps inliv'ning sound Shall be without blind chance calld from the world round And when they 're all together met Shall the Agony beget Then thou shall be Rebuilt to an Eternity Of still beginning misery And thy great Nature too shall fall like thee II. Nature God's Steward only can disburse Events which he before ordain'd And uncontroul'd ne're govern'd us But like the Causes too is chain'd If God from Nature should withdraw his hand The seeble Atlas reels and cannot stand III. Proud Fool recant thy vain Philosophy That of thy God so long has cousin'd thee Thy pinion'd Reason Flesh with Faith and Soar Above thy Reason Nature's God t' adore This will correct thy Reason and thy Pride And shew thee the Eternal crucified Tho you before did think his Blood did never glide But in a Picture from his Side And that God only in a pious Romance dy'd This surely Lord thy Torments must renew And crucifie thy God-head too For 't is a double Pain To dye for Man that will an Infidel remain A Pastoral Reflexion on Death Strephon and Damon Beneath a gloomy Yiew's unhealthy Shade Whose noxious Coverts shun'd by Bird and Beast The wretched Damon lay with Arms a-cross His labouring Breast quick like a sickly Pulse His Heart with Passion seem'd to throb and beat From 's half-clos'd eyes there stole a falling tear Along the fallow Furrows of his Cheeks The deep ingraven Characters of Grief The Pipe which he with tuneful Breath inspir'd And made the vocal Organ of his Lays Lay broke and silent by the dire effect Of raging Sorrow for in that was lost The Wonder and Delight of all the Plains As Strephon chanc'd to shape his course that way In quest of two lost Ewes that lately stray'd He spy'd the Shepherd stretch'd upon the ground Amaz'd at the sad Spectacle of War He silent stood then Damon Damon cry'd Being thus provoked he rais'd his giddy Head That strait recoil'd and gently sunk to rest At last with 's Elbow pillow'd from the ground He gave attention to his speaking Friend Strephon. What makes my Damon secretly retire Resolv'd in private to possess his Grief When Damon's Sheep require their Damon's care Last night I heard the Wolves run howling by That with fierce eyes devour'd all our Flocks Their Fear above their Hunger scarce prevail'd For two Lambs in my view they almost seis'd In yonder Village too I heard this day That Thieves have basely visited our Folds Rise Damon rise and leave thy Cares behind Damon All this cannot provoke my Diligence For fear more rav'nous Wolves have seis'd on me And make my panting heart their wretched prey That vainly strives to shift the cruel Pain My Breast was ne're infested with wild care As long as dear Mirtillo liv'd whose Charms Cou'd calm the roughest Tempests of my Mind A discontinued Sun-shine I enjoy'd Till dear Mirtillo set in his dark Grave Now there 's no lucid Interval of Peace Or pause of Quiet to my troubled Mind Sad Death must be the Period of my Woe And Life then Damon like Mirtillo dye Strephon. Thy Soul fond Shepherd is with Passion craz'd And thy distemper'd Reason falsly takes The dreadful King of Terrors for thy Friend Shou'd he but lay his icy hand on thee Affrighted Nature would recant the Wish Which you in trouble made with too much haste And like the Grass before the Mowers Sythe Wou'd bending try to 'scape the fatal stroke If Death 's so pleasant why shou'd you lament Mirtillo's Fate Strephon. Because the lowly Youth Wou'd willingly have suffered tedious Life The strong Convulsions of his Friendship were More sierce than the last Agonies of Death His parting Soul by ling'ring here below Did seem to catch at Life to stay with me But when resistless Fate had summon'd him He kindly fix'd his closing Eyes on mine Then beckon'd me to follow to the Grave This makes me think 't is no hard task to dye For harmless Shepherds whose unspotted Lives Are innocent as are the Flocks they feed Fear is but the Result of Guilt Strephon. I know Death has his Terrors chiefly from our Crimes And Virtue can disarm the gastly Foe Yet Nature too still fears to be dissolv'd Like tender Lambs that dread the Butchers Knise Although they nothing fear beyond the Blow For who can boast a perfect Innocence Or run the nimble Race of humane Life Always along a spotless milkey way There 's no such Path but in the Heavens above Which we at penning time so plainly see Methinks I quiver whilst I talk of Death Being almost frighted with my own Discourse Thus I anticipate the fatal hour That must snatch me from chaste Dorinda's Arms And the dear pledges of our mutual Love When I am dead who 'll teach my lovely Boys To use the Hook or help the labouring Ewe Dorinda Boys and Sheep must all Be left a Prey to Man that unto Man Proves the most savage Wolf the strong Worry the weak remorsless Avarice
Urging the hungry Miser to oppress And wild Ambition treads upon the Poor Its footing sure and that which will subvert The ill-laid Greatness of aspiring Man Such Thoughts as these Mirtillo had when Life Did as you say seem pleasing to the Youth Damon Why wou'd you abrogate my firm Resolve And with these Fears repeal the thoughts of Death Did you but know how sweetly they repose On Beds of Earth that are lodg'd under ground Unintercepted Rest they all enjoy And with the wants of Life are blest by Death They but retreat to a far greater World For how few tread the Surface of the Globe Compar'd to crowding Colonies that Fate Sends daily to the Bowels of the Earth That has been peopling ever since old time Commenc'd the subterranean Universe Still gapes to swallow down the upper World But when my Body's â—…arthen Pitcher's broke By Nature's stroke of Fortune's random blow My Lord like Gideon's Lamp from his crack'd urn Shall Death's black Night turn to eternal Day For all the Spots of my poor sullied Soul Shall be wash'd off by Heav'ns eternal Lamb Whose tender Veins spouted a Bath oâ—… Blood The sacred Laver of all faithful Swains Strephon. When you shall tread the confines of the Grave And your Soul is to a strange somewhere bound For Nature still will combate lively Faith 'T is great relief to have such cheerful hopes That will repress the horrors of the Mind We only by the Opticks of our Faith Can travel to the promis'd Land above Yet we must not precipitate our Fate But wait Heav'ns Pleasure therefore Damon pray For my sake live to night to morrow dye Horatii Ode 28. Lib. 1. Persicos Odi puer apparatus c. THE Persian Bravery I hate Boy I will not drink in state No Roses 'bout my Temples twine Seek no late Rose but rosie Wine But be sure get the Myrtle Tree For that becomes both thee and me When underneath the Mother Vine I enjoy her Daughter Wine Horatii Epod. 1. ad Populum Romanum Quoquo scelesti ruitis c. WHither d' ye rush with impious haste Or why d' ye try to sit To your right-hands your well-sheath'd Swords More Murders to commit How long is 't since each Field and Stream Did flow with English Blood O! can they both so quickly thirst For such another Flood Against the purse-proud Hollander Turn your unnatural Rage Or if you want a nobler Foe The warlike French engage Who eagerly do long to see You fall by your own hand They covertly keep you in pay To ruine your own Land A salvage Madness yet unknown To the wild Wolf or Bear Lyon on Lyon ne're does prey All Beasts their kind do spare Is it blind Fury or hard Fate That makes you disagree Or is it some unpunish'd Crime Pray Country-men tell me Silent with Shame they all wax pale Amaz'd with Guilt they stand But I have found why angry Heaven Has Curs'd our native Land Great Charles his Blood must be reveng'd Just Heaven has so decreed For such a murder'd Monarch's Death A Nation ought to bleed The FLY By P. Ayres Esquire Thus from the Wine-Pot cry'd the Fly To the Frog of the Pool who sat croaking by Rather than lead such a Life as thine I 'd be stop'd in a Cask and dye in Wine I. VVAter I cou'd ne're endure Tho ne're so chrystalline and pure Water 's a Murmurer and they Design more Mischief than they say Where Rivers smoothest are and clear There 's the Danger there 's the Fear But I 'll not grieve to dye in Wine The Name is sweet the sound divine Thus from the Wine-Pot c. II. Dull Fish in Water live we know And such insipid Souls as thou While to sip of the Grape so merrily fly Many many such pretty Birds as I. 