She blows the Youthful Lovers flame,
And promises a sure repose;
Whilst with a Treason void of shame,
His fancy'd Happiness o're-throws.
Her Language is all soft and fair }
But her hid Sense is naught but Air, }
And can no solid reason bear; }
As often as she speaks,
Her faithless Word she breaks;
Great in Pretension, in Performance small,
And when she Swears 'tis Perjury all.
Her Promises like those of Princes are,
Made in Necessity and War,
Cancell'd without remorse, at ease,
In the voluptuous time of Peace.
II.
These are her qualities; but yet
She has a Person full of Charms,
Her Smiles are able to beget
Forgiveness for her other harms;
She's most divinely shap'd, her Eyes are sweet,
And every Glance to please she does employ,
With such address she does all persons treat
As none are weary of her flattery,
She still consoles the most afflicted Hearts,
And makes the Proud vain of his fancy'd Arts.
Amongst the rest of those who dayly came,
T' admire this Princess, and oblige their flame,
(Conducted thither by a false report, }
That Happiness resided in her Court) }
Two young successless Lovers did resort: }
One, so above his Aim had made pretence,
That even to Hope, for him, was Impudence;
Yet he 'gainst Reasons Arguments makes War,
And vainly Swore, his Love did merit her.
Boldly Attempted, daringly Addrest,
And with unblushing Confidence his flame confest.
The other was a Bashful Youth, who made
His Passion his Devotion, not his Trade;
No fond opiniater, who a price
Sets on his Titles, Equipage, or Eyes,
But one that had a thousand Charms in store,
Yet did not understand his Conquering Pow'r:
This Princess with a kind Address receives
These Strangers; and to both new Courage gives.
She animates the haughty to go on!
Says—A Town long besieg'd must needs be won.
Time and Respect remove all obstacles,
And obstinate Love arrives at Miracles.
Were she the Heir to an illustrious Crown,
Those Charms, that haughty meen, that fam'd renown,
That wond'rous skill you do in Verse profess,
That great disdain of common Mistresses;
Can when you please with aid of Billet Deux,
The Royal Virgin to your Arms subdue,
One skill'd in all the Arts to please the fair,
Shou'd be above the Sense of dull despair:
Go on, young noble Warrier, then go on,
Though all the fair are by that Love undone.
Then turning to the other: Sir, said she,
Were the bright Beauty you Adore like me,
Your silent awful Passion more wou'd move,
Than all the bold and forward Arts of Love.
A Heart the softest composition forms,
And sooner yields by treaty, then by storms;
A Look, a Sigh, a Tear, is understood,
And makes more warm disorders in the Blood,
Has more ingaging tender Eloquence,
Then all the industry of Artful Sense:
So falling drops with their soft force alone
Insinuate kind impressions in obdurate stone.
But that which most my pity did imploy,
Was a young Hero, full of Smiles and Joy.
A noble Youth to whom indulgent Heaven,
Had more of Glory then of Virtue given;
Conducted thither by a Politick throng,
The Rabble Shouting as he past along.
Whilst he, vain with the beastly Din they make,
(Which were the same, if Bears were going to stake)
Addresses to this faithless Flatterer;
Who in return, calls him, young God of War!
The Cities Champion! and his Countries Hope,
The Peoples Darling, and Religious Prop.
Scepters and Crowns does to his view expose;
And all the Fancied pow'r of Empire shows.
In vain the Vision he wou'd dis-believe,
In spight of Sense she does his Soul deceive:
He Credits all! nor ask's which way or how,
The dazling Circle shall surround his Brow;
Implicitly attends the flattering Song,
Gives her his easy Faith, and is undone.
For with one turn of State the Frenzy's heal'd,
The Blind recover and the Cheats reveal'd.
Whilst all his Charms of Youth and Beauty lies,
The kind reproach of pitying Enemies.
To me she said, and smiling as she spoke,
Lisander, you with Love have Reason took,
Continue so, and from Aminta's Heart
Expect what Love and Beauty can impart.
I knew she flatter'd, yet I cou'd not choose
But please my Self, and credit the Abuse;
Her charming Words that Night repos'd me more,
Then all the grateful Dreams I'd had before.
Next day I rose, and early with the Sun;
Love guided me to Declaration,
A pleasant City built with Artful Care,
To which the Lovers of the Isle repair.
In our pursuit Respect dissatisfy'd,
Did the unreasonable Adventure chide;
Return, unheedy Youth, cry'd he, return!
Let my advice th' approaching danger warn:
Renounce thy Purpose and thy haste decline,
Or thou wilt ruine all Loves great design;
Amaz'd I stood, and unresolv'd t' obey,
Cou'd not return, durst not pursue my way;
Whilst LOVE, who thought himself concern'd as Guide
I'th' Criminal Adventure, thus reply'd:
LOVE's Resentment.
Must we eternal Martyrdom pursue?
Must we still Love, and always suffer too?
Must we continue still to dye,
And ne'r declare the cruel Cause;
Whilst the fair Murdress asks not why,
But triumphs in her rigorous Laws;
And grows more mighty in disdain, }
More Peevish, Humorous, Proud and Vain }
The more we languish by our Pain? }
And when we Vow, Implore, and Pray,
Shall the Inhumane cruel fair
Only with nice disