Poems (1686) Part 3

To the Queen.

As those who pa.s.s the _Alps_ do say, The Rocks which first oppose their way, And so amazing-High do show, By fresh Ascents appear but low, And when they come unto the last, They scorn the dwarfish Hills th'ave past.

So though my _Muse_ at her first flight, Thought she had chose the greatest height, And (imp'd with _Alexander_'s Name) Believ'd there was no further Fame: Behold an Eye wholly Divine Vouchsaf'd upon my Verse to s.h.i.+ne!

And from that time I'gan to treat With Pitty him the World call'd _Great_; To smile at his exalted Fate, Unequal (though Gigantick) State.

I saw that Pitch was not sublime, Compar'd with this which now I climb; His Glories sunk, and were unseen, When once appear'd the Heav'n-born Queen: Victories, Laurels, Conquer'd Kings, Took place among inferiour things.

Now surely I shall reach the Clouds, For none besides such Vertue shrouds: Having scal'd this with holy Strains, Nought higher but the Heaven remains!

No more I'll Praise on them bestow, Who to ill Deeds their Glories owe; Who build their _Babels_ of Renown, Upon the poor oppressed Crown, Whole Kingdoms do depopulate, To raise a Proud and short-Liv'd State: I prize no more such Frantick Might, Than his that did with Wind-Mills Fight: No, give me Prowess, that with Charms Of Grace and Goodness, not with Harms, Erects a Throne i'th' inward Parts, And Rules mens Wills, but with their Hearts; Who with Piety and Vertue thus Propitiates G.o.d, and Conquers us.

O that now like _Araunah_ here, Altars of Praises I could rear, Suiting her worth, which might be seen Like a Queens Present, to a Queen!

'Alone she stands for Vertues Cause, When all decry, upholds her Laws: When to Banish her is the Strife, Keeps her unexil'd in her Life; Guarding her matchless Innocence From Storms of boldest Impudence; In spight of all the Scoffs and Rage, And Persecutions of the Age, Owns Vertues Altar, feeds the Flame, Adores her much-derided Name; While impiously her hands they tie, Loves her in her Captivity; Like _Perseus_ saves her, when she stands Expos'd to the _Leviathans_.

So did bright Lamps once live in Urns, So Camphire in the water burns, So _aetna's_ Flames do ne'er go out, Though Snows do freeze her head without.'

How dares bold Vice unmasked walk, And like a Giant proudly stalk?

When Vertue's so exalted seen, Arm'd and Triumphant in the Queen?

How dares its Ulcerous Face appear, When Heavenly Beauty is so near?

But so when G.o.d was close at hand, And the bright Cloud did threatning stand (In sight of _Israel_) on the Tent, They on in their Rebellion went.

O that I once so happy were, To find a nearer Shelter there!

Till then poor Dove, I wandering fly Between the Deluge and the Skie: Till then I Mourn, but do not sing, And oft shall plunge my wearied wing: If her bless'd hand vouchsafe the Grace, I'th'Ark with her to give a place, I safe from danger shall be found, When Vice and Folly others drown'd.

A Pastoral Dialogue.

_Dorinda._ _Sabaean_ Perfumes fragrant Roses bring, With all the Flowers that Paint the gaudy Spring: Scatter them all in young _Alexis_'s way, With all that's sweet and (like himself) that's Gay.

_Alexis._ Immortal Laurels and as Lasting Praise, Crown the Divine _Dorinda_'s matchless Laies: May all Hearts stoop, where mine would gladly yield, Had not _Lycoris_ prepossest the Field.

_Dor._ Would my _Alexis_ meet my n.o.ble Flame, In all _Ausonia_ neither Youth nor Dame, Should so renown'd in Deathless Numbers s.h.i.+ne, As thy exalted Name should do in mine.

_Alex._ He'll need no Trophie nor ambitious Hea.r.s.e, Who shall be honour'd by _Dorinda_'s Verse; But where it is inscrib'd, _That here doth lie Lycoris_'s _Love_. That Fame can never die.

