Page images
PDF
EPUB

Eros, and Anteros, on either Side,

[Bride;

One fir'd the Bridegroom, and one warm'd the And long-attending Hymen from above

Showr'd on the Bed the whole Idalian Grove.
All of a Tenour was their After-Life,

No Day difcolour'd with Domestick Strife;
No Jealoufie, but mutual Truth believ❜d,
Secure Repofe, and Kindness undeceiv'd.
Thus Heav'n, beyond the Compass of his Thought,
Sent him the Bleffing he fo dearly bought.

So may the Queen of Love long Duty blefs, And all true Lovers find the fame Succefs.

The End of the Third Book.

To my Honour'd Kinsman,

JOHN DRIDEN,

OF

Chesterton in the County of
Huntingdon, Efq;

H

JES

OW Befs'dis He, who leads a Country

Life,

Unvex'd with anxiousCares,and void

of Strife!

Who studying Peace, and fhunning Civil Rage,
Enjoy'd his Youth, and now enjoys his Age:
All who deferve his Love, he makes his own;

And, to be lov'd himself, needs only to be known.
Juft, Good, and Wife, contending Neighbours

'come

From your Award, to wait their final Doom;

And, Foes before, return in Friendship home.

Without their Coft, you terminate the Cause; And fave th' Expence of long Litigious Laws: Where Suits are travers'd; and fo little won, That he who conquers, is but laft undone: Such are not your Decrees; but fo defign'd, The Sanction leaves a lasting Peace behind; Like your own Soul, Serene; a Pattern of your Mind.

of S

Promoting Concord, and compofing Strife, Lord of your felf, uncumber'd with a Wife; Where, for a Year, a Month, perhaps a Night, Long Penitence fucceeds a short Delight: Minds are so hardly match'd, that ev'n the first, Though pair'd by Heav'n, in Paradise, were curs'd. For Man and Woman, though in one they grow, Yet, first or laft, return again to Two.

He to God's Image, She to His was made; So, farther from the Fount, the Stream at random ftray'd.

How cou'd He stand, when put to double Pain, He must a Weaker than himself sustain!

Each might have stood perhaps; but each alone; Two Wrestlers help to pull each other down.

Not that my Verfe wou'd blemish all the Fair; But yet, if fome be bad, 'tis Wisdom to beware;

J

And better shun the Bait, than struggle in the
Snare.
Thus have you fhunn'd, and shun the marry'd State,
Trusting as little as you can to Fate.

No Porter guards the Paffage of your Door; T'admit the Wealthy, and exclude the Poor: For God, who gave the Riches, gave the Heart Tofanctifie the Whole, by giving Part '[wrought,

Heav'n, who forefaw the Will, the Means has
And to the fecond Son, a Bleffing brought:
The Firft-begotten had his Father's Share;
But you, like Jacob, are Rebecca's Heir.

So may your Stores, and fruitful Fields increafe;
And ever be you blefs'd, who live to bless.
As Ceres fow'd, where-e'er her Chariot flew ;
As Heav'n in Defarts rain'd the Bread of Dew,
So free to Many, to Relations most,

You feed with Manna your own Ifrael-Hoft. With Crowds attended of your ancient Race, You feek the Champian-Sports, or Sylvan-Chace;

With well-breath'd Beagles, you furround the

Wood;

Ev'n then, induftrious of the common Good;
And often have you brought the wily Fox
To suffer for the Firstlings of the Flocks;
Chas'd ev'n amid the Folds; and made to bleed,
Like Felons, where they did the murd❜rous Deed.
This fiery Game, your active Youth maintain'd:
Not yet, by Years extinguish'd, though restrain'd:
You season still with Sports your serious Hours ;
For Age but taftes of Pleasures, Youth devours.
The Hare, in Pastures or in Plains is found,
Emblem of human Life, who runs the Round;
And, after all his wand'ring Ways are done,
His Circle fills, and ends where he begun,

Just as the Setting meets the Rising Sun.
Thus Princes ease their Cares: But happier he,
Who feeks not Pleasure thro' Neceffity,
Than fuch as once on flipp'ry Thrones were plac'd;
And chafing, figh to think themselves are chas'd.
So liv'd our Sires, ere Doctors learn'd to kill,
And multiply'd with theirs, the Weekly Bill.

« PreviousContinue »