Oldalképek
PDF
ePub

320

Steal from thy bed and house, abroad to roam, 315
And having quench'dher flame come breathlefs home,
Fleck'd in her face, and with disorder'd hair,
Her garments ruffled, and her bofom bare;
With ears still tingling, and her eyes on fire,
Half drown'd in fin, ftill burning in defire,
Whilft you are forc'd to wink, and seem content,
Swelling with paffion which you dare not vent;
Nay, if you would be free from night alarms,
You must seem fond and doting on her charms,
Take her (the last of twenty) to your arms. 325
Let this and ev'ry other anxious thought,

At th' entrance of my threshold be forgot;
All thy domestick griefs at home be left,
The wife's adult'ry with the fervants' theft,
And (the most racking thought which can intrude)
Forget falfe friends and their ingratitude.

Let us our peaceful mirth at home begin,
While Megalenfian shows are in the Circus feen:
There (to the bane of horses) in high state
The Prætor fits on a triumphal feat,
Vainly with enfigns and with robes adorn'd,
As if with conquest from the wars return'd.
This day all Rome, (if I may be allow'd,
Without offence to fuch a num'rous crowd,
To fay all Rome) will in the Circus fweat;
Echoes already do their shouts repeat:
Methinks I hear the cry-" Away, away!
"The green have won the honour of the day."

338

335

340

Oh! fhould these sports be but one year forborne, Rome would in tears her lov'd diverfion mourn; 345 For that would now a caufe of forrow yield, Great as the loss of Cannæ's fatal field. Such shows as thefe were not for us defign'd,

But vig'rous youth to active sports inclin`d.

On beds of rofes laid, let us repofe,

350

While round our heads refreshing ointment flows;

Our aged limbs we 'H bafk in Phoebus' rays,

And live this day devoted to our ease.

Early to-day we'll to the bath repair,

Nor need we now the common cenfure fear;
On festivals it is allow'd no crime

355

To bathe and eat before the ufual time;
But that continu'd would a loathing give,
Nor could you thus a week together live,

For frequent ufe would the delight exclude;
Pleafure 'sa toil when conftantly purfa'd

361

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors]

With the refiftlefs aid of sprightly wine
And wanton eafe, conspires

To make my heart its peace refign,

And readmit Love's long rejected fires.

For beauteous Glycera I burn,

5

The flames fo long repell'd with double force return: Matchlefs her face appears, and fhines more bright Than polish'd marble when reflecting light;

Her very coynefs warms,

And with a grateful fullenness she charms;

Each look darts forth a thousand rays,

Whofe luftre an unwary fight betrays;

My eyeballs fwim, and I grow giddy while I gaze.

II.

10

She comes! fhe comes! fhe rufhes in my veins ; 15
At once all Venus enters, and at large fhe reigns;
Cyprus no more with her abode is bleft;

I am her palace, and her throne my breast.
Of favage Scythian arms no more I write,
Or Parthian archers, who in flying fight,

30

And make rough war their sport;

Such idle themes no more can move,

Nor any thing but what's of high import;
And what 's of high import but love?

Vervain and gums, and the green turf, prepare;
With wine of two years old your cups be fill'd:
After our facrifice and prayer

The goddess may incline her heart to yield.

24

28

[merged small][ocr errors]

THE Life of the Author,

EPISTLES.

To the Right Hon. Charles Lord Halifax, &.
To Mr. Dryden, on his translation of Perfius,
To Sir Godfrey Kneller, &c.

To Sir Richard Temple. Of Pleafing,

To the Lord Viscount Cobham,

JRREGULAR ODES.

To the King, on the taking of Namure,

On Mrs. Arabella Hunt, finging,

PINDARICK ODES.

A Difcourfe on the Pindarick Ode,

Ode,

To the Right Hon. the Earl of Godolphin,

PASTORALS.

The Mourning Mufe of Alexis,

The Fears of Amaryllis for Amyntas,

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

ELEGIAS.

To Cynthia, weeping and not speaking,

81

[blocks in formation]

Prologue to Pyrrhus King of Epirus,

Prologue to The Hufband his own Cuckold,

Prologue to the Court,

93

95

« ElőzőTovább »