'T is Wine makes me gay as the flowers after rain It purifies my Blood and inspires my Brain And when the Tory-Boys so merrily Sing I joyn in the Chorus and Buz for the King Thus from the Wine-Pot c. III. I am more belov'd than thou can'st be All Creatures shun thy Company Unbid go I to each jolly Feast Where I stay for no Grace but fall on the best Thus while I feed and quaff the choicest Wine On Puddle-water thou dost dine Which makes thee such a phlegmatick croaking thing Learn to drink Wine thou Fool and sing Thus from the Wine-Pot c. IV. In Gardens I delight to stray Amongst the Planters sing and play Thy Tune no Mortal does avail Thou art the Dutch-man's Nightingale Would'st thou with Wine but wet thy Throat Sure thou would'st leave that dismal Note Lewd Water has spoil'd thy Organs quite And Wine alone can set them right Thus from the Wine-Pot c. V. No Comrades hast thou save Newts and Frogs Thy Rendezvous Saw-pits old Ditches and Bogs While to Cities and Courts my Passage is free Wine makes me an Insect of Quality Thou splenatick Wight did'st thou once but know What Transports the Juice of the Grape does bestow To be stopt in a Cask thou would'st never repine As Clarence the Peer was in Muscadine Thus from the Wine-Pot c. To the NIGHTINGALE By the same Why little Charmer of the Air Dost thou in Musick spend the Morn While I thus languish in Despair Opprest by Cynthia's Fate and Scorn Why dost thou sing to hear me cry Wanton Songster tell me why I. VVIlt thou not cease at my Desire Will these small Organs never Tire Nature did these Shades prepare Not for thy Musick but my Care Then why wilt thou persist to sing Thou beautiful malicious thing When kind Aurora first appears She weeps in pity to my Tears If thus thou think'st to bring Relief Thou never knew'st a Lover's Grief Why little Charmer c. II. Then feather'd Atom where in thee Can be compriz'd such Harmony In whose small Fabrick does remain What Composition can contain All Griefs but mine are at a stand When thy surprizing Tunes command How can so small a Pipe and Throat Express so loud and sweet a Note Thou hast more various Points at will Than Oxpheus had with all his Skill Why little Charmer c. III. Great to the Ear tho small to sight The happy Lovers dear delight Fly to the Bow'r where such are laid And there bestow thy Serenade But from my Sorrow haste away Alas there 's danger in the stay Lest hearing me so oft complain Should make thee change thy cheerful Strain Then timely from my Griefs remove Thou harmless Syron of the Grove Cease pretty Charmer of the Air No more in Musick spend the Morn With me that languish in Despair Opprest by Cynthia's Hate and Scorn Then do not that poor Boon deny I ask but Silence while I dye To the WINDS By the same I. YE Winds that in your hasty flight Just kiss the Leaves and then away The Leaves that tremble with delight And murmur at so short a stay Stop here and
e're you further go Give Audience to a Lover's Woe II. Condoling Air to thee I speak Since she is deaf to all my Grief She that caus'd my Heart to break You never wrong'd yet bring Relief I 'm sure you grieve to hear my Pain For when I sigh you sigh again III. Go gentle Air fly to my Dear That has with Love enflam'd my Breast And whisper softly in her Ear 'T is she has rob'd my Soul of Rest Express if possible such moans May imitate my dying Groans IV. Then with a rougher Breath make bold To toss the Treasures of her Hair 'Till thou dost ev'ry Curl unfold Which cunningly mens Hearts ensnare Try all thy Skill to break the Net Till I like thee my Freedom get On a NIGHTINGALE that was drown'd By the same UPon a Bough hung trembling o're a Spring Sate Philomel to ease her Grief and sing Tuning such various Notes there seem'd to nest A Quire of little Songsters in her Breast Pleas'd Eccho at the close of every Strain Return'd the Musick Note for Note again The jealous Bird who ne're had Rival known Not thinking the sweet Accents were her own So fill'd with Emulation grew that she Express'd her outmost Art and Harmony Till as she eagerly her Conquest try'd Her shadow in the Stream below she spy'd Then heard the Waters bubling but mistook And thought the Nymphs were laughing in the Brook With that Conceit she drop'd into the Well But utter'd these soft Accents as she fell Not Tereus self e're offer'd such a wrong Nymphs take my Life since you despise my Song Love's new Philosophy By the same I. VVHo'ere a Lover is of Art May come and learn of me A new Philosophy Such as no Schools did e're impart Love all my other Notions does controul And reads these now strange Lectures to my Soul II. This God who takes delight to lye The Truth of former days defames And Aristotle blames Concluding all by Subtilty Whilst with such Art his Syllogisms are made As Solomon himself could ne're evade III. So wond'rous is his Craft and Skill His painted Reasons serve as Darts To pierce Mens Intellects and Hearts All Maxims he destroys at Will Plato he blinded so he made him think 'T was Water when he gave him Fire to drink IV. That Water can extinguish Fire Past Ages did allow Love contradicts the notion now And says it makes his Flames rage higher Which truth my self have prov'd for many years Wherein I 've wept whole Deluges of Tears V. When Soul and Body separate 'T is said the Man forthwith must dye This Maxim too I must deny My Soul 's with her who rules my Fate Yet still my Organs move a Proof to give That Soul and Body can divided live VI. Remove the Cause Effects will cease This was an Axiom too Which to my Grief I find untrue Cynthia robs my Soul of Ease Yet when this fair Disturber of my Peace Is farthest from me then my Pains encrease VII In Love Extreams themselves are joyn'd Joy and Sorrow of my Breast Together stand possest And vex with Civil VVar my Mind Thus when I view the Source of all my Wrong I sigh my Musick mix with Tears my Song VIII VVhilst in this Torment I remain To be and not to be No longer is a Mystery I dye to Joy and live to Pain Thus without Paradox I may be said To be and not to be alive and dead IX Now go my Song yet shun the Eyes Of such as never felt Love's Flame And if my Cynthia blame Thy Arguments as Sophistries Tell her this is Love's new Philosophy VVhich none can understand but such as try CYNISCA OR The fourteenth Idyllium of Theocritus imitated By W. Bowles Fellow of Kings-Coll Cambr. Thyonicus and Aeschines OH how does my dear Eschines Oh how Some Care my Friend sits heavy on thy Brow Aeschines Cynisca Friend has shown the Fiend confest And Peace and Joy are banish'd from my Breast Thyonicus Hence this wild look and this distracted Air Staring your Eyes your Face o're-grown with Hair Just such a rosie Crucian here arriv'd Some new Enthusiast sure or Flood reviv'd With such a Meen he came with such a Grace So long his Beard so dry so pale his Face Aeschines You Sir are merry but alas I find No Cure no Ease to my distemper'd Mind I rave am by a thousand Furies tost And call in vain my Reason in my Passion lost Thyonicus I always knew you jealous and severe But does Cynisca's Falshood plain appear Aeschines 'T was my ill fate or chance