Imatges de pàgina
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What worse to wretched virtue could befal,
If fate, or giddy fortune, govern'd all ?
Nay, worse than other beafts is our estate :
Them to purfue their pleafures you create;
We, bound by harder laws, muft curb our will,
And your commands, not our desires fulfil;
Then when the creature is unjustly flain,
Yet after death at leaft he feels no pain:
But man, in life furcharg'd with woe before,
Not freed when dead, is doom'd to fuffer more.
A ferpent fhoots his fting at unaware;
An ambuth'd thief forelays a traveller :
The man lies murder'd; while the thief and fnake,
One gains the thickets, and one thrids the brake.
This let divines decide; but well I know,
Juft or unjust, I have my fhare of woe;
Through Saturn feated in a lucklefs place,
And Juno's wrath, that persecutes my race;
Or Mars and Venus, in a quartil, move
My pangs of jealoufy for Arcite's love.

Let Palamon opprefs'd in bondage mourn,
While to his exil'd rival we return.
By this, the fun, declining from his height,
The day had thorten'd, to prolong the night:
The lengthen'd night gave length of mifery
Both to the captive lover and the free;
For Palamon in endlefs prifon mourns,
And Arcite forfeits life if he returns:
The banish'd never hopes his love to fee,
Nor hopes the captive lord his liberty.
'Tis hard to fay who fuffers greater pains:
One fees his love, but cannot break his chains;
One free, and all his motions uncontroul'd,
Beholds whate'er he would, but what he would
behold.

Judge as you pleafe, for I will hafte to tell
What fortune to the banish'd knight befel.
When Arcite was to Thebes return'd again,
The lofs of her he lov'd renew'd his pain;
What could be worfe, than never more to fee
His life, his foul, his charming Emily?
He rav'd with all the madness of defpair,
He roar'd, he beat his breaft, he tore his hair.
Dry forrow in his ftupid eyes appears;
For, wanting nourishment, he wanted tears:
His eve-balls in their hollow fockets fink;
Bereft of fleep, he loaths his meat and drink.
He withers at his heart, and looks as wan
As the pale spectre of a murder'd man :
That pale turns yellow, and his face receives
The faded hue of faplefs boxen leaves:
In folitary groves he makes his moan,
Walks early out, and ever is alone:
Nor, mix'd in mirth, in youthful pleafures fhares,
But fighs when fongs and inftruments he hears.
His fpuits are fo low, his voice is drown'd,
He hears as from afar, or in a fwoon,
Like the deaf murmurs of a distant found:
Uncomb'd his locks, and fqualid his attire,
Unlike the trim of love and gay defire:
But full of mufeful mopings, which prefage
The lofs of reaton, and conclude in rage.
This when he had endur'd a year and more,
Now wholly chang`d from what he was before,

It happen'd once, that, flumb'ring as he lay,
He dream'd (his dream began at break of day)
That Hermes o'er his head in air appear'd,
And with foft words his drooping fpirits cheer'd:
His hat, adorn'd with wings, difclos'd the God,
And in his hand he bore the fleep-compelling rod:
Such as he feem'd, when, at his fire's command,
On Argus' head he laid the fnaky wand.
Arife, he faid, to conqu'ring Athens go;
There fate appoints an end to all thy woe.
The fright awaken'd Arcite with a start;
Against his bofom bounc'd his heaving heart;
But foon he said, with fcarce-recover'd breath,
And thither will I go to meet my death,
Sure to be flain; but death is my defire,
Since in Emilia's fight I fhall expire.
By chance he fpied a mirror while he spoke,
And gazing there, beheld his alter'd look;
Wond'ring he faw his features and his hue
So much were chang'd, that scarce himself he knew.
A fudden thought then starting in his mind,
Since I in Arcite cannot Arcite find,
The world may search in vain with all their eyes,
But never penetrate through this difguife.
Thanks to the change which grief and fickness
In low eftate I may fecurely live,
[give,
And see, unknown, my mistress day by day.
He faid; and cloth'd himfelf in coarfe array,
A lab'ring hind in fhew; then forth he went,
And to th' Athenian tow'rs his journey bent:
One 'fquire attended in the fame disguise,
Made confcious of his mafter's enterprise.
Arriv'd at Athens, foon he came to court,
Unknown, unquestion'd, in that thick refort:
Proff ring for hire his service at the gate,
To drudge, draw water, and to run or wait,

