My Bofome all thine Image fhall retain, "The full Impreffion there fhall ftill remain.
"As THOU alone haft taught my Heart to prove "The nobleft Heights and Elegance of Love; "That facred Paffion I to THEE Confine,
My spotless Faith fhall be for ever Thine.
Which ne'er can reach thy dear ALEXIS' Ears.
Not all thou fay'ft He was; no Dearest Name,
No fofteft Ties can fruitlefs Sorrows claim.
Thou mak'ft indeed, for thy ALEXIS' Sake,
The firictest Vows that female Love can make.
And One I know within a Woman's Pow'r,
The daily Fallings of a briny Show'r.
But Thoughts, my Fair One, are not ours to chuse,
Those are spontaneous, either chaste or loose,
Pleafure Thou may'ft, but not the Thoughts refufe.
But wherefore from the World fhou'dft thou retire,
To feed in filent Shades an hopeless Fire,
And burn for Him that can't fulfill Defire ?
Why ask I that? He has fulfill'd, and why
Shou'dft Thou seek that, which can't his Loss supply?
The World knows not the Man, whofe matchless
Can make fo deep Impreffion, that thy Heart
And Bofom, fhall his Image so retain,
That after Death it perfect there remain,
Whofe Tides of Pleasure fhall be flowing ftill,
And thou the warm, the tender Transport feel.
He that cou'd this, I own cou'd teach to prove
The noblest Heights and Elegance of Love.
But Love was ne'er for lifeless Clay defign'd,
And Paffions are not eafily confin'd.
Befide, not us, but over-ruling Fate
Difpofes as it will, our Love and Hate,
And second Marriage is (here thou'lt be true)
No Breach of Faith, but pledging it anew.
But lay what was't that mov'd thy mournful Pen,
The Caufe is dubious, as thy Sorrow plain?
Ev'n all that knew the charming Youth confefs
In Grief for him there can and is Excefs;
For thou thy Sex doft feemingly exceed
In Grief, for being from an Husband freed.
What tho' in Tears fome Moments they employ?
Thofe, like returning Tides, our Steps deftroy,
And are th' unruly Overflows of fwelling Joy.
So the dry'd Springs and much contracted Streams,
Which felt of late the Sun's exhaufting Beams;
When falling Show'rs refresh the parched Clay,
And breaking Clouds their watry Debts repay;
Where they in gentle Murmurs pass before,
With foaming Billows lafh the founding Shore,
Exulting, fcorn their Banks, and fpread the Mea[dows o'er.
Say therefore, Fair One, was it to explain,
Thy Grief, or Wit, that thou the gentle Train
Of weeping Loves, invok'st t' assist thy penfive Strain.
Sure 'twas the latter-for each Wife can tell
How to feem fad, but not to feem so well.
Like thee wept Venus, when Adonis dy'd,
Whilft weeping Loves alternate Grief fupply'd.
Whate'er the Poets did of Nania feign,
In PLORABELLA, is exceeding plain.
'Tis he alone prefides o'er Fun'ral Choirs,
And mournful Minds with tuneful Grief infpires.
Tho' Death, thy dear ALEXIS' Body claim,
Poetick Sweets embalm his lafting Name:
Nor can that Death his blooming Clay deface,
Thy Fancy paints him ftill, with ev'ry Grace;
And fets Poetick Flow'rs in his dying Face.
Eternal Mufick dwells upon thy Tongue,
Tho fad, yet pleasant is thy Mufe's Song.
Lift'ning to thee, our Cares forget to reft,
The fympathetick Grief at once infests,
And filent Raptures fill our fwelling Breasts
And in each Word fuch Energy there fhines,
That whofo reads thy warm tranfporting Lines,
Sees in himself the fprightly Paffions rife,
And Life and Pleasure kindle in his Eyes.
Tho' fuch thy Grief, yet 'tis not what the rest
Of Women fwear, too great to be expreft;
For thy own Words, thy Numbers can reveal,
How great your Sorrow, what Diftrefs you feel.
If thus Thou forrow'ft, and yet doft not aim Thro' dead ALEXIS at immortal Fame,
A Phoenix rifing from his Fun'ral Flame;
Again, Fair Mourner, take thy moving Lyre,
With thy foft Notes the warbling Strings infpire;
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