some Friends to treat With richest Wines the Board was crown'd with choicest Meat But fair Cynisca most adorn'd the Feast In all the Charms of Art and Nature drest Cynisca all our ravish'd Senses fed We gaz'd and we ador'd the lovely Maid With Wine and Beauty all our Hearts were fir'd And fair Cynisca still new Joys inspir'd Now Healths we drank and as the Glasses came Such was the Law each did his Mistress name Charming Cynisca too at last was prest To name the Lover in her favour blest A VVoman sure she hop'd might be excus'd The more they urg'd her she the more refus'd Refus'd Oh Friend and I her Lover by Guess if my Rage with VVine enflam'd grew high Silent she sat and with her Eyes deny'd Lycus is Handsome Tall and Young they cry'd When Lycus Name but touch'd her guilty Soul How down her Cheeks the liquid Globes did roul Confus'd her Look while Shame and Guilt apace Shifted the whole Complexion of her Face Gods with what rage was my rack'd Soul surpriz'd My Curse my Ruine am I then despis'd Ingrateful and inhumane Thou begone Go hug the Man whose Absence you bemoan No more will I deluded by your Charms Cherish an absent Mistress in my Arms. Swiftly as Swallows to their Nest she fled When unfletch'd Young lye gaping and unfed Swiftly she fled with my Embraces cloy'd Lycus she long had lov'd and long enjoy'd A publick Jest and known to all alass The Cuckold last perceives his own disgrace Yet once a Friend accus'd the guilty Maid And to my Ears unheard the fatal News convey'd For I a much abus'd deluded Sot The matter ne're examin'd or forgot Now undisturb'd unrival'd Lycus reigns Enjoys his Conquest and derides my Pains Two Months are past since unregarded I In a deserted Bed and hopeless lye Long with the mighty Pain opprest I strove But ah what Remedy for injur'd-Love In vain I struggle with the fierce Disease The fatal Poison does my Vitals seize Yet Damon did from Travel find Relief And Absence soon remov'd the raging Grief In Fires like mine successless Damon burn'd Diseas'd he parted and he sound return'd I too th' incertain Remedy will try And to less cruel Seas and Rocks will fly Thyonicus For Flanders then since you 'r resolv'd prepare Flanders the Scene of Glory and of War Or if a better choice and nobler Fire Does greater Arms and greater thoughts
would commend Methinks the feeble Praise I upwards send Like panting Mists beneath a Hill doth rise 'T is wing'd with Zeal yet whilst aspiring dies It strives to reach your worth but your great height Doth baffle all its best endeavours strait Yet my fond Muse resolves her Strength to try Altho she 's sure in the Attempt to dye And now she hath thus rashly ventur'd in She knows not how or where she should begin Is doubtful which should have the foremost place The native smoothness of your Speech or â—…ace The silent lines that on your Cheeks do grow Or those which in soft pleasing Accents flow These must to one another yield for we In both discern the self same Harmony Your well-fram'd Body seems to her so fine She thinks your glorious Soul doth thro' it shine Doubts which o' th' two she highest ought to set The precious Jewel or the Cabinet When she your unstain'd whiteness views from thence She firmly gathers inward Innocence She doth through Smiles your Patience clearly spy And reads your Wisdom in your searching eye Knows how all Vertues by your Looks are dress'd Or in resembling Characters express'd But stay a while yet hold unhappy Muse And see whom thou thus humbly do'st abuse I 'm sure thou dost unpard'nably offend And needs must come to an untimely end Unless her Mercy do all those transcend To the same immoderately mourning the Death of a Relation IN vain you keep your Sorrow fresh with Tears In vain renew your Trouble and our Fears For Heaven's sake leave your Love no more commend By making Grief so long out-live your Friend Whilst thus with hideous groans and doleful cries You wound the yielding Air with Tears your eyes You must what she to Nature ow'd forget Or else repine she dy'd no more in Debt When she in Baptism her first Vow did make She promis'd by her Sureties to forsake The World and all its Pomp and can you now Grieve she is dead who only keeps her Vow When searching Fate shall its Advantage find And most compendiously destroy Mankind In you alone Mirth then will Scandal grow And all men mourn or feign that they do so Should each of those shed but one single Tear To whom you 're known that is to whom you 're dear The World would in an instant cover'd be With Waters once more perish in a Sea Think then what fears already fill the Breast Of some what haste you make to kill the rest Secret Grief I. FArewel fond Pleasures I disdain Your Nets of Roses loose my Chain And set my fetter'd Powers free For you and I shall ne're agree Tempt me no more 't is all in vain II. The easie World with Charms assail Of Triumphs there you cannot fail On those to whom the Cheat's unknown You will infallibly prevail But let my Solitude and me alone III. Let the sad Cypress crown my Head The deadly Poppy on my Temples shed Through all my Veins its Juyce bespread Could I retrieve my former years I 'd live them o're again in Tears IV. In secret I 'll enjoy my Grief Not tell the Cause nor ask relief Though ne're so high the Streams should grow Yet 't is not fit the World should know The Spring from whence my Sorrows flow Mart. L. 1. Ep 58. WOuld Flaccus know if I would change my Life What kind of Girl I 'd chuse to make my Wife I wou'd not have her be so fond to say Yes at first dash nor dwell too long on Nay These two Extreams I hate then let her be 'Twixt both not too hard-hearted nor too free The GRACES or Hieron Theocriti Idyll 16. Translated by Sir Edward Sherborn above forty years ago THE Muses and the Muse inspired Crew This always as their best-lov'd Theam pursue The Honour of immortal Gods to raise And crown the Actions of Good Men with Praise For Deities the Muses are and use As such to give to Deities their Dues We Poets are but Mortals sing we then The Deeds of god-like tho but mortal men None kindly yet our Graces entertain But send them unrewarded back again This made the Girls when bare-foot they came home Chide me for idly sending them to roam On sleeveless Errands wearied here to stay They sigh their melancholy Souls away They loath their sordid Lodging fume and fret 'Cause for their Labours they can nothing get For where 's the generous Mortal now a-days That loves to hear a Poet 's well-tun'd Lays To find one such I know not some 't is true Love te be prais'd none a good Deed will do They value not their Honours as of old But are meer Slaves to Avarice and Gold Just or unjust all Practices they try For heaps of Treasure but will rather dye Than part with the bare Scrapings of its Rust To satisfie a needy Poet's Gust If any chance a Boon of them to beg They cry My Knee is nearer than my Leg. Of what is mine my self alone shall share 〈◊〉 their own Poets let the Gods take care Who to another's Pray'r now lends an Ear Not one This Truth Homer to all makes clear The best of Poets tho the best he be He gets not yet one single Cross from me Mad men what 's Wealth if still the hoarded Gold From others under Lock and Key you hold None wise thinks this is the true use of it Some part for proper Interest we should fit And some apply to the Support of Wit Some to our near Allies we should allow To Strangers some some to the Gods should vow Set some for Hospitality a-part To treat our Friends with open hand and heart But chiefly to maintain the Muses Quire That when to the old Grave thou shalt retire Thou may'st among the living gain Renown Nor mourn inglorious near sad Acheron As some poor Ditcher with hard brawny hand That cannot heavy Poverty withstand The great Antiochus in plenteous measure Supply'd his Subjects Wants from his own Treasure So King Alevas many sat Droves went Into his Stalls and from his Stalls were sent Insinite Flocks large Pastures did afford To furnish Crion's hospitable Board No Pleasure yet from all this Princely store Could they receive were their Souls wasted o're In Charon's Boat to the dark Stygian Shore But in obscure Oblivion they would lye Depriv'd of all their Superfluity 'Mongst wretched Souls whom no Time can nor Age From their sad Miseries e're disengage If the great Ceian Poet had not been And with his Praises made them live again Evâ—… the swift Coursers at th' Olympick Game Are registred in the Records of Fame Who of the Lycian Princes e're had heard Of Cyrnus with his flaxen Hair and Beard Or Prim's Sons forgot they had been long Their Wars and Battels had not Poets sung Ulisses who full six score Months was tost And Time and Wealth 'mongst several Nations lost Who went to Hell alive and by a slight From the fierce Cyclops Cave made his safe flight
