Poems (1686) Part 9

Her Youth and Beauty justly might disdain, But the least Pride her Glories ne're did stain.

_Celinda_ of each State th'ambitious Strife, At once a n.o.ble Virgin, and a Wife Who, while her Gallant Lord in Forraign parts Adorns his Youth with all accomplisht Arts, Grows ripe at home in Vertue, more than Years, And in each Grace a Miracle appears!

When other of her Age a madding go, To th' Park and Plays, and ev'ry publick Show, Proud from their Parents Bondage they have broke, Though justly freed, she still does wear the Yoke; Preferring more her Mothers Friend to be, Than Idol of the Towns Loose-Gallantry.

On her she to the Temple does attend, Where they their Blessed Hours both save and spend.

They Smile, they Joy, together they do Pray, You'd think two Bodies did One Soul obey: Like Angels thus they do reflect their Bliss, And their bright Vertues each the other kiss.

Return young Lord, while thou abroad dost rome The World to see, thou loosest Heaven at Home.

ON THE Dutchess of Grafton _Under the Name of_ ALINDA.

A SONG.

I.

Th'ambitious Eye that seeks alone, Where Beauties Wonders most are shown; Of all that bounteous Heaven displays, Let him on bright _Alinda_ gaze; And in her high Example see, All can admir'd, or wisht-for, be!

II.

An unmatch't Form, Mind like endow'd, Estate, and t.i.tle great and proud; A Charge Heaven dares to few commit, So few, like her, can manage it; Without all Blame or Envy bear, The being Witty, Great and Fair!

III.

So well these Murd'ring Weapons weild, As first Herself with them to s.h.i.+eld, Then slaughter none in proud Disport, Destroy those she invites to Court: Great are her Charmes, but Vertue more, She wounds no Hearts, though All adore.

IV.

'Tis Am'rous Beauty Love invites, A Pa.s.sion, like it self, excites: The Paragon, though all admire, Kindles in none a fond desire: No more than those the Kings Renown And State applaud, affect his Crown.

_These following Fragments among many more were found among her Papers._

Penelope to Ulysses.

Return my dearest Lord, at length return, Let me no longer your sad absence mourn, _Ilium_ in Dust, does no more Work afford, No more Employment for your Wit or Sword.

Why did not the fore-seeing G.o.ds destroy, _Helin_ the Fire-brand both of _Greece_ and _Troy_, E're yet the Fatal Youth her Face had seen, E're lov'd and born away the wanton Queen?

Then had been stopt the mighty Floud of Woe, Which now both _Greece_ and _Phrygia_ over-flow: Then I, these many Teares, should not have shed, Nor thou, the source of them, to War been led: I should not then have trembled at the Fame Of _Hectors_ warlike and victorious Name.

Why did I wish the n.o.ble _Hector_ Slain?

Why _Ilium_ ruin'd? Rise, O rise again!

Again great City flourish from thine Urne: For though thou'rt burn'd, my Lord does not return.

Sometimes I think, (but O most Cruel Thought,) That, for thy Absence, th'art thy self in fault: That thou art captiv'd by some captive Dame, Who, when thou fired'st _Troy_, did thee inflame And now with her thou lead'st thy am'rous Life, Forgetful, and despising of thy Wife.

An Epitaph on her Self.

When I am Dead, few Friends attend my Hea.r.s.e, And for a Monument, I leave my VERSE.

An ODE.

Arise my Dove, from mid'st of Pots arise, Thy sully'd Habitation leave, To Dust no longer cleave, Unworthy they of Heaven that will not view the Skies.

Thy native Beauty re-a.s.sume, Prune each neglected Plume, Till more than Silver white, Then burnisht Gold more bright, Thus ever ready stand to take thy Eternal Flight.

II.

The Bird to whom the s.p.a.cious Aire was given, As in a smooth and trackless Path to go, A Walk which does no Limits know Pervious alone to Her and Heaven: Should she her Airy Race forget, On Earth affect to walk and sit; Should she so high a Priviledge neglect, As still on Earth, to walk and sit, affect, What could she of Wrong complain, Who thus her Birdly Kind doth stain, If all her Feathers moulted were, And naked she were left and bare, The Jest and Scorn of Earth and Aire?

III.

The Bird of Paradice the Soul,

_Extemporary Counsel given to a_ Young Gallant _in a_ Frolick.

As you are Young, if you'l be also Wise, Danger with Honour court, Quarrels despise; Believe you then are truly Brave and Bold, To Beauty when no Slave, and less to Gold; When Vertue you dare own, not think it odd, Or ungenteel to say, I _fear a G.o.d_.

_These Three following_ ODES _being found among_ Mrs Killigrews _Papers, I was willing to Print though none of hers_.

Cloris Charmes _Dissolved by_ EUDORA.

I.

Not that thy Fair Hand Should lead me from my deep Dispaire, Or thy Love, _Cloris_, End my Care, And back my Steps command: But if hereafter thou Retire, To quench with Tears, thy Wandring Fire, This Clue I'll leave behinde, By which thou maist untwine The Saddest Way, To shun the Day, That ever Grief did find.

II.