PRO. Blessings may be repeated while they cloy; Of kisses, why should yonder happy pair, CON. Urge not 'tis necessary; alas! we know And must be peopled; children there must be :So must bread too; but since there are enough Born to that drudgery, what need we plough? PRO. I need not plough, since what the stooping Gets of my pregnant land must all be mine: [hine But in this nobler tillage 'tis not so; For when Anchises did fair Venus know, [been, CON. Women enjoy'd, whate'er before they've Are like romances read, or scenes once seen: Fruition dulls or spoils the play much more Than if one read or knew the plot before. PRO. Plays and romances read and seen, do fall In our opinions; yet not seen at all, Whom would they please? To an heroic tale CON. 'Tis expectation makes a blessing dear; Heav'n were not heav'n if we knew what it were. PRO. If'twere not heav'n if we knew what it were, Twould not be heav'n to those that now are there. CON. And as in prospects we are there pleas'd most, Where something keeps the eye from being lost, And leaves us room to guess; so here restraint Holds up delight, that with excess would faint. PRO. Restraint preserves the pleasure we have got, But he ne'er has it that enjoys it not. In goodly prospects who contracts the space, [poor; CON. They who know all the wealth they have are He's only rich that cannot tell his store. PRO. Not he that knows the wealth he has is poor, But he that dares not touch nor use his store. AN APOLOGY FOR HAVING LOVED BEFORE. THEY that never had the use So they that are to love inclin'd, To man, that as in the' evening made, Admiring, in the gloomy shade, Then at Aurora, whose fair hand But when the bright sun did appear,, His wonder was determin'd there, He neither might, nor wish'd to know For that (as mine your beauties now) THE NIGHT-PIECE: OR, A PICTURE DRAWN IN THE DARK.. DARKNESS, which fairest nymphs disarms, Mira can lay her beauty by, Take no advantage of the eye, Quit all that Lely's art can take, Her speech is grac'd with sweeter sound Than in another's song is found; And all her well-plac'd words are darts, While we converse with her, we mark No want of day, nor think it dark : Her shining image is a light Fix'd in our hearts, and conquers night. Like jewels to advantage set, Her beauty by the shade does get: There blushes, frowns, and cold disdain, All that our passion might restrain, Is hid, and our indulgent mind Presents the fair idea kind. Yet, friended by the night, we dare Only in whispers tell our care: He that on her his bold hand lays, With Cupid's pointed arrows plays; They with a touch, (they are so keen!) Wound us unshot, and she unseen. All near approaches threaten death; We may be shipwreck'd by her breath: Love, favour'd once with that sweet gale, Doubles his haste, and fills his sail, Till he arrive where she must prove The haven or the rock of love. So we the' Arabian coast do know At distance, when the spices blow ; By the rich odour taught to steer, Though neither day nor stars appear. PART OF THE FOURTH BOOK OF VIRGIL'S ÆNEIS TRANSLATED. Beginning at v. 437. *** Talesque miserrima fletus Fertque refertque soror. **** And ending with Adnixi torquent spumas, et cærula verrant. V. 583. ALL this her weeping sister' does repeat To the stern man2, whom nothing could entreat; |