all the Joys of Heav'n And for my sake from Paradice been driv'n Thou should'st the blackest Feind in Hell embrace Sooner than I 'd behold thy guilty Face Ev'n one Crime hadst thou an Angels Charms Would sep'rate me for ever from thy Arms. For Fate and Love on such a point depend If one Link break both the great Unions end Down at one leap from highest Heav'n to Hell The brightest Hi'rarchy of Angels â—…ell How soon by disobedience destroy'd Was the blest state the first great Pair enjoy'd That one sad act which we so much deplore Brought a propension to a thousand more But did not Souls that once receive a stain Tho cleans'd more easily defile again The lesser God requires th' Almighty doom Time past time present and the time to come His Laws are stricter than the Court of Heav'n There sin Original is scarce forgiv'n Tho thou my Life 's fair Guardian dearer art Than the warm ruddy drops that feed my heart With all thy Charms how easie could I part If their first blooming sweets had been destroy'd Tho lawfully without a Crime enjoy'd True Love its Beauteous Object musâ—… invade As did the Sun the World when first 't was made All gay and innocent in Virgin state As fix'd and constant as eternal Fate No Tyrant my dear Sovereign e'er could have A more obedient faithful humble Slave And yet that God-like Pow'r that joyns our souls And all inferiour faculties controuls In ev'ry nice desire must be obey'd And as much Homage to thy Subject paid As if he the Worlds Empire singly swai'd As undisturb'd un rival'd in his Throne As the great Prince that rul'd the Globe alone One smile tho forc'd from those subduing eyes Would forfeit all which they have taken prize Ev'ry kind look my soul esteems so dear It hardly can a Sisters kisses bear Methinks there should be found some other way Our Loves to distant Kindred to convey Scarce canst thou lull a tender Infants cries But streight uneasie pains begin to rise Nothing methinks should fill those snowy Arms But he that has command of all thy Charms Ev'n thou what 's strange canst scarce permitted be To love thy self but leave it all to me And oh if Fate does to my Will give power While Joys of Crowns pass unregarded by Round thy soft Limbs my greedy Arms shall twine And Martyrs Souls not be more blest than mine Through the vast Lab'rinth of thy sweets I 'll rove And give and take all the delights of Love Not the young Monarch when in Triumph led With glitt'ring Diadems round his shining head In all the Glories of his Regal State Can think himself more happy or more great Thy tender Breast is a far softer Throne And at each kiss methinks the World 's my own In that dear Centre all those pleasures move That fill the Earth and the wide Sphears above There does such soft and tender Goddess dwell 'T would draw an Anch'rite from his lonely Cell Nor has thy Beauty less amasing Charms The Conqu'ror there wou'd stop his vengeful Arms Ravish'd in sweets to be a Slave would choose Rather than Triumph o'er his vanquish'd Foes Had I more Kingdoms Crowns and Scepters won Than did of old great Philip's Conquering Son With half my Empires I with ease could part But not with the least Province of thy heart My Soul 's diffus'd through all the crimson Sphere And fix'd in ev'ry lab'ring Fibre there No Joys nor Comforts can admittance find Till they are first with that dear Image sign'd Fates greatest blessings but a moment last And when they 're once injoy'd the pleasure 's past The same dull Joy's repeated o'er and o'er And pleases little when beheld before But thy dear Bosom like Elysian Springs An ever-flowing Tide of Pleasure brings One would have thought that ere the lab'ring Sun Through his vast Regions could so oft have run The riches that one breast could keep in store With lesser pains might have been ransack'd o're But such an infinite Mass does there abound That 't is but running an Eternal round Like vital spirit through the Form 't is spread And ne'er can cease â—…ill life it self is fled No Fate nor Accident o'er-comes thy Skill In Joys and Sorrows thou art charming still And 't is hard judging which has greatest pow'r Thy Tears to wound the heart or Smiles to cure CONTENT ENough enough ye Gods I need no more Nor has this World a greater store Your Bounteous hands have largely given One sovereign Remedy that can Make bless'd the wretchedst state of Man And shew in this dark Globe the brightest glimpse of Heav'n Forgive what 's past and if I e'er again Be found in the least murmuring strain If ever I repine that Fate Me ne'r in pompous Triumph led Nor Crown'd a poor Plebeian head Avenging Powers resume her back and make me great Which of you all ye dreaded Sons of Earth Who from the Gods derive your Birth From Coronations wou'd not fly Throw your unweildy Scepters down And scorn the most Imperial Crown For the vast Realms of bliss that in her bosom lie Welcome thou brightest Diadem â—…thou wealth Thou truest honour fame and health Welcome thou only gift of Heaven Thou wondrous Ark that still contains The blessing of all natures pains Thou dear Celestial Food in whom all sweets were given Welcome true happiness without allay Thou bright and everlasting day Oh! may I thus be ever blest Thus volv'd in endless pleasures feel My wither'd Arms around thee still And see my aged head grown hoary on thy breast The Inconstant 1. NO Flatter not nor me more Constant call Than the false Winds that smile on all Because but one dear She I Love One that might fix those winds and make a Statue move 2. The quickning Sun who with his genial heat Nature's vast Of-spring does beget Is to one Object more inclin'd Than all my Love does me to that dear Creature bind 3. The same kind visit that he makes to day Ten thousand times he does repay In endless rounds his glorious Throne Adorns one rude uncomely Globe of Earth alone 4. But my less constant and ungovern'd Flame Ne'er meets her twice as she 's the same Still wandring like Columbus I Some rich and unknown Land in that bright World descry 5. Ten thousand Offerings to her I 've made Ten thousand more too shall be paid Yet I ne'er did nor never will More than one Sacrifice to one dear Vertue kill 6. Ev'ry embrace and ev'ry melting kiss Tasts of some unexperienc'd bliss Not the first pledge of Nuptial Love Can more transporting be than our last joys will prove 7. The num'rous graces of her outward part Can hardly be summ'd up by Art But when I her Soul's vertues see My dazled sight is lost in vast Infinity 8. There every Grace and every Beauty dwells Ev'n Nature there her self excells In her delightful charming breast Banish'd from Paradice an Angel might be blest 9.
