VI.

THE APOLOGY OF SLEEP.

For not approaching the lady who can do any thing but fleep when he pleaseth.

My charge it is thofe breaches to repair

Which Nature takes from forrow, toil, and care:
Reft to the limbs, and quiet I confer

On troubled minds; but nought can add to her 4
Whom Heav'n, and her tranfcendent thoughts have
Above thofe ills which wretched mortals tafte [plac'd
Bright as the deathlefs gods, and happy, the
From all that may infringe delight is free;
Love at her royal feet his quiver lays,
And not his mother with more hafte obeys.
Such real pleasures, fuch true joys fufpenfe,
What dream can I prefent to recompenfe?

Should I with lightning fill her awful hand, And make the clouds feem all at her command, Or place her in Olympus' top, a gucft Among th' immortals, who with nectar feast, That pow'r wou'd seem, that entertainment, short Of the true fplendour of her prefent court, Where all the joys, and all the glories, are

Of three great kingdoms, fever'd from the care. 20 I, that of fumes and humid vapours made, Afcending, do the feat of fenfe invade,

No cloud in fo ferene a manfion find,
To overcast her ever-shining mind,

Which holds refemblance with those spotlefs fkies,25
Where flowing Nilus want of rain fupplies;
That crystal heav'n, where Phœbus never shrouds
His golden beams, nor wraps his face in clouds.
But what fo hard which numbers cannot force;
Softoops the moon, and rivers change their course.30
The bold Mæonian † made me dare to fteep
Jove's dreadful temples in the dew of fleep;
And fince the Mufes do invoke my pow'r,
I fhall no more decline that facred bow'r
Where Gloriana their great mistress lies,
But gently taming those victorious eyes,
Charm all her fenfes, till the joyful fun
Without a rival half his courfe has run ;
Who, while my hand that fairer light confines,
May boast himself the brightest thing that shines.40

VII.

35

PUERPERIUM.

You gods that have the pow'r

To trouble and compofe

All that's beneath your bow'r,

Calm filence on the feas, on earth impofe.

† Homer.

Volume I.

G

Fair Venus! in thy foft arms

The God of Rage confine;

For thy whispers are the charms

Which only can divert his fierce defign.

What tho' he frown, and to tumult do incline?
Thou the flame

Kindled in his breast canft tame

With that fnow which unmelted lies on thine.

Great Goddess! give this thy facred island reft;
Make heav'n fmile,

That no ftorm disturb us while

Thy chief care, our halcyon, builds her neft.

Great Gloriana! fair Gloriana!

Bright as high heav'n is, and fertile as earth,
Whofe beauty relieves us,

Whofe royal bed gives us,

Both glory and peace,

Our prefent joy, and all our hopes increafe.

VIII.

THE COUNTESS OF CARLISLE

IN MOURNING.

WHEN from black clouds no part of fky is clear,
But just so much as lets the fun appear,

Heav'n then would feem thy image, and refle

Thofe fable vestments and that bright afpect.

20

22

A fpark of virtue by the deepest shade
Of fad adverfity is fairer made;

Nor lefs advantage doth thy beauty get,
AVenus rifing from a sea of jet!

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IO

Such was th' appearance of new-formed Light,
While yet it ftruggled 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 Anchifes; 't was enough the came
To grace the mortal with her deathless bed,
And that his living eyes fuch beauty fed :
Had fhe been there, untimely joy thro' all
Men's hearts diffus'd, had marr'd the funeral.
Thofe eyes were made to banish grief: as well
Bright Phoebus might affect in fhades to dwell, 20
As they to put on forrow: nothing stands,

But pow'r to grieve, exempt from thy commands.
If thou lament, thou must do fo alone;

Grief in thy prefence can lay hold on none.
Yet ftill perfift the memory to love

25

Of that great Mercury of our mighty Jove,

Who, by the pow'r of his enchanting tongue,
Swordsfromthe handsofthreat'ningmonarchswrung.
War he prevented, or soon made it cease,
Inftructing princes in the arts of peace;
Such as made Sheba's curious queen refort
To the large-hearted Hebrew's famous court.

30

Had Homer fat amongst his wond'ring guests,
He might have learn'd, at those ftupendous feafts,
With greater bounty, and more facred state,
The banquets of the gods to celebrate.
But, oh! what elocution might he use,

35

What potent charms, that could fo foon infufe
His abfent mafter's love into the heart

Of Henrietta! forcing her to part

40

From her lov'd brother, country, and the fun,
And, like Camilla, o'er the waves to run
Into his arms? while the Parifian dames
Mourn for the ravish'd glory; at her flames
No lefs amaz'd than the amazed stars,
When the bold charmer of Theffalia wars
With Heav'n itself, and numbers does repeat,
Which call defcending Cynthia from her feat.

IX.

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 juft Pallas in thy breast did move

So blind a rage, with such a diff'rent fate;
He honour won where thou hast purchas'd hate.

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