So far befel him, that for little gain
He ferv'd at firft Emilia's chamberlain;
And, watchful all advantages to spy,
Was ftill at hand, and in his master's eye;
And as his bones were big, and finews ftrong,
Refus'd no toil that could to flaves belong;
But from deep wells with engines water drew,
And us'd his noble hands the wood to hew.
Hle pafs'd a year at least attending thus
On Emily, and call'd Philoftratus.
But never was there man of his degree
So much efteem'd, fo well-belov'd as he.
So gentle of condition was he known,
That thro' the court his courtefy was blown:
All think him worthy of a greater place,
And recommend him to the royal grace;
That, exercis'd within a higher sphere,
His virtues more confpicuous might appear.
Thus by the gen'ral voice was Arcite prais'd,
And by great Thefeus to high favour rais'd:
Among his menial fervants first enroll'd,
And largely entertain'd with fums of gold:
Befides what fecretly from Thebes was fent,
Of his own income, and his annual rent:
This well employ'd, he purchas'd friends and fame,
But cautiously conceal d from whence it came.
Thus for three years he liv'd with large increase,
In arms of honour, and efteem in peace;

Το

To Thefeus' perfon he was ever near;
And Thefeus, for his virtues, held him dear.

BOOK II.

WHILE Arcite lives in blifs, the story turns
Where hopeless Palamon in prifon mourns.
For fix long years immur'd, the captive knight
Had dragg'd his chains, and scarcely feen the light:
Loft liberty and love at once he bore;

His prifon pain'd him much, his paffion more:
Nor dares he hope his fetters to remove,
Nor ever wishes to be free from love.

}

}

But when the fixth revolving year was run, And May within the Twins receiv'd the fun, Were it by chance, or forceful destiny, Which forms in caufes firft whate'er fhall be, Affifted by a friend, one moonless night, This Palamon from prifon took his flight: A pleasant bev'rage he prepar'd before Of wine and honey, mix'd with added store Of opium; to his keeper this he brought, Who fwallow'd unaware the fleepy draught, And fnor'd fecure till morn, his fenfes bound In lumber, and in long oblivion drown'd. Short was the night, and careful Palamon Sought the next covert ere the rifing fun. A thick-fpread foreft near the city lay, To this with lengthen'd ftrides he took his way (For far he could not fly, and fear'd the day). Safe from purfuit, he meant to fhun the light, Till the brown fhadows of the friendly night To Thebes might favour his intended flight. When to his country come, his next defign Was all the Theban race in arms to join, And war on Thefeus, till he loft his life, Or won the beauteous Emily to wife. Thus while his thoughts the ling'ring day beguile, To gentle Arcite let us turn our style; Who little dream'd how nigh he was to care, Till treach'rous fortune caught him in the fnare. The morning-lark, the meffenger of day, Saluted in her fong the morning grey; And foon the fun arofe with beams fo bright, That all the horizon laugh'd to tee the joyous fight; He with his tepid rays the rofe renews, And licks the drooping leaves, and dries the dews; When Arcite left his bed, refolv'd to pay Obfervance to the month of merry May: Forth on his fiery freed betimes he rode, That fcarcely prints the turf on which he trod : At eafe he feem'd, and, prancing o'er the plains, Turn'd only to the grove his horfe's reins, The grove I nam'd before; and, lighted there, A woodbine garland fought to crown his hair; Then turn'd his face against the rifing day, And rais'd his voice to welcome in the May. For thee, fweet month, the groves green liveries If not the firft, the fairest of the year: [wear; For thee the Graces lead the dancing hours, And Nature's ready pencil paints the flow'rs: When thy fhort reign is paft, the feverish fun The fultry tropic fears, and moves more flowly on. So may thy tender bloffoms fear no blight, Nor goats with venom'd teeth thy tendrils bite,

As thou shalt guide my wand'ring feet to find
The fragrant greens I feek, my brows to bind.
His vows addrefs'd, within the grove he
ftray'd,

Till fate, or fortune, near the place convey'd
His fteps where fecret Palamon was laid.
Full little thought of him the gentle knight,
Who flying death had there conceal'd his flight,
In brakes and brambles hid, and fhunning mor-
tal fight;

year.