of such a cause could not be less Nature erected her delightful Arms So wondrously adorn'd with heav'nli'st charms That like Herculian Pillars they might shew Th' admiring World she can no farther go But with Pigmalion stand her self amaz'd 〈◊〉 At the stupendious Form her joyful hand has rais'd 7. What service would I pay what wondrous Love Should I not so ungrateful prove To that Terrestrial Angel who below Does such a Glorious Image shew Of Saints eternal Faith and Innocence above Or could there an Exchange in Passions be What recompence would I return to thee With fervent Zeal from an unbounded heart Sould noble Friendship act a Lovers part Nay now methinks I have so great a sense Of all thy Love and Excellence That even that dear she Who 's more than all the World to me Alas hardly two grains more than thee For tho I love you less That Passion does as much express For if in Love as in Religion The Gods accept the Will alone No Martyr ever dy'd With greater zeal than I have liv'd Thee kind Corinna I adore As much as e'er I can and I Love her no more TO LUCINDA GO on Fair Maid persist in your disdain At the first stroke my heart was slain And all your Pride and Scorn can do no more Than what your frowns have done before Tho like first Atoms which compounded thee This wretched Body mangled be When Life 's departed with all sense of pain You the dead Carcass wound in vain When threatning Comets burn no small disease On the Contagious World does seize Devouring Plagues with livid ruin wast The spotted Race of Man and Beast Nor do thy eyes portend a milder doom Where'er their fatal beams o'ercome When from those raging Stars one frown you dart It 's able to destroy the stoutest heart The Captive WHat shall I do to give my soul some rest This cruel barbarous Tyrant Love Now it has got possession of my breast Will never from its Throne remove I must alas the sad disease indure Whose raging pain no sov'reign Balm can cure At first it lodg'd in my unwary eyes And like a slave obey'd my Will But streight did the proud Basilisk surprize That seat of Life it soon will kill O'er my whole Form th' Imperial Viper reigns And spreads its poison through my burning veins When it invaded first my lab'ring heart To stop the fatal Course I strove And gave away the dear infected part To her whom more than that I love Now sure thought I for ever from my Breast Is banish'd that unkind disquiet Guest But all my pleasing hopes alas were crost As disarm'd Patients feel the pain Of the same Limb they many years have lost My Torment still returns again And now I find it is increas'd so high 'T will ne'er leave me till I leave that and die The Command NO no bold heart forbear rather than speak Thou shalt with pain and silence break My Passion 's rais'd so dangerously high Thou must for ever speechless lie On Penalty of a worse death Use not the least complaining breath But silent as the Grave with all thy Sorrows dye Alas shouldst thou begin what tongue could tell The raging pangs of Love I feel More Torment ev'ry dismal hour does bear Than thou couldst in an Age declare Great sorrows overwhelm the tongue And wouldst thou do me so much wrong To let her know by halves what I endure for her ON LUCINDAS Singing at CHURCH TEll me no more of soft harmonious spheres Or Syrens voices that enchant our ears From her sweet tongue such tuneful ' Musick springs Angels might cease while the bright Charmer sings Hark how the Temples sacred Roof rebounds With warbling Ecchoes and seraphic sounds Methinks the well-pleas'd Gods themselves attend To hear a Heav'nly voice from Earth ascend Delighted Saints move from their Mansions there To be partakers of our Pleasures here Pleasures so charming that they plainly prove What entertainment we shall find above Such Beauteous Forms Elysian Fields adorn And such sweet notes awake the Morn Cease dull Devotion cease we need no more The sacred Deities for Heav'n implore While thus her voice wounds the Melodious Air Our Souls must think themselves already there No humane tongue could ever entertain The Divine Powers in so divine a strain Nor does she glorifie the Gods alone For while she sings Heav'ns Praises she sings her own The Convert VVHen first I saw Lucinda's face And view'd the dasling glories there She seem'd of a Diviner Race Than that which Nature planted here With Sacred Homage down I fell Wondring whence such a Form could spring Tell me I cry'd fair Vision tell The dread Commands from Heav'n you bring For if past sins may be forgiven By this bright Evidence I know The careful Gods have made a Heav'n That made such Angels for it'too Vicissitude VVHo that ere Fortune's Trait'rous smiles has try'd Can hope for any constant Bliss In such a faithless World as this Or in the surest promises of treach'rous Fate conside The tott'ring Globe turns with the rolling Spheres And the same Motion may be seen Concentric too from us within Exalted now with Hopes and then depress'd with Fears Eternal Change revolves with ev'ry day The most Triumphant Glorious Crown Is in a moment tumbl'd down And shrines of burnish'd Gold to mouldring Earth decay Ev'n I my self who would not change the Fate Auspicious Stars ordain'd my Birth With any Mortal Man on Earth Midst all my joys can't boast of a much happier state When my Lucinda smiles no Prince can be So blest on his Imperial Throne But if she chance to dart a Frown The wretched'st Slave alive's an Emperour to me The CURE worse than the DISEASE AS they whom raging Feavers burn Drink cooling things for ease Which make a fiercer heat return And heighten their disease In hopes to cure my tort'ring pain A worse Experiment I found Running upon the Sword again That gave me first my wound The Denial HOld hold my dear Destroyer hold I do confess I was too bold My violent Passion rais'd so high That in the mighty Transport I Feeling my troubled Breast so full Let my tongue speak the language of my Soul Stop dearest stop that fatal breath Presaging Omens bode my Death Tho I would give my Life to hear That charming voice which now I fear As Criminals expect their doom I wish to know but dread the Fate to come THE Royal Canticle OR THE SONG OF SOLOMON CANTO I. Sponsa JOyn thy life-breathing Lips to mine Thy Love excells the Joys of Wine Thy Odours oh how redolent Attract me with their pleasing Scent These sweetly flowing from thy Name Our Virgins with desire enflame Oh! draw me my Belov'd and we With winged feet will follow thee Thy Loving Spouse at length great King Into thy Royal Chamber bring Then shall our Souls intranc'd with joy In thy due Praise their Zeal employ Thy celebrated Love recite Which more than
the Morning paint the Sky And Nights repining Shadows flie I to the Mountains will retire Where bleeding Trees Perfumes expire My Spouse let us at length be gone Leave we the fragrant Lebanon Look down from Amana look down From Shemis top from Hermons Crown From Hills where dreadful Lions raye And from the Mountain-Leopards Cave Thou who my Spouse and Sister art How hast thou ravish'd my sick heart Struck with one glance of thy bright Eyes One hair of thine like Fetters ties Thy Beauty Sister is Divine Thy Love my Spouse more strong than Wine Thy Odour's far more redolent Than Spices from Panehea sent Thy Lips winh Honey-dew o'er-flow Thy Breasts celestial Milk bestow Thy Robes a sweeter Odour cast Than Lebanon with Cedars grace 't My Love my mutual Vows assur'd A Garden is with strength immur'd A Christal Fountain a clear Spring Shut up and Seal'd with my own Ring An Orchard stor'd with pleasant fruit Pomegranate Trees extend their Roots Where sweetly smelling Camphire blows And never-dying Spikenard grows Sweet Spikenard Crocus newly blown Sweet Calamus and Cinnamon Those Trees which Sacred Incence shed And Tears of Myrrh perfume our Bed Sponsa Those livings Springs from thee proceed Whose Rills our Plants with moisture feed Like those clear streams which issue from The Fountain fruitful Lebanon You cooler Winds blow from the North You dropping Southern Gales break forth On this our Garden gently blow And through the Land rich Odours throw CANTO V. Sponsus MY Spouse my Sister thou who art The Joy and Treasure of my heart I to my Garden have retir'd Reap'd Spices which perfumes expir'd Sweet Gums from Trees profusely shed On dropping Combs of Honey fed Drinks Mornings-Milk and new-press'd Wine Oh friends who like desires combine Eat drink drink freely nor