_Dor._ On _Tyber_'s Bank I _Thyrsis_ did espie, And by his side did bright _Lycoris_ lie; She Crown'd his Head, and Kist his amorous Brow, Ah Poor _Alexis_! Ah then where wer't thou?

_Alex._ When thou saw'st that, I ne'r had seen my Fair, And what pa.s.s'd then ought not to be my Care; I liv'd not then, but first began to be, When I _Lycoris_ Lov'd, and she Lov'd me.

_Dor._ Ah choose a Faith, a Faith that's like thine own, A Virgin Love, a Love that's newly blown: 'Tis not enough a Maidens Heart is chast, It must be Single, and not once mis-plac't.

_Alex._ Thus do our Priests of Heavenly Pastures tell, Eternal Groves, all Earthly, that excel: And think to wean us from our Loves below, By dazling Objects which we cannot know.

On Death.

Tell me thou safest End of all our Woe, Why wreched Mortals do avoid thee so: Thou gentle drier o'th' afflicteds Tears, Thou n.o.ble ender of the Cowards Fears; Thou sweet Repose to Lovers sad dispaire, Thou Calm t'Ambitions rough Tempestuous Care.

If in regard of Bliss thou wert a Curse, And then the Joys of Paradise art worse; Yet after Man from his first Station fell, And G.o.d from _Eden_ _Adam_ did expel, Thou wert no more an Evil, but Relief; The Balm and Cure to ev'ry Humane Grief: Through thee (what Man had forfeited before) He now enjoys, and ne'r can loose it more.

No subtile Serpents in the Grave betray, Worms on the Body there, not Soul do prey; No Vice there Tempts, no Terrors there afright, No Coz'ning Sin affords a false delight: No vain Contentions do that Peace annoy, No feirce Alarms break the lasting Joy.

Ah since from thee so many Blessings flow, Such real Good as Life can never know; Come when thou wilt, in thy afrighting'st Dress, Thy Shape shall never make thy Welcome less.

Thou mayst to Joy, but ne'er to fear give Birth, Thou Best, as well as Certain'st thing on Earth.

Fly thee? May Travellers then fly their Rest, And hungry Infants fly the profer'd Brest.

No, those that faint and tremble at thy Name, Fly from their Good on a mistaken Fame.

Thus Childish fear did _Israel_ of old From Plenty and the Promis'd Land with-hold; They fancy'd Giants, and refus'd to go, When _Canaan_ did with Milk and Honey flow.

First EPIGRAM.

_Upon being Contented with a Little._

We deem them moderate, but _Enough_ implore, What barely will suffice, and ask no more: Who say, (O Jove) _a competency give, Neither in Luxury, or Want we'd live_.

But what is that, which these _Enough_ do call?

If both the _Indies_ unto some should fall, Such Wealth would yet _Enough_ but onely be, And what they'd term not Want, or Luxury.

Among the Suits, _O Jove_, my humbler take; _A little give, I that Enough will make_.

_The Second_ EPIGRAM.

_On_ BILLINDA.

Wanton _Billinda_ loudly does complain, I've chang'd my Love of late into disdain: Calls me unconstant, cause I now adore The chast _Marcella_, that lov'd her before.

Sin or Dishonour, me as well may blame, That I repent, or do avoid a shame.

The Third EPIGRAM.

_On an_ ATHEIST.

_Posthumus_ boasts he does not Thunder fear, And for this cause would Innocent appear; That in his Soul no Terrour he does feel, At threatn'd Vultures, or _Ixion_'s Wheel, Which fright the Guilty: But when _Fabius_ told What Acts 'gainst Murder lately were enrol'd, 'Gainst Incest, Rapine,----straight upon the Tale His Colour chang'd, and _Posthumus_ grew pale.

His Impious Courage had no other Root, But that the Villaine, Atheist was to boot.

_The Fourth_ EPIGRAM.