And lefs he knew him for his hated foe,
But fear'd him as a man he did not know.
But as it has been faid of ancient years,
That fields are full of eyes, and woods have ears;
For this the wife are ever on their guard;
For unforeseen, they fay, is unprepar'd.
Uncautious Arcite thought himself alone,
And lefs than all fufpected Palamon,
Who lift ning heard him, while he fearch'd the
And loudly fung his roundelay of love; [grove,
But on the sudden stopp'd, and filent stood,
As lovers often mufe, and change their mood;
Now high as heaven, and then as low as hell;
Now up, now down, as buckets in a well;
For Venus, like her day, will change her cheer,
And feldom fhall we fee a Friday clear.
Thus Arcite, having fung, with alter'd hue
Suak on the ground, and from his bofom drew
A defp'rate figh, accufing Heaven and Fate,
And angry Juno's unrelenting hate.
Curs'd be the day when firft I did appear!
Let it be blotted from the calendar,
Left it pollute the month, and poifon all the
Still will the jealous Queen pursue our race?
Cadmus is dead, the Theban city was:
Yet ceafes not her hate; for all who come
From Cadmus are involv'd in Cadmus' doom.
I fuffer for my blood: unjuft decree !
That punishes another's crime on me.
In mean eftate I ferve my mortal foe,
The man who caus'd my country's overthrow.
This is not all; for Juno, to my fhaine,
Has forc'd me to forfake my former name;
Arcite I was, Philoftratus I am.
That fide of heaven is all my enemy;
Mars ruin'd Thebes, his mother ruin'd me.
Of all the royal race remains but one
Befides myfelf, th' unhappy Palamon,
Whom Thefeus holds in bonds, and will not free;
Without a crime, except his kin to me.
Yet thefe, and all the rett. I could endure;
But Love 's a malady without a cure;
Fierce Love has pierc'd me with his fiery dart;
He fires within, and hiffes at my heart.
Your eyes, fair Emily, my fate purfue;
I fuffer for the reft, I die for you.
Of fuch a Goddess no time leaves record,
Who burn'd the temple where fhe was ador'd:
And let it burn, I never will complain;
Pleas'd with my fuff 'rings, if you knew my pain.

At this a fickly qualm his heart affail'd,
His eas ring inward, and his fenfes fail'd.
No word mits'd Palamon of all he spoke,
But foon to deadly pale he chang'd his look :-

He

He trembled every limb, and felt a fmart,
As if cold fteel had glided through his heart;
No longer ftaid; but, ftarting from his place,
Difcover'd ftood, and fhew'd his hoftile face.
Falle traitor Arcite, traitor to thy blood,
Bound by thy facred oath to feek my good,
Now art thou found forefworn for Emily,
And dar'ft attempt her love for whom I die.
So haft thou cheated Thefeus with a wile,
Against thy vow, returning to beguile
Under a borrow'd name; as falfe to me,
So false thou art to him who fet thee free:
But reft affur'd that either thou fhalt die,
Or else renounce thy claim in Emily:
For though unarm'd I am, and (freed by chance)
Am here without my fword or pointed lance,
Hope not, base man, unqueftion'd hence to go;
For I am Palamon, thy mortal foe.

Arcite, who heard his tale, and knew the man, His fword unfheath'd, and fiercely thus began: Now by the Gods who govern heaven above, Wert thou not weak with hunger, mad with love,

}

That word had been thy laft, or in this grove
This hand should force thee to renounce thy love.
The furety which I gave thee, I defy:
Fool, not to know that love endures no tie,
And Jove but laughs at lovers' perjury.
Know, I will ferve the fair in thy defpite;
But fince thou art my kinfman and a knight,
Here, have my faith, to-morrow in this grove
Our arms fhall plead the titles of our love :
And Heaven fo help my right, as I alone
Will come, and keep the cause and quarrel both
unknown,

}

With arms of proof both for myself and thee;
Choose thou the best, and leave the worst to me.
And, that a better eafe thou mayft abide,
Bedding and clothes I will this night provide,
And needful fuftenance, that thou mayst be
A conqueft better won, and worthy me.
His promife Palamon accepts; but pray'd
To keep it better than the first he made.
Thus fair they parted till the morrow's dawn;
For each had laid his plighted faith to pawn.
Oh Love! thou fternly doft thy pow'r maintain,
And wilt not bear a rival in thy reign;
Tyrants and thou all fellowship difdain.
This was in Arcite prov'd, and Palamon;
Both in defpair, yet each would love alone.
Arcite return'd, and, as in honour tied,
His foe with bedding and with food supplied;
Then, ere the day, two fuits of armour fought,
Which borne before him on his fteed he brought:
Both were of fhining fteel, and wrought fo pure,
As might the ftrokes of two fuch arms endure.
Now at the time, and in th' appointed place,
The challenger and challeng'd, face to face,
Approach; each other from afar they knew,
And from afar their hatred chang'd their hue.
So ftands the Thracian herdsman with his fpear
Full in the gap, and hopes the hunted bear;
And hears him ruftling in the wood, and fees
His courfe at diftance by the bending trees;

