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Too true a prophet to foresee the fate

That should so soon divide their happy state.

When he to Heav'n entirely must restore

That love, that heart, where he went halves before.

Yet as the soul is all in ev'ry part,

191

So God and he might each have all her heart.

So had her children too; for Charity

Was not more fruitful or more kind than she:
Each under other by degrees they grew,

195

A goodly perspective of distant view.

Anchises look'd not with so pleas'd a face,
In numb'ring o'er his future Roman race,
And marshalling the heroes of his name,
As in their order next to light they came; .
Nor Cybele, with half so kind an eye,
Survey'd her sons and daughters of the sky;
Proud, shall I say, of her immortal fruit,
As far as pride with heav'nly minds may suit,
Her pious love excell'd to all she bore;
New objects only multiply'd it more:
And as the Chosen found the pearly grain
As much as ev'ry vessel could contain;
As in the blissful vision each shall share

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As much of glory, as his soul can bear; 210
So did she love, and so dispense her care.
Her eldest thus, by consequence, was best,
As longer cultivated than the rest.

No single virtue we could most commend,
Whether the wife, the mother, or the friend;
Foe she was all, in that supreme degree,

160

That as no one prevail'd, so all was she.
The sev'ral parts lay hidden in the piece;

Th' occasion but exerted that or this.

165

A wife as tender, and as true withal,
As the first woman was before her fall;
Made for the man, of whom she was a part,
Made to attract his eyes, and keep his heart.
A second Eve, but by no crime accurst;
As beauteous, not as brittle, as the first,
Had she been first, still Paradise had been,
And Death had found no entrance by her sin.
So she not only had preserv'd from ill

170

Her sex and our's, but liv'd their pattern still. 175
Love and obedience to her lord she bore;
She much obey'd him, but she lov'd him more:
Not aw'd to duty by superior sway,

But taught by his indulgence to obey.

Thus we love God, as author of our good;

180

So subjects love just kings, or so they should.

Nor was it with ingratitude return'd;

In equal fires the blissful couple burn'd; [mourn'd.
One joy possess'd 'em both, and in one griei they
His passion still improv'd! he lov'd so fast,
As if he fear'd each day would be her last.

185

As swelling seas to gentle rivers glide,
To seek repose, and empty out the tide;
So this full soul, in narrow limits pent,
Unable to contain her, sought a vent,
To issue out, and in some friendly breast
Discharge her treasures, and securely rest:
T'unbosom all the secrets of her heart,
Take good advice, but better to impart :
For 'tis the bliss of friendship's holy state,
To mix their minds, and to communicate;
Tho' bodies cannot, souls can penetrate :
Fix'd to her choice, inviolably true,
And wisely chusing, for she chose but few.
Some she must have, but in no one could find
A tally fitted for so large a mind.

245

250

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The souls of friends like kings in progress are; Still in their own, tho' from the palace far: Thus her friend's heart her country-dwelling was, A sweet retirement to a coarser place,

Where pomp and ceremonies enter'd not,'

260

Where greatness was shut out, and business well forgot. This is th' imperfect draught; but short as far

As the true height and bigness of a star

Exceeds the measures of th' astronomer.

265

She shines above, we know ; but in what place,

How near the throne, and Heav'n's imperial face,

By our weak optics is but vainly guest;
Distance and altitude conceal the rest.

275

Tho' all these rare endowments of the mind 270 Were in a narrow space of life confin'd, The figure was with full perfection crown'd, Tho' not so large an orb, as truly round. As when in glory, thro' the public place, The spoils of conquer'd nations were to pass, And but one day for triumph was allow'd, The Consul was constrain'd his pomp to crowd; And so the swift procession hurry'd on, That all, tho not distinctly, might be shown; So in the straiten'd bounds of life confin'd, She gave but glimpses of her glorious mind; And multitudes of virtues pass'd along, Each pressing foremost in the mighty throng, Ambitious to be seen, and then make room For greater multitudes that were to come.

280

Yet unemploy'd no minute slip'd away;
Moments were precious in so short a stay.
The haste of Heav'n to have her was so great,
That some were single acts, tho' each complete;
But ev'ry act stood ready to repeat.

Her fellow-saints with busy care will look
For her bless'd name in Fate's eternal book,
And, pleas'd to be outdone, with joy will see
Numberless virtues, endless charity:

But more will wonder at so short an age,
To find a blank beyond the thirtieth page;

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Volume III.

R

As swelling seas to gentle rivers glide,
To seek repose, and empty out the tide;
So this full soul, in narrow limits pent,
Unable to contain her, sought a vent,
To issue out, and in some friendly breast
Discharge her treasures, and securely rest:
T'unbosom all the secrets of her heart,
Take good advice, but better to impart :
For 'tis the bliss of friendship's holy state,
To mix their minds, and to communicate;
Tho' bodies cannot, souls can penetrate:
Fix'd to her choice, inviolably true,

245

250

And wisely chusing, for she chose but few.
Some she must have, but in no one could find

A tally fitted for so large a mind.

255

The souls of friends like kings in progress are; Still in their own, tho' from the palace far: Thus her friend's heart her country-dwelling was, A sweet retirement to a coarser place,

Where pomp and ceremonies enter'd not,'

260

Where greatness was shut out, and business well forgot. This is th' imperfect draught; but short as far

As the true height and bigness of a star

Exceeds the measures of th' astronomer.

265

She shines above, we know; but in what place,

How near the throne, and Heav'n's imperial face,
By our weak optics is but vainly guest;
Distance and altitude conceal the rest.

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