Eros, and Anteros, on either Side, [Bride; One fir'd the Bridegroom, and one warm'd the And long-attending Hymen from above Showr'd on the Bed the whole Idalian Grove. No Day difcolour'd with Domestick Strife; So may the Queen of Love long Duty blefs, And all true Lovers find the fame Succefs. The End of the Third Book. To my Honour'd Kinsman, JOHN DRIDEN, OF Chesterton in the County of H JES OW Befs'dis He, who leads a Country Life, Unvex'd with anxiousCares,and void of Strife! Who studying Peace, and fhunning Civil Rage, And, to be lov'd himself, needs only to be known. 'come From your Award, to wait their final Doom; And, Foes before, return in Friendship home. Without their Coft, you terminate the Cause; And fave th' Expence of long Litigious Laws: Where Suits are travers'd; and fo little won, That he who conquers, is but laft undone: Such are not your Decrees; but fo defign'd, The Sanction leaves a lasting Peace behind; Like your own Soul, Serene; a Pattern of your Mind. of S Promoting Concord, and compofing Strife, Lord of your felf, uncumber'd with a Wife; Where, for a Year, a Month, perhaps a Night, Long Penitence fucceeds a short Delight: Minds are so hardly match'd, that ev'n the first, Though pair'd by Heav'n, in Paradise, were curs'd. For Man and Woman, though in one they grow, Yet, first or laft, return again to Two. He to God's Image, She to His was made; So, farther from the Fount, the Stream at random ftray'd. How cou'd He stand, when put to double Pain, He must a Weaker than himself sustain! Each might have stood perhaps; but each alone; Two Wrestlers help to pull each other down. Not that my Verfe wou'd blemish all the Fair; But yet, if fome be bad, 'tis Wisdom to beware; J And better shun the Bait, than struggle in the No Porter guards the Paffage of your Door; T'admit the Wealthy, and exclude the Poor: For God, who gave the Riches, gave the Heart Tofanctifie the Whole, by giving Part '[wrought, Heav'n, who forefaw the Will, the Means has So may your Stores, and fruitful Fields increafe; You feed with Manna your own Ifrael-Hoft. With Crowds attended of your ancient Race, You feek the Champian-Sports, or Sylvan-Chace; With well-breath'd Beagles, you furround the Wood; Ev'n then, induftrious of the common Good; Just as the Setting meets the Rising Sun. |