remove Till you be all inflam'd with Love Sponsa Altho I sleep my Passions wake For he who call'd thus sadly spake My Spouse my Sister thou more mild Than Gall-less Doves my undefil'd Oh let me enter Night hath shed Her dew on my uncover'd head Which from my drenched Locks distills While freezing Snow my Bosom fills Can I assent to thy request Disrob'd and newly laid to rest Shall I now cloath my feet again And feet so lovely wash'd distain But when I had his hand discern'd Benumn'd with Cold my Bowels yearn'd I rose nor longer could defer T' unlock the door persum'd with Myrrh But ah when open'd he was gone But whither by no foot-step shewn The Watch and those that walk't the Round In this pursuit th' afflicted found Smote wounded and prophanely tore The Sable Veil my Sorrow wore You Virgins of fair Solyma I charge you if you see him say That I his Spouse am sick of Love And with your Tears his Pity move Chorus Oh thou of all thy Sex most fair Can none with thy belov'd compare Doth he so much our Love transcend That we should him alone intend Sponsa Loe in his face the blushing Rose Joyn'd with the Virgin Lilly grows Among a Myriad he appears The chief that Beauty's Ensign bears His head adorn'd with burnish'd Gold Which curles of shining hair infold Black as Ravens shining Wings His eyes like Doves by Christal Springs His Cheeks with Spice and Flowers compare His Lips like Roses dropping Myrrh His hands the wandring Eye invites Like Rings which flame with Chrisolites His Belly polish'd Ivory Where Saphires mixt with Coral lye His Legs like Marble Pillars plac'd On Bases with pure Gold inchas'd His looks like Cedars planted on The top of lofty Lebanon His Tongue the Ear with Musick feeds And he in ev'ry part exceeds You Daughters of Ierusalem You Branches of that Holy Stem Such is my Love and Praises Theme CANTO VI. Chorus FAir Virgin parallell'd by none Oh! whither 's thy Beloved gone Direct our forward Zeal that we May joyn in his pursuit with thee Sponsa I to my pleasant Garden went Where Spices breath a fragrant scent There gather'd Flowers feasts in the shade On beds of bruised Spices laid I am my Loves and he is mine So mutually our Souls combine He whose Affection Speech exceeds His Dear among the Lillies feeds Sponsus Not Regal Tirza Israels Delight thy Beauty Love excells Not thou Divine Ierusalem That art of all the World the Gem Nor Armies with their Ensignes spread Display such Beauty mix'd with red Oh turn from me thy wounding eyes In every glance an Arrow flies Thy shining hair appears like Flocks Of climbing Goats from Giliads Rock Thy Teeth like Sheep in their return From Chison wash'd and smoothly shorn Nor mark'd for Barren none of all But equal Twins at once let fall Thy Cheeks like Punic Apples are Which blush beneath thy flowing hair They boast of many Queens great store Of Concubines and Virgins more Than can be told my undefil'd Is all in one the only Child Of her fair Mother and brought forth To shew the world an unknown worth Queens Virgins Concubines beheld Admir'd and Bless'd th' unparallell'd Chorus Who 's this who like the Morning shews When she her path with Roses strews More fair than the replenish'd Moon More radiant than the Sun at Noon No Armies with their Ensignes spread At once such Beauty Fear and Dread Sponsa I to my pleasant Garden went Where Nutmegs breath a fragrant scent To see the Gen'rous Fruits which grac'd The pregnant Vale with Gems inchac'd To see the Vines disclose their Gems And Granates blossom on their Stems When unawares and half amaz'd Methought my ravish'd Soul was rais'd Up to a Chariot swift as winds Drawn by my Peoples willing minds Chorus Return fair Shulamite return To us who for thy absence mourn What see you in the Shulamite Two Armies prevalent in Fight CANTO VII Sponsus OH Princess thou than Life more dear How beautiful thy feet appear When they with purple Ribbands bound In Golden Sandals print the Ground Thy Joynts like Jewels which impart To wondring Eyes the Workmans Art Thy Navell's like a Mazer fill'd With Juice from rarest Fruits distill'd Thy Belly 's like an heap of Wheat With never fading Lillies set Thy Breasts two Twins new wearied show Which fell at once from one fair Doe Thy Neck an Ivory Tower displays Thine Eyes do shine with equal Rays Like Heshbons Pools by Bathrabim Where Silver-Scaled Fishes swim Thy Nose presents that Tower upon The top of Flow'ry Lebanon Which all the pleasant Plain Surveys Where Abana her Streams displays Thy Head like Carmel cloath'd with shade Whose Tresses Tyrian Fillets bray'd The King from Cypress Galleries This Chain of strong Affection tyes How Pleasant oh how exquisite Thy Beauty 's fram'd for sweet delight Thy Stature's like an upright Palm Thy Breasts like Clusters dropping Balm I will ascend the Palms high Crown Whose Boughs victorious Hands renown And from the spreading Branches Root Will gather her delicious Fruit. Thy Breasts shall like ripe Clusters swell Thy Breath like new-pull'd Citrons smell Choice Wines shall from thy
throng Let all in one harmonious Note agree To frame the mighty Song For this is Musick 's sacred Iubilee II. Hark how the waken'd strings resound And break the yielding Air The ravish'd sense how pleasingly they wound And call the list'ning Soul into the Ear. Each Pulse beats Time and ev'ry Heart With Tongue and Fingers bears a part By Harmony 's entrancing Pow'r When we are thus wound up to Extasie Methinks we mount methinks we tow'r And seem to antidate our future Bliss on high III. How dull were Life how hardly worth our care But for the Charms that Musick lends How faint its Pleasures would appear But for the Pleasure which our Art attends Without the sweets of Melody To tune our vital Breath Who would not give it up to Death And in the silent Grave contented lye IV. Musick 's the Cordial of a troubled Breast The softest Remedy that Grief can find The gentle Spell that charms our Care to Rest And calms the ruâ—…led Passions of our Mind Musick does all our Joys refine It gives the relish to our Wine 'T is that gives Rapture to our Love And wings Devotion to a pitch divine 'T is our chief Bliss on Earth and half our Heav'n above Chorus Come then with tuneful Throat and String The Praises of our Art let 's sing Let 's sing to blest Cecilia's Fame That grac'd this Art and gave this Day its name While Musick Wine and Mirth conspire To bear a Consort and make up the Quire The twentieth Ode of the second Book of Horace I. HOw an unusual but strong Wing does bear Th' amphibuous Poet thro' the liquid Air. I no more time on Earth will waste But soaring above Envy haste To leave the proudest Cities that shall lye The humble Objects of my mounting Eye I that am just taking Wing From no common Parents spring Mecoenas no My Blood to nobler Veins I owe. That purple Stream of everlasting Life that ne're shall flow Into the Stygean Lake below II. Now at this Instant now I find About my Legs a black rough Skin is twin'd Whilst all above I grow A Bird as white as Snow With new-born Plumes on hands and Shoulders I Do mount on high Clad with a bright Galaxie Swifter than Icarus I cut the yielding Air But make no settl'd Journey there The way my various Fancy likes I keep And fly o're all the Wonders of the Deep The groaning Bospharus I hear With an astonish'd ear The Lybian quick-sands I espy That make me tremble as I fly More than the northern Magazenes that hold Winters eternal stores of hoarded cold Sanaz. Ep. on Venice By Mr. Charles Hastings WHile Neptune in the Adriatick saw Proud Venice stand and to the Floods give Law If thou Tarpeian Tow'rs great Iove said he Prefer to these and Tyber to the Sea Both Cities view and you will grant this odds That Rome was built by Men but Venice by the Gods The Rape of Philomel A Paraphrase of Ovid's sixth Book By Mr. Andrews WHen Tereus was with conquering Lawrels crown'd For Men and Wealth and Parentage renown'd Pandion thought that none could fitter prove To be the Partner in his Daughters Love But Iuno frown'd and Hymen turn'd awry The Graces smil'd not on their nuptial tye For the dire Sisters with a Funeral Brand Did light their Joys and round their Curtains stand The fatal Bird of Night did cross their way And all around unhappy Omens lay Thus did they meet and thus alas enjoy The wish'd for Blessing of a smiling Boy Whilst the fond Thracians in a general Cry Give Thanks to Heav'n for this new Progeny And as the Wedding day the Princes Birth They consecrate to universal Mirth Five years expir'd the flatt'ring Progne prest Her inauspicious Lord in this Request If thou hast any Love for Progne's Name For her chaste Joys or for her spotless Fame I do coniure thee grant that I may be So happy my lov'd â—…ister once to see I 'll fly to her or she shall come to me As for her stay my Father may complain But tell him she shall soon return again Grant this succeeds but well and I implore At your just hands ye sacred Pow'rs no more The King fulfils her Wish and strait commands His Ships to Sea for Athens bound he lands At length upon the wish'd Pyrean Sands From whence conducted he Pandion meets Who with kind welcome his Arrival greets The Thracian King does Progne's suit relate And oh presage which still attends his Fate For he no sooner could his story tell But see the bright the dazling Philomel Rich as the Sun in all his radiant Fire But richer far in Beauty than Attire A Beauty that might all the Gods inspire So have I heard the Sylvan Nymphs of old The Woods enamell'd with their shining Gold As oft you 've seen a stubble straw or Fern Catch from a Fire which none of us discern So at this sight his vigorous Breast became The burning Center of an amorous Flame Hot in his Nature all his Blood boyl'd high Red were his Cheeks sparkling was his Eye At this new World of a Divinity Resolv'd t' enjoy her 't is his first Intent To bribe her Woman and her Confident And the chaste fair one too if Gifts would down Tho at the costly purchase of his Crown But if those means were vain 't was then decreed By Rape and Force the Tyrant would succeed Rather than lose her all the World should bleed Oh! what are men when thus by Passion driven What do they fear on Earth in Hell or Heav'n Impatient of delay and rack'd with pain He now recites his Wives Request again And tho at first in her behalf he sues Now for himself the Suppliant only woos And by his Zeal most eloquent does prove For Eloquence does still attend on Love And often as he spoke what Love inspir'd He said it was the thing his Wife desir'd Whilst hudling Tears did seem to run a race O're the smooth Carpet of his treacherous Face Oh ye Eternals what a gloomy Cloud Does humane sense and apprehension shroud For still the more his Passion he does raise The more they ' dmire his Vertue and his Praise Nay Philomela does in that agree And thinks his greatest Vice his Piety For now she hangs upon her Father's Breast And her destruction as her safety prest With Virgin-sighs and Kisses she does sue And what ye Gods can't Virgin-kisses do Which rais'd the lustful Monster 's Passion higher And what before was Ashes now is Fire For every melting Kiss and soft Embrance He wish'd himself her â—…ather in his place There to repay 'em with a better Grace Whilst the old Man by their Perswasions mov'd Could not deny where he so dearly lov'd But gives Consent and she poor harmless she Wrap'd on the Wings of dauntless Extasie Ten thousand Thanks to her kind Father gives And thanks the Gods that happily she lives To see that day a day for ever
when in dead of night All things but Lust and Envy are on earth Silent as e're from Chaos light Or motion took its sacred Birth And suddenly a strong invading Foe With swift approach of dismal Woe From secret Ambush rusheth on A fearless and unguarded Town In Death the murder'd sleepers rowl their eyes To everlasting Death awake with hideous Cries And by unmanly force the brave ignobly dies In vain to Heav'n assembling Prophets call In vain alas with barb'rous Arts did all Apollo's learned'st Sons obstruct his Fall Tho long the rev'rend lofty tree has stood On Aeta's top the glory of the Wood And oft the wildest Tempests foyl'd one stroke From Iove's vast Trident rives the sacred Oak But surely Fate of common Vengeance weary grows And seeks new Magazines of blacker Woes A tyrannous strength she cruelly imparts That we with fiercer pangs may break our Hearts For as from the supream sov'reign head The baleful Juice thro' all the Body 's spread Strait when the sad disease Great Charles had struck With dire Convulsions the whole Nation shook But when the blooming hopes of Life return'd No longer the disast'rous Fate we mourn'd Dilated Spirits fill'd our enlarg'd souls And joy flow'd in with wild impetuous rowls But oh to the unfathom'd dark Abyss of Hell Down from the highest Pinacle of Heav'n we fell While like the wretched Thracian Bard Our toyl's as great and destiny as hard We thought we had redeem'd the Royal Prize The glorious Vision ravish'd from our eyes VI. Howl on ye vile detested murm'ring Race Your God's dishonour your King's disgrace Shave your rebellious Heads in Ashes rowl And gnash your wide devouring Jaws ye foul Degen'rate Race and ever howl Dead is the wond'rous Prince whose sacred hand By Miracles was rais'd to bless the Land God's own eternal Arm must sure have rose For deeds so glorious had not his been chose Contagious Plagues as e're Philistines felt Long in our impious loathsome Aegypt dwelt The Royal Prophet came and all were cur'd But still their harden'd hearts indur'd And his triumphant Patience those inur'd To Moloch's bloody Idol the sad Cries Of barb'rous humane Sacrifice In spight of their grim sounds ascend the skies Here as in Tophet or Gehinnon stood The savage Blutton gorg'd in Blood But lo from his bright Scepter as a charming rod Did a new Miracle arise A purple Lake 't is now no more To chrystal Streams is turn'd the putrid gore Our well-â—…ig'd Isle in gath'ring Storms was tost It s sacred Pilot in the Tempest lost And in a mad devouring Sea Like a vast shipwrack'd Hull this floating Delos lay But Charles the mighty Ruler of the Flood Triumphant o're the swelling Billows rod Three Realms his Trident he our mortal God Safely we now as in close Harbour ride Great Britains Glory and the Ocean's Pride Braving the rage of Land and Sea it stands Firm as the Continents his Sword commands Then what can mildest Justice all Those Rebel earth-born Monsters call Who in return of such stupendious Love With vile Ingratitude not only strove Against the pow'r of their Imperial Iove But impiously sought the divine Monarch's fall So the bright Regent of eternal day Does round the Earth his Orient Beams display The vital Lamp warms the prolifick Juice And animates all things of noblest use Thence springs the tow'ring Cedar lofty Pine The branching Palm and purple Vine Yet from the blest Influence of the skies Does the vile putrid race of Toads Vipers rise VII Pardon thou royal meek propitious Shade The humble Offering my Tears have made Forgive my Zeal if on thy peaceful Urn Sad Incense with unhallow'd hands I burn Unpractio'd and unskill'd in tuneful Numbers mourn Such loose unsinew'd disproportion'd Verse The mournful tale of Sorrow may rehearse But oh if I must sing Th' amazing Glories of my gracious King Whither my Muse O whither wilt thou fly Cou'dst thou on mounting Wing Olympus high To Sinai's mystick Head or Oreb soar Alas those sacred Oracles are now no more Nor shalt thou dain to hear the frantick dreams Of Delphic Furies or Castalian Streams Yet sure without the sacred Fire Which bright Idea's did of old inspire No mortal hand a Monument can raise Commensurate to Charles his god-like Praise On a small Stone may be inscrib'd his Name But the long story of his endless Fame Will want a Pyramide As high as Heaven the top as Earth the Basis wide 'T is a vast trackless Ocean all around No shore no land no end is found The glorious scale appears before my Eyes With bright Angelick forms I see it rise And mounted the top rounds above the starry skies Behold the fair Heroick train Does in Eternal Circles move And like Fate 's everlasting well wrought Chain Is fix'd to the immortal Throne of deathless Iove VIII Ye radiant Sons of uncreated Light Who with melodious Hymns day without night Time without end to the most High Your loud Hosanna's cry Ye beauteous Spirits who so oft above Have met in Festivals of Joy and Love Say for the stunning sounds you bore When the bright Saint arriv'd your blessed shore If such a Voice of Triumph e're was heard before Fill'd with surpassing wonder and delight At the amazing sight Their golden Harps the wing'd Musicians strung Through the Coelestial Quire each warbling Tongue With holy Rapture Hallelujahs sung The Heav'ns and all the Constellations round Did to th' ascending Pomp resound The