EES not my Love, how time resumes The glory which he lent these flowers? Though none should tafte of their perfumes, Yet must they live but fome few hours: Time, what we forbear, devours!
Had Helen, or th* Egyptian Queen, Been near fo thrifty of their graces; Those beauties must at length have been The spoil of age, which finds out faces In the most retired places.
Should fome malignant planet bring
A barren drought, or ceaseless fhower, Upon the autumn, or the spring,
And spare us neither fruit nor flower; Winter would not stay an hour.
Could the refolve of love's neglect Preferve you from the violation Of coming years, then more refpect Were due to fo divine a fashion; Nor would I indulge my paffion.
The MISER'S SPEECH; in a Masque.
BALLS of this metal flack'd Atlanta's pace,
And on the * amorous youth bestow'd the race Venus (the nymph's mind measuring by her own) Wl.om the rich spoils of cities overthrown Had proftrated to Mars, could well advise Th' adventurous lover how to gain the prize. Nor lefs may Jupiter to gold ascribe : For, when he turn'd himself into a bribe, Who can blame Danaë, or the brazen tower,. That they withstood not that almighty shower? Never till then, did Love make Jove put on A form more bright, and nobler, than his own: Nor were it juft, would he resume that shape, That flack devotion should his thunder fcape.. 'Twas not revenge for griev'd Apollo's wrong, Those ass's ears on Midas' temples hung: But fond repentance of his happy wish,, Because his meat grew metal like his dish. Would Bacchus blefs me fo, I'd conftant hold Unto my wish, and die creating gold..
UPON BEN JONSON.
IRROR of Poets! Mirror of our age!
Which, her whole face beholding on thy Stage, Pleas'd, and displeas'd, with her own faults, endures. A remedy like those whom mufic cures.
Thou haft alone those various inclinations, Which nature gives to ages, fexes, nations: So traced with thy all-refembling pen, That whate'er custom has impos'd on men,, Or ill-got habit (which deforms them fo, That scarce a brother can his brother know) Is reprefented to the wondering eyes. Of all that fee or read thy comedies. Whoever in thofe glaffes looks, may find The spots return'd, or graces, of his mind: And, by the help of fo divine an art, At leifure view and drefs his nobler part.. Narciffus, cozen'd by that flattering Well, Which nothing could but of his beauty tell, Had here, discovering the deform'd estate Of his fond mind, preferv'd himself with hate.. But virtue too, as well as vice, is clad
In flesh and blood fo well, that Plato had Beheld, what his high fancy once embrac'd, Virtue with colours, fpeech, and motion grac'd.. The fundry poftures of thy copious Mufe Who would exprefs, a thousand tongues must use; Whofe fate's no less peculiar than thy art; For as thou couldst all characters impart, So none could render thine; which still escapes, Like Proteus, in variety of fhapes:
Who was, nor this, nor that; but all we find, And all we can imagine, in mankind.
ON MR. JOHN FLETCHER'S PLAYS. LETCHER! to thee we do not only owe All thefe good plays, but thofe of others too: Thy wit repeated, does fupport the Stage; Credits the laft, and entertains this age. No Worthies, form'd by any Mufe but thine, Could purchase robes, to make themselves fo fine. What brave commander is not proud, to fee Thy brave Melantius in his gallantry?
Our greatest Ladies love to see their scorn Out-done by thine, in what themselves have worn: Th' impatient widow, ere the year be done, Sees thy Afpafia weeping in her
I never yet the Tragic ftrain affay'd,
Deter'd by that inimitable Maid. And, when I venture at the comic style,
Thy Scornful Lady feems to mock my
Thus has thy Mufe at once improv'd and mar'd Our sport in Plays, by rendering it too hard! So, when a fort of lusty shepherds throw The bar by turns, and none the rest out-go So far, but that the beft are measuring cafts, Their emulation and their paftime lasts: But, if fome brawny Yeoman of the Guard Step in, and tofs the axle-tree a yard, Or more, beyond the furthest mark, the rest Despairing ftand, their sport is at the best.
* The Maid's Tragedy..
TO MR. GEORGE SANDYS,
On his TRANSLATION of fome Parts of the BIBLE.
OW bold a work attempts that pen, Which would enrich our vulgar tongue With the high raptures of those men, Who here with the same spirit fung, Wherewith they now affift the choir Of angels, who their fongs admire! Whatever those inspired fouls
Were urged to exprefs, did shake The aged Deep, and both the Poles;
Their numerous thunder could awake Dull earth, which does with Heaven confent To all they wrote, and all they meant. Say, facred Bard! what could bestow Courage, on thee, to foar fo high? Tell me, brave friend! what help'd thee fo To shake off all mortality?
To light this torch, thou hast climb'd higher Than* he who ftole celestial fire.
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