And thinks, here comes my mortal enemy,
And either he must fall in fight, or I:
This while he thinks, he lifts aloft his dart;
A gen'rous chillness feizes ev'ry part; [heart.
The veins pour back the blood, and fortify the

Thus pale they meet, their eyes with fury burn;
None greets, for none the greeting will return;
But in dumb furliness each arm'd with care
His foe profeft, as brother of the war:
Then both, no moment loft, at once advance
Against each other, arm'd with sword and lance:
They lafh, they foin, they pass, they strive to bore
Their corflets, and the thinneft parts explore.
Thus two long hours in equal arms they food,
And wounded, wound; till both were bath'd in
And not a foot of ground had either got, [blood;
As if the world depended on the fpot.
Fell Arcite like an angry tiger far'd,
And like a lion Palamon appear'd:
Or as two boars whom love to battle draws,
With rifing briftles, and with frothy jaws,
Their adverfe breafts with tufks oblique they
wound,

With grunts and groans the foreft rings around.
So fought the knights, and fighting must abide,
Till fate an umpire fends their diff'rence to decide.
The pow'r that ministers to God's decrees,
And executes on earth what Heaven forefees,
Call'd providence, or chance, or fatal sway,
Comes with refiftlefs force, and finds or makes her
Nor kings, nor nations, nor united pow'r, [way.
One moment can retard th' appointed hour.
And fome one day fome wondrous chance ap

pears,

Which happen'd not in centuries of years:
For fure whate'er we mortals hate, or love,
Or hope, or fear, depends on pow'rs above:
They move our appetites to good or ill,
And by forefight neceffitate the will.
In Thefeus this appears, whofe youthful joy
Was beafts of chace in forefts to deftroy;
This gentle knight, infpir'd by jolly May,
Forfook his eafy couch at early day,

And to the wood and wilds purfued his way.
Beside him rode Hippolita the queen,
And Emily attir'd in lively green,

With horns, and hounds, and all the tuneful cry,
To hunt a royal hart within the covert nigh:
And as he follow'd Mars before, so now

He ferves the goddefs of the filver bow.
The way that Thefeus took was to the wood
Where the two knights in cruel battle stood:
The lawn on which they fought, th' appointed
place

In which the uncoupled hounds began the chace.
Thither forth-right he rode to roufe the prey,
That shaded by the fern in harbour lay;
And, thence diflodg'd, was wont to leave the
wood

For open fields, and cross the crystal flood.
Approach'd, and looking underneath the fun,
He faw proud Arcite and fierce Palamon
In mortal battle doubling blow on blow,
Like lightning flam'd their faulchions to and fro,

And

By Mars, the patron of my arms, you die.
He faid; dumb forrow feiz'd the standers-by.
The queen above the reft, by nature good
(The pattern form'd of perfect womanhood),
For tender pity wept: when he began,
Thro' the bright quire th' infectious virtue ran.
All dropp'd their tears, ev'n the contended
maid;

And thus among themfelves they foftly faid:
What eyes can fuffer this unworthy fight!

The maftership of heaven in face and mind,
And lovers far beyond their faithless kind :
See their wide streaming wounds; they neither

came

And shot a dreadful gleam; fo ftrong they ftruck,
There feem'd lefs force requir'd to fell an oak:
He gaz'd with wonder on their equal might,
Look'd eager on, but knew not either knight :
Refolv'd to learn, he fpurr'd his fiery fteed
With goring rowels to provoke his fpeed.
The minute ended that began the race,
So foon he was betwixt them on the place;
And with his fword unfheath'd, on pain of life,
Commands both combatants to cease their ftrife:
Then with imperious tone purfues his threat-Two youths of royal blood, renown'd in fight,
What are you? why in arms together met?
How dares your pride prefume againft my laws,
As in a lifted field, to fight your caufe?
Unafk'd the royal grant; no marfhal by,
As knightly rites require, nor judge to try?
Then Palamon, with fcarce recover'd breath,
Thus hafty fpoke: We both deferve the death,
And both would die; for look the world around,
A pair fo wretched is not to be found:
Our life's a load; encumber'd with the charge,
We long to fet th' imprifon'd foul at large.
Now as thou art a fov'reign judge, decree
The rightful doom of death to him and me;
Let neither find thy grace, for grace is cruelty.
Me firft, oh kill me first, and cure my woe;
Then fheath the fword of juftice on my foe:
Or kill him first; for when his name is heard,
He foremost will receive his due reward."
Arcite of Thebes is he, thy mortal foe,
On whom thy grace did liberty bestow;
But first contracted, that if ever found
By day or night upon th' Athenian ground,
His head fhould pay the forfeit; fee return'd
The perjur'd knight, his oath and honour fcorn'd.
For this is he who, with a borrow'd name
And proffer'd fervice, to thy palace came,
Now call'd Philoftratus; retain'd by thee,
A traitor trufted, and in high degree,
Afpiring to the bed of beauteous Emily.
My part remains; from Thebes my birth I own,
And call myself th' unhappy Palamon.
Think me not like that man; fince no difgrace
Can force me to renounce the honour of my