universal Orb with joyful Paeans rung Scarce had his flaming Guard pass'd by The gloomy Regions of the darker sky But strait thro' all the Hoast of Heaven Was the loud Signal giv'n Far as the atmost hallow'd Limits round Th' Angelick Camp was heard the potent sound The shining Warriours hasten'd all To their bright Hierarch's Imperial Call Flags Pennons Banners Van and Rear Embellish'd thick with Gems stream'd in Ambrosian Air. Oh cou'd our mortal eyes have seen The watchful Cherubin Open the everlasting Gate And have beheld in what a blissful state How glorify'd th' applauded Sov'reign rode Thro' the wide ample Road Of wond'ring Angels to the Seat of God! On Adamantine Columns hung Thick as Hyblean swarms the bright seraphick Throng And as he pass'd along With ardent looks on their new Saint they gaz'd And his transcendent Glories loudly prais'd When round his blest anointed Head In mystic forms the royal drops were shed The high Eternal Priest his Temples grac'd With Crowns of Crysolite that never waste And scarce the starry Zone Was by the holy ministring hand put on But strait through the wide Continent of spacious Heav'n Were shouts of highest Acclamation giv'n With sweetest breath of charming Symphonies Carols of Joy and loud Thanksgiving Cries The glorious Host proclaim'd him ever blest In that eternal Paradise of Rest. IX Guard us ye sacred Powers and guard your own Immortal Empyreal Throne Lest as Idolaters of old Great Charles his dazling Brightness we behold And the Coelestial
Globe so long admire Till we fall down in Adoration to the glorious fire Sure the Almighty God Consulted with himself and said He not in Nature's common road But as their first great Parent shall be made So the Divine Particle from his own Essence flow'd To make his Image eminently great He trusted not to the slight hand of Fate But to his own ineffable Idea sat Oh might we worship now the Pow'rs divine In any outward form then surely thine As Gods best Mirror shou'd Great Charles be mine Of intellectual first causes we Nothing but by effects can see And Heav'ns most lovely Attributes were all in thee When most severe around his awful Throne With dawning beams th' exalted Cherub shon Easie and placable his bending ear The softest Voice of Misery did hear When his vile Subjects any Crimes had done They safely to their injur'd Sov'reign run As if the upright Judge had heard a Cause That violated God's and Nature's Laws Divine Compassion in his Looks appear'd And long his just Decree the gracious King deferr'd Favour unsought and such prevenient Grace With cheerful Majesty adorn'd his Face That scarcely was the Mercy-seat of God More mild than the indulgent Throne on which he trod X. Tell me oh tell me all ye wither'd Scrowls Aegyptian Records of Dynastian Race Imperial Rome that loudly from of old The deeds of your illustrious Hero's told And thou O Time whose envious brazen rowls Do all Memorials but thy own deface Tell me if e're Humanity so well So gloriously suffer'd reign'd and fell Oh! had he flourish'd in the Ages past Eternal Triumphs wou'd their King have grac'd In ev'ry shining Capitol had stood Honours divine ador'd him as he rode His House a Temple and himself a God And sure if Mortal e're deserv'd the Name His Virtues might demand the glorious claim In Dignity born next to heavenly Race Humble and open as the Throne of Grace His Rods and Axes were beheld by few He sav'd more Subjects Lives than Sylla slew Nor were his moral Gifts alone confin'd Rich was the soil of his capacious Mind How when unbent from Cares at hours of ease The great Dictator wou'd inform or please Tho sharp and pointed as his Sword how sweet And mild he rul'd his Monarchy of Wit So tenderly the sov'reign sway he bore None wish'd him less tho no man could have more Never my humble and obedient Ear The sacred Oracle but once did hear And oh methought a light divine Did round his beaming Temples shine Sense of new Joy to my charm'd Soul was giv'n And the blest sound as of a Voice from Heav'n Nor did the clear sagacious King excell In speaking only but in judging well Conspicuous venerable and great As high in Knowledge as in Pow'r he sat Learning and Arts still flourish'd round his Throne As well they might for they were all his own In noblest Sciences so much renown'd As he for Wisdom only had been crown'd Great Iove himself his darling Prince endow'd And him his own Prerogative allow'd That divine Blessing granted but to few From his own Head his wiâ—…e and warlike Pallas grew XI But these tho graceful raise but common fame Compar'd to Glories which attend his Name That Heav'ns peculiar Mercy might be shewn To all the World its Lord anointed known His Maker trebly mark'd him for his own To Empire born he long in Exile mourn'd But like triumphant royal Oar he burn'd And with more lustre to his Realms return'd He came and lo with his Imperial Crown Such Honour Peace and Plenty shower'd down That he on his ingrateful Land bestow'd Blessings as great as upon him the God So much these Nations did his Bounty share A Realm of People all his Fav'rites were When his mild hand had stop'd the sulph'rous Breath Of savage War that gorg'd the Jaws of Death And had destroy'd that vile Cadmean Brood Who bath'd their Swords in their own reaking Blood And doubly dy'd 'em in a Royal Flood His Temples never open'd but when Heav'n Was prais'd and their rebellious Sins forgiv'n With what endearing Arts he always strove To gain a wicked murm'ring Peoples Love Succour'd their dangers all and led 'em thro' A wild Abyss and Wilderness of Woe Tho they so oft provok'd his sacred Ire His heav'nly Covenant did ne're expire Their leading Cloud by day by night their lambent Fire No sort of Misery but he repeal'd The diseas'd look'd up to him and were heal'd When their flagitious Crimes so num'rous were That he like Eastern Kings might have been Heir To forfeit Realms forgave the share And yet when by his Charge our fruitful Nile With pregnant Surge enriches all the Isle And the World's Wealth flows in with ev'ry tide How barbarously were his Wants deny'd Through his own precious Wounds the gen'rous Palm To cure his People gave 'em sov'reign Balm When he in danger sat upon his Throne Mourn'd the dear Partner of his Woes alone Their Kindred and Estates were all their own Oh may the Laws of God and Man depart From my immortal Soul and in my Heart No glad Remembrance of blest Joy remain But run a savage with the bestial Race If ever I forget the dying Scene How tenderly he with his parting Breath Inherent Love unutterable Grace Midst all the Agonies and racking Pain Of a tormenting hard convulsive death Did his dear Pledge to his lov'd Heir bequeath Calm as Favonian Winds when Halcyon's breed To his twin-star these potent Realms decreed Govern 'em well the yielding Monarch cry'd Then on his balmy Nest the lovely Phoenix dy'd With Peace and Goodness dy'd so very full His Body took Impressions from his Soul The Royal Entrails fair unspotted shin'd With purple orient Spirits and divin'd The wondrous Blessing in Great Iames we find And well were their auspicious Omens made Of Joys whose vast Foundations Charles has laid With untaught Hymns and loud immortal Lays Ages unborn shall bless his peaceful days And make three Kingdoms one large House of Praise Learn hence ye mortal Potentates who boast Of Mansolean Tombs and Memphian Cost Learn how t' embalm an everlasting Name That may out-live those mould'ring works of Fame Tho dead Great Charles his God-like Vertues shall Bravely revenge their renown'd Masters Fall His deathless Praise with the unwearied Sun Bright as his Beams round the wide Earth will run Till drawing near to this dissolving frame The sulph'rous Bowels of the Deep enflame Till in vast Flakes the fervid Surges rowl Thro' Heav'ns wide Battlements from Pole to Pole And in a Deluge of tempestuous Fire With his Illustrious Name the World expire FINIS * Italian Rivers ‖ French Rivers * Spanish * Febris acuta virulenta * His Blood * His Heart a The Herculean Way rais'd by Hercules in his Return from Spain b Sybil. c Plac'd by some near Naples d Pausâ—…lipus and Nesis are the Names of two Promoâ—…tories near Naples * Parthenâ—…pe ‖ A Colony of 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 â—…ulle Cuâ—… and Naplâ—… a 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 Poeâ—… b 〈◊〉 â—…oem â—…'d â—…la c Vâ—… 〈◊〉 a Frederick King of Naples See Guicciardine