ΤΟ

A YOUNG LADY.

WITH

FONTENELLE'S PLURALITY OF WORLDS.

IN

N this fmall work all nature's wonders fee, The foften'd features of philofophy. In truth by easy steps you here advance, Truth, as diverting as the best romance. Long had these arts to fages been confin'd, None faw their beauty till by poring blind; By fudying spent, like men that cram too full, From Wisdom's feaft they rofe not chear'd, but dull : The gay and airy fmil'd to fee them grave, And fled fuch wifdom like TROPHONIUS' cave. Juftly they thought they might those arts despise, Which made men fullen, ere they would be wife. Brought down to fight, with ease you view 'em here; Tho' deep the bottom, yet the stream is clear. Your flutt'ring fex, ftill valued fcience lefs; Careless of any, but the arts of drefs. Their ufelefs time was idly thrown away On empty novels, or fome new-born play. The best, perhaps, a few loofe hours might spare For fome unmeaning thing, mifcall'd a pray'r.

In vain the glittering orbs, each starry night,
With mingling blazes shed a flood of light:
Each nymph with cold indiff'rence faw 'em rife;
And, taught by fops, to them preferr'd her eyes.
None thought the stars were funs fo widely fown,
None dreamt of other worlds, besides our own.
Well might they boast their charms, when ev'ry fair
Thought this world all; and her's the brightest here.
Ah! quit not the large thoughts this book infpires,
For those thin trifles which your fex admires;
Affert your claim to sense, and fhew mankind,
That reafon is not to themfelves confin'd.
The haughty belle, whose beauty's awful shrine,
"Twere facrilege t'imagine not divine,
Who thought fo greatly of her eyes before,
Bid her read this, and then be vain no more.
How poor e'en You, who reign without controul,
If we except the beauties of your foul!

Should all beholders feel the fame furprize;
Should all who fee you, fee you with my eyes;
Were no fuch blasts to make that beauty less;
Should you be what I think, what all confefs:
"Tis but a narrow space those charms engage;
One Island only, and not half an Age!

A

SONG.

I.

GAY FLORIMEL, of gen'rous birth, The most engaging fair on earth, To please a blind gallant,

Has much of wit, and much of worth,

And much of tongue to set it forth,

How oft, alas! in vain I've try'd, To tempt her from her guardian's fide, And trap her in love's hook!

She's like a little wanton lamb,

That frisks about the careful dam, And fhuns the fhepherd's crook.

III.

Like wretched DIVES am I plac'd,
To fee the joys I cannot tafte,
Of all my hopes bereav'n:

Her AUNT the difmal gulph betwixt,
By all the powers of malice fixt,

To cheat me of my heaven.

PART OF THE

PROLOGUE

то

SIR DAVID LYNDESAY'S DREAM.

WRITTEN IN THE REIGN OF KING JAMES V.

I.

IN the kalendies of Januarie

When fresche PHOEBUS by moving circulair From Capricorn was enter'd in Aquarie, With blaftis that the branches made full bare, The fnow and fleet perturbit all the air, And flemit FLORA from everie bank and bus, Throuch fupport of the aufteir Eolus.

II.

Efter that I the lang wynteris night

Had lyne waking in my bed allone

Throw hevy thought, that na way fleep I micht,
Remembering of divers thingis gone :

Sa up I rois, and cleithit me anone
By this fair Titan with his lėmis licht

O'er all the land had spread his baner bricht.

R

III.

With cloke and hude I dreffit me belive,
With dowbill schone, and myttains on my handis,
Howbeit the air was richt penetratyve,

Zet fure I forth lanfing ourthort the landis,
Towards the fea, to schort me on the fandis
Becaus unblomit was baith bank and bray,
And fa as I was paffing by the

way,

IV.

I met dame FLORA in dule weid disagyfit,
Quilk into May was dulce and delectabill,
With ftalwart ftormis hir sweetness was furprifit,
Hir heavinlie hewis war turnit into fabill,
Quilkis umquile war to Luffaris amiabill,
Fled from the froift, the tender flouris I faw
Under dame Nature's mantill lurking law.

V.

The fmall fowlis in flockis faw I flee

To nature makand lamentatioun,

They lichit down beside me on ane tree,
Of their complaint I had compaffioun,
And with ane piteous exclamation

They faid" blyffit be fomer with his flouris,

"And waryit be thou wynter with thy fchowris.