A rural judge * dispos’d of beauty's prize;
A simple shepherd was preferid.to Jove : Down to the mountains from the partial skies
Came Juno, Pallas, and the Queen of Love, To plead for that, which was so justly given To the bright Carlisle of the Court of Heaven.
Carlisle! a name which all our woods are taught,
Loud as their Amarillis, to resound :: Carlisle! a name which on the bark is wrought
Of every tree that 's worthy of the wound : From Phoebus' rage our shadows, and our streams, May guard us better than from Carlife's beams.
The Countess of CARLISL E in mourning.
WHEN from black clouds no part of sky is clear,
But just so much as lets the sun appear ; Heaven then would seem thy image, and reflect Those sable vestments, and that bright aspect. A spark of virtue by the deepest shade Of fad adversity, is fairer made; Nor less advantage doth thy heauty get: A Venus rising from a sea of jet ! Such was th' appearance of new-formed light, While yet it struggled with eternal night. Then mourn no more, left thou admit increase. Of glory, by thy noble Lord's decease.
We find not that the * laughter-loving dame Mourn'd for Anchises ; 'twas enough she came To grace the mortal with her deathless bed, And that his living eyes such beauty fed : Had Me been there, untimely joy through all Men's hearts diffus'd had marr'd the funeral. Those eyes were made to banish grief : as well Bright Phæbus might affect in shades to dwell, As they to put on sorrow: nothing stands, But power to grieve, exempt from thy commands. If thou lament, thou must do so alone; Grief in thy presence can lay hold of none. Yet still persist the memory to love Of that great Mercury of our mighty Jove : Who, by the power of his inchanting tongue, Swords from the hands of threatening Monarchs wrung. War he prevented, or foon made it cease; Instructing Princes in the arts of peace ; Such as made Sheba's curious Queen resort To the † large-hearted Hebrew's famous Court. Had Homer sat amongst his wondering guests, He might have learn'd at those stupendous feasts, With greater bounty, and more facred state, The banquets of the Gods to celebrate. But oh! what elocution might he use, What potent charms, that could so soon infuse His absent Master's love into the heart Of Henrietta ! forcing her to part
From her lov'd brother, country, and the fun; And, like Camilla, o'er the waves to run Into his arms: while the Parisian dames Mourn for the ravith'd glory; at her flames No less amaz'd, than the amazed stars, When the bold charmer of Theffalia wars With Heaven itself; and Numbers does repeat, Which call descending Cynthia from her feat. In answer to one who writ a Libel against the
Countess of CARLISLE. WHAT fury has provok'd thy wit to dare,
With Diomede, to wound the Queen of love ? Thy mistress' envy, or thine own despair ?
Not the just Pallas in thy breast did move So blind a rage, with such a different fate : He honor won, where thou hast purchas'd hate. She gave
assistance to his Trojan foe; Thou, that without a rival thou may'st love, Dost to the beauty of this Lady owe ;
While after her the gazing world does move. Canst thou not be content to love alone ? Or, is thy mistress not content with one ?
Haft thou not read of Fairy Arthur's Mield,
Which but disclos'd, amaz'd the weaker eyes Of proudest foes, and won the doubtful field?
So ihall thy rebel wit become her prize. Should thy Iambics (well into a book, All were confuted with one radiant look.
Heaven
Heaven he oblig'd that plac'd her in the skies ;
Rewarding Phæbus for inspiring so His noble brain, by likening to those
eyes His joyful beams : but Phæbus is thy foe; And neither aids thy fancy nor thy sight; So ill thou rhym'st against so fair a light.
THI
HE Y taste of death that do at heaven arrive;
But we this paradise approach alive. Instead of Death, the dart of Love does strike; And renders all within these walls alike : The high in titles, and thc shepherd, here Forgets his greatness, and forgets his fear. All stand amaz’d, and, gazing on the Fair, Lose thought of what themselves or others are : Ambition lose ; and have no other scope, Save Carlisle's favour to employ their hope. The * Thracian could (though all those tales were truo The bold Greeks tell) no greater wonders do : Before his feet so sheep and lions lay, Fearless, and wrathless, while they heard him play. The gay, the wise, the gallant, and the grave, Subdued alike, all but one passion have : No worthy mind, but finds in her's there is Something proportion'd to the rule of his :
While the with chearful, but impartial grace, (Born for no one, but to delight the race of men) like Phæbus, fo divides her light, And warms us, that the stoops not from her height.
PHYLLIS, 'twas Love that injur'd you,
TO PHYLLI S.
, And on that rock your Thyrsis threw; Who for proud Cælia could have dy'd, While you no less accus'd his pride.
Fond Love his darts at random throws, And nothing springs from what he fows : From foes discharg'd as
often meet The shining points of arrows fleet, In the wide air creating fire; As souls that join in one desire.
Love made the lovely Venus burn In vain, and for the * cold youth mourn, Who the pursuit of churlish beasts Prefer'd, to sleeping on her breasts.
Love makes so many hearts the prize Of the bright Carlisle's conquering eyes ;. Which Me regards no more, than they The tears of lesser Beauties weigh.. So have I seen the lost clouds pour Into the sea an useless shower; And the vex'd sailors curse the rain, For which poor shepherds pray'd in vain.
« ПредишнаНапред » |