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V.

Per certo i bei voftr'occhi, Donna mia
Effer non puo che non fian lo mio fole
Si mi percuoton forte, come ei fuole
Per l'arene di Libia chi s'invia,
Mentre un caldo vapor (ne fentì pria)
Da quel lato si spinge ove mi duole,
Che forfe amanti nelle lor parole
Chiaman fofpir; io non fo che fi fia:
Parte rinchiusa, e turbida si cela

Scoffo mi il petto, e poi n'uscendo poco
Quivi d'attorno o s'agghiaccia, o s'ingiela;
Ma
quanto a gli occhi giunge a trovar loco
Tutte le notti a me fuol far piovose
Finche mia Alba rivien colma di rose.
VI.

Giovane piano, e femplicetto amante
Poi che fuggir me stesso in dubbio sono,
Madonna a voi del mio cuor l'humil dono
Faro divoto; io certo a prove tante
L'hebbi fedele, intrepido, coftante,

De penfieri leggiadro, accorto, e buono;

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Quando rugge il gran mondo, e fcocca il tuono,

S'arma di fe, e d'intero diamante,

Tanto del forse, e d'invidia ficuro,

Di timori, e fperanze al popol use

Quanto d'ingegno, e d' alto valor vago,

E di cetra fonora, e delle mufe:

ΙΟ

Sol

Sol troverete in tol parte`men duro Ove Amor mise l'infanabil ago.

VII.

On his being arriv'd to the age of 23.

How foon hath Time, the subtle thief of youth,
Stoln on his wing my three and twentieth year!
My hafting days fly on with full carreer,
But my late fpring no bud or bloffom fhew'th.
Perhaps my semblance might deceive the truth,

That I to manhood am arriv'd fo near,

And inward ripeness doth much less appear, That some more timely-happy spirits indu'th. Yet be it lefs or more, or foon or flow,

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ΙΟ

It fhall be ftill in ftricteft measure even To that fame lot, however mean or high, Toward which Time leads me, and the will of HeaAll is, if I have grace to use it so,

As ever in my great Task-Master's eye.

VIII.

(ven;

When the affault was intended to the City. Captain or Colonel, or Knight in arms, Whofe chance on thefe defenfelefs doors may feife, If deed of honor did thee ever please, Guard them, and him within protect from harms. He can requite thee, for he knows the charms That call fame on fuch gentle acts as these, And he can spread thy name o'er lands and feas,

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What

Whatever clime the fun's bright circle warms. Lift not thy fpear against the Mufes bow'r:

The great Emathian conqueror bid spare

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The house of Pindarus, when temple' and tow'r Went to the ground: And the repeated air Of fad Electra's poet had the pow'r

To fave th' Athenian walls from ruin bare.

IX.

To a virtuous young Lady.

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Lady that in the prime of earliest youth
Wisely haft fhunn'd the broad way and the green,
And with those few art eminently seen,
That labor up the hill of heav'nly truth,
The better part with Mary and with Ruth
Chosen thou haft; and they that overween,
And at their growing virtues fret their spleen,
No anger find in thee but pity' and ruth.
Thy care is fix'd, and zealously attends

To fill thy odorous lamp with deeds of light, 10 And hope that reaps not fhame. Therefore be fure Thou, when the bridegroom with his feastful friends Paffes to blifs at the mid hour of night,

Haft gain'd thy entrance, Virgin wife and pure.

X.

To the Lady Margaret Ley.

Daughter to that good Earl, once President
Of England's Council, and her Treasury,

Who

Who liv'd in both, unstain'd with gold or fee,

And left them both, more in himself content Till fad the breaking of that Parlament

Broke him, as that dishonest victory

At Chæronea, fatal to liberty,

Kill'd with report that old man eloquent. Though later born than to have known the days Wherein father florish'd, yet by you,

your

Madam, methinks I fee him living yet?

So well your words his noble virtues praise,
That all both judge you to relate them true,
And to poffefs them, honor'd Margaret. -

XI.

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ΙΟ

On the detraction which follow'd upon my writing certain treatifes.

A book was writ of late call'd Tetrachordon,

And woven close, both matter, form and flile; The subject new it walk'd the town a while, Numbering good intellects; now feldom por'd on. Cries the ftall-reader, Blefs us! what a word on 5 A title page is this! and fome in file

Stand fpelling falfe, while one might walk to MileEnd Green. Why is it harder Sirs than Gordon, Colkitto, or Macdonnel, or Galafp?

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Those rugged names to our like mouths grow fleek, That would have made Quintilian ftare and gasp. Thy age, like ours, O Soul of Sir John Cheek,

Hated

Hated not learning worse than toad or asp,
When thou taught'ftCambridge, and kingEdward

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I did but prompt the age to quit their clogs
By the known rules of ancient liberty,
When straight a barbarous noife environs me
Of owls and cuccoos, affes, apes and dogs:
As when those hinds that were transform'd to frogs 5
Rail'd at Latona's twin-born progeny,

Which after held the fun and moon in fee.
But this is got by casting pearl to hogs;
That bawl for freedom in their senseless mood, 9
And ftill revolt when truth would fet them free.
Licence they mean when they cry Liberty;
For who loves that, must first be wife and good;
But from that mark how far they rove we fee
For all this waste of wealth, and loss of blood.
XIII.

To Mr. H. LAWES on his Airs.

Harry, whofe tuneful and well-measur'd fong
First taught our English music how to span
Words with just note and accent, not to scan
With Midas ears, committing short and long;
Thy worth and skill exempts thee from the throng,
With praise enough for envy to look wan;
To after age thou fhalt be writ the man,
That with fmooth air couldft humour best our

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tongue.

M m

Thou

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