For pride of empire, nor defire of fame.
Kings fight for kingdoms, madmen for applaufe:
But love for love alone; that crowns the lover's
cause.

race.

}

Know me for what I am: I broke my chain,
Nor promis'd I thy pris'ner to remain :
The love of liberty with life is given;
And life itself th' inferior gift of Heaven.
Thus without crime I fled; but farther know,
I with this Arcite am thy mortal foe :
Then give me death, fince I thy life pursue;
For fafeguard of thyself, death is my due.
More wouldst thou know? I love bright Emily,
And for her fake and in her fight will die:
But kill my rival too; for he no lefs
Deferves; and I thy righteous doom will bless,
Affur'd that what I lofe he never fhall poffefs.
To this replied the ftern Athenian prince,
And fourly fmil'd-In owning your offence,
You judge yourself; and I but keep record
In place of law, while you pronounce the word.
Take your defert, the death you have decreed;
I feal your doom, and ratify the deed:

This thought, which ever bribes the beauteous
on the place,
Such pity wrought in ev'ry lady's mind, (kind,
They left their feeds, and, proftrate
From the fierce king implor'd the offender's grace.
He paus'd awhile, food filent in his mood
(For yet his rage was boiling in his blood);
But foon his tender mind th' impreffion felt
(As fofteft metals are not flow to melt,
And pity fooneft runs in fofteft minds):
Then reafons with himself; and first he finds
His paffion caft a mist before his fenfe,
And either made or magnified th' offence.
Offence? of what? to whom? who judg'd the

caufe?

The pris'ner freed himself by nature's laws:
Born free, he fought his right: the man he freed
Was perjur'd; but his love excus'd the deed:
Thus pond'ring, he look'd under with his eyes,
And faw the women's tears, and heard their

cries,

Which mov'd compaffion more: he shook his
And, foftly fghing, to himself he faid: [head,
Curfe on th' unpardoning prince, whom tears
can draw

To no remorfe, who rules by lions' law;
And deaf to prayers, by no fubmiffion bow'd,
Rends all alike, the penitent and proud!
At this with look ferene, he rais'd his head :
Reafon refum'd her place, and paffion fled :
Then thus aloud he fpoke: The pow'r of love,
In earths, and feas, and air, and heaven above,
Rules, unrefifted, with an awful nod;

By daily miracles declar'd a God:

He blinds the wife, gives eye-fight to the blind;
And moulds and ftamps anew the lover's mind.
Behold that Arcite, and this Palamon,
Freed from my fetters, and in fafety gone,
What hinder'd either in their native foil
At eafe to reap the harveft of their toil;
But Love, their lord, did otherwise ordain,
And brought them in their own despite again,
To fuffer death deferv'd; for well they know
'Tis in my pow'r, and I their deadly foe;
The proverb holds, that to be wife and love,
Is hardly granted to the Gods above.

See

See how the madmen bleed: behold the gains
Withwhich their mafter, Love, rewards their pains;
For feven long years, on duty ev'ry day,
Lo their obedience, and their monarch's pay:
Yet, as in duty bound, they ferve him on;
And, afk the fools, they think it wifely done;
Nor eafe, nor wealth, nor life itself regard,
For 'tis their maxim, Love is love's reward..
This is not all; the fair for whom they ftrove
Nor knew before, nor could fufpect, their love;
Nor thought, when the beheld the fight. from far,
Her beauty was th' occafion of the war.
But fure a gen'ral doom on man is past,
And all are fools and lovers first or laft:
This both by others and myself I know,
For I have ferv'd their fov'reign long ago;
Oft have been caught within the winding train
Of female fnares, and felt the lover's pain,
And learn'd how far the God can human hearts
constrain.

