But in her love, that dear concern of life,
She all the while may be another's wife :
Heaven, that beholds her wrong'd and widow'd bed,
Permits a lover in her husband's stead.
I flung me at his feet, his robes would kifs,
And cry'd---Ev'n our base world is just in this;
Amidst our cenfures, love we gently blame,
And love fometimes preferves a female fame.
What tie less strong can woman's will restrain ?
When honour checks, and confcience pleads in vain ;
When parents threats and friends perfuafions fail,
When interest and ambition scarce prevail,
To bound that fex when nothing else can move,
They'll live referv'd, to please the man they love!
The fpirit then reply'd to all I faid,
She may be kind, but not till thou art dead ;
Bewail thy memory, bemoan thy fate :
Then fhe will love, when 'tis, alas! too late :
Of all thy pains fhe will no pity have,
Till fad despair has sent thee to the grave.
Amaz'd, I wak'd in haste,
All trembling at my doom;
Dreams oft' repeat adventures past,
And tell our ills to come.
TRANSLATED BY THE EARL OF MULGRAVE, AND MR. DRYDEN.
WHEN loofe epiftles violate chafte eyes,
She half confents, who filently denies ;
How dares a ftranger, with defigns fo vain,
Marriage and hofpitable rights profane ?
Was it for this your fate did shelter find
From fwelling feas and every faithlefs wind?
(For though a diftant country brought you forth,
Your ufage here was equal to your worth.)
Does this deferve to be rewarded fo!
come here a stranger, or a foe?
Your partial judgment may perhaps complain,
And think me barbarous for my just disdain;
Ill-bred then let me be, but not unchaste,
Nor my clear fame with any fpot defac'd.
Though in my face there's no affected frown,
Nor in my carriage a feign'd nicenefs shown,
I keep my honour still without a stain,
Nor has my love made any coxcomb vain.
Your boldness I with admiration fee:
What hope had you to gain a queen like me?
Because a hero forc'd me once away,
Am I thought fit to be a second prey?
Had I been won, I had deferv'd your blame,
But fure my part was nothing but the fhame;
Yet the bafe theft to him no fruit did bear,
1 'fcap'd unhurt by any thing but fear:
Rude force might fome unwilling kiffes gain,
But that was all he ever could obtain.
You on fuch terms would ne'er have let me go;
Were he like you, we had not parted fo.
Untouch'd the youth reftor'd me to my friends,
And modeft ufage made me fome amends.
'Tis virtue to repent a vicious deed :
Did he repent, that Paris might fucceed?
Sure 'tis fome fate that fets me above wrongs,
Yet ftill expofes me to bufy tongues.
I'll not complain, for who's difpleas'd with love,
If it fincere, difcreet, and conftant prove?
But that I fear---not that I think you bafe,
Or doubt the blooming beauties of my face;
But all your fex is fubject to deceive,
And ours, alas! too willing to believe.
Yet others yield, and love o'ercomes the best---
But why fhould I not shine above the rest?
Fair Leda's ftory feems at firft to be
A fit example ready found for me:
But she was couzen'd by a borrow'd shape,
And under harmless feathers felt a rape :
If I fhould yield, what reafon could I use ?
By what mistake the loving crime excufe;
Her fault was in her powerful lover loft;
But of what Jupiter have I to boast ?
Though you to heroes and to kings fucceed, Our famous race does no addition need ; alliances but useless prove
To one that springs herself from mighty Jove.
Go then and boaft in fome lefs haughty place
Your Phrygian blood, and Priam's ancient race,
Which I would fhew I valued, if I durft;
You are the fifth from Jove, but I the first.
The crown of Troy is powerful, I confefs,
But I have reason to think ours no lefs.
Your letter, fill'd with promises of all
That men can good, and women pleasant call,
Gives expectation such an ample field
As would move goddeffes themselves to yield :
But, if I e'er offend great Juno's laws,
Yourself fhall be the dear, the only caufe;
Either my honour I'll to death maintain,
Or follow you without mean thoughts of gain:
Not that fo fair a prefent I defpise;
We like the gift, when we the giver prize;
But 'tis your love moves me, which made
Such pains, and run fuch hazards for my fake.
I have perceiv'd (though I diffembled too)
A thousand things that love has made you do:
Your eager eyes would almost dazzle mine,
In which, (wild man!) your wanton thoughts would fhine.
Sometimes you'd figh, fometimes disorder'd stand,
And with unufual ardour prefs my hand;
Contrive juft after me to take the glafs,
Nor would you let the leaft occafion pass;
Which oft' I fear'd I did not mind alone,
And blushing fat for things which you have done;
Then murmur'd to myself, He'll for my fake
Do any thing, I hope 'twas no mistake.
Oft have I read within this pleasant grove,
Under my name, these charming words, I love.
I, frowning, feem'd not to believe your flame,
But now, alas! am come to write the fame.
If I were capable to do amifs,
I could not but be fenfible of this.
For, oh! your face has fuch peculiar charms,
That who can hold from flying to your arms!
But what I ne'er can have without offence,
May fome bleft maid poffefs with innocence.
Pleasure may tempt, but virtue more should move;
Oh! learn of me to want the thing you love.
What you defire is fought by all mankind;
As you have eyes,
fo others are not blind:
Like you they fee, like you my charms adore ;
They wish not lefs, but you dare venture more.
Oh! had you then upon our coafts been brought,
My virgin love when thousand rivals fought,
You had I feen, you should have had my voice,
Nor could my husband justly blame my choice.
For both our hopes, alas! you came too late,
Another now is mafter of my fate :
More to my wish I could have liv'd with you,
And yet my prefent lot can undergo.
Ceafe to folicit a weak woman's will,
And urge not her you love to fo much ill;
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