The stream at once preserves her virgin leaves, At once a shelter from her boughs receives, Where summer's beauty midst of winter stays, And winter's coolness spite of summer's rays. Weeping. While Celia's tears make sorrow bright, Proud Grief sits swelling in her eyes ; . The sun, next those the fairest light, Thus from the ocean first did rise ; And thus through mists we see the sun, Which else we durst not gaze upon. These silver drops, like morning dew, Foretel the fervor of the day : And blasting lightnings burst away. The baby in that sunny sphere So like a Phaëton appears, Thought fit to drown himn in her tears; V. EARL OF ROCHESTER. On Silence. I. Silence ! coeval with eternity; Thou wert, ere Nature's self began to be ; 'Twas one vast nothing all, and all slept fast in I thee. 11. Thine was the sway, ere heav'n was form’d, or earth, Ere fruitful Thought conceiv'd Creation's birth, Or midwife Word gave aid, and spoke the infant forth. III. Then various elements against thee join'd, In one more various animal combin'd, And fram'd the clam'rous race of busy human-kind, IV. The tongue mov'd gently first, and speech was low, Till wrangling Science taught it noise and show, And wicked Wit arose, thy most abusive foe. V. . But rebel Wit deserts thee oft in vain : Lost in the maze of words he turns again, And seeks a surcr state, and courts thy gentle reign, VI. Aflicted Sense thou kindly dost set free, VII. VIII. Yet thy indulgence is by both confest ; Folly by thee lies sleeping in the breast, And 'tis in thee at last that Wisdom seeks for rest. IX. Silence! the knave's repute, the whore's good name, The only honor of the wishing dame, The very want of tongue makes thee a kind of fame! X. But couldst thou seize some tongues that now are free, How church and state should be oblig'd to thee! At senate, and at bar, how welcome wouldst thou be? - XI. Yet speech, ev’n there, submissively withdraws From rights of subjects, and the poor man's cause; Then pompous Silence rcigns, and stills the noisy Jaws. XII. Past services of friends, good deeds of foes, What fav’rites gain, and what the nation owes, Fly the forgetful world, and in thy arms repose. XIII. XIV. VI. EARL OF DORSET. Artemisia. Though Artemisia talks, by fits, Of counsels, classics, fathers, wits; Reads Malbranche, Boyle, and Locke; Yet in some things methinks she fails : 'Twere well if she would pare her nails, And wear a cleaner smock. Haughty and huge as High-Dutch bride, Are oddly join'd by Fate: That lies and stinks in stare. She wears no colors (sign of grace) All white and black beside : And masculine her stride. So have I seen, in black and white, All flutter, pride, and talk. Phryne. Phryne had talents for mankind; Open she was, and unconfin’d, Like some free port of trade : Merchants unloaded here their freight, And agents from each foreign state, Here first their entry made. Her learning and good breeding such, Spaniards, or French, came to her, To all obliging she'd appear : 'Twas Si Signior, 'twas Yaw Mynheer, 'Twas Sil vous plait, Monsieur. |