To this remembrance, and the pray'rs of those
Who for th' offending warriors interpofe,
I give their forfeit lives; on this accord,
To do me homage as their fov'reign lord;
And as my vaffals, to their utmost might,
Atlift my perfon, and affert my right.
This freely fworn, the knights their grace obtain'd,
Then thus the king his fecret thoughts explain'd:
If wealth, or honour, or a royal race,
Or each, or all, may win a lady's grace,
Then either of you knights may well deferve
A princefs born; and fuch is fhe
you
ferve:
For Emily is fifter to the crown,
And but too well to both her beauty known:
But fhould you combat till you both were dead,
Two lovers cannot fhare a fingle bed:
As therefore both are equal in degree,
The lot of both be left to destiny.
Now hear th' award, and happy may it prove
To her, and him who beft deferves her love!
Depart from hence in peace, and free as air
Search the wide world, and where you pleafe
repair;

But on the day when this returning fun
To the fame point through ev'ry fign has run,
Then each of you his hundred knights fhali bring,
In royal lifts, to fight before the king;
And then the knight whom fate or happy chance
Shall with his friends to victory advance,
And grace his arms fo far in equal fight
From out the bars to force his oppofite,,
Or kill, or make him recreant on the plain,
The prize of valour and of love fhall gain;
The vanquifh'd party fhall their claim releafe,
And the long jars conclude in lafting peace.
The charge be mine t' adorn the chofen ground,
The theatre of war, for champions fo renown'd;
And take the patron's place of either knight,
With eyes impartial to behold the fight:
Andheavenof mefo judge as I fhalljudge aright!
If both are fatisfied with this accord,
Swear by the laws of knighthood on my sword.
Who now but Palamon exults with joy?
And ravifh'd Arcite feems to touch the sky:

The whole affembled troop was pleas'd as well;
Extol th' award, and on their knees they fell
To blefs the gracious king. The knights with
leave
[ceive;
Departing from the place, his laft commands re-
On Emily with equal ardour look,

And from her eyes their infpiration took:
From thence to Thebes' old walls purfue their way,
Each to provide his champions for the day.

It might be deem'd, on our historian's part,
Or too much negligence, or want of art,
If he forgot the valt magnificence
Of royal Thefeus, and his large expence.
He firft inclos'd for lifts a level ground,
The whole circumference a mile around;
The form was circular; and all without
A trench was funk, to moat the place about.
Within an amphitheatre appear'd,
Rais'd in degrees, to fixty paces rear'd:
That, when a man was plac'd in one degree,
Height was allow'd for him above to fee.

Eaftward was built a gate of marble white;
The like adorn'd the western opposite.
A nobler object than this fabric was
Rome never faw, nor of so vast a space:
For, rich with fpoils of many a conquer'd land,
All arts and artifts Thefeus could command:
Who fold for hire, or wrought for better fane,
The mafter-painters and the carvers came.
So rofe within the compafs of the year
An age's work, a glorious theatre.
Then o'er its caftern gate was rais'd above
A temple, facred to the queen of love;
An altar ftood below: on either hand
A pricft with roles crown'd, who held a myrtie
The dome of Mars was on the gate oppos'd,
And on the north a turret was inclos'd,
Within the wall of alabafter white,
And crimson coral for the queen of night,
Who takes in fylvan iports her chatte delight.

(wand.

Within thefe oratories might you fee
Rich carvings, portraitures, and imagery:
Where ev'ry figure to the life exprefs'd
The godhead's pow'r to whom it was addrefs'd.
In Venus' temple, on the fides were seen
The broken flumbers of enamour'd men,
Pray'rs that c'en poke, and pity feem'd to call,
And iffuing fighs that finok'd along the wall.
Complaints, and hot defires, the lover's hell,
And icalding tears that wore a channel where they
fell:

And all around were nuptial bonds, the ties
Of love's affurance, and a train of lies,
That, made in luft, conclude in perjuries.
Beauty, and youth, and wealth, and luxury,
And fpritely hope, and fhort-enduring joy,
And forceries to raife th' infernal pow'rs,
And figils fram'd in planetary hours:
Expence, and after-thought, and idle care,
And doubts of motley hue, and dark despair;
Sufpicions, and fantastical furmife,

And jealoufy fuffus'd with jaundice in her eyes,
Difcolouring all the view'd, in tawny drest;
Down-look'd, and with a cuckow on her fift.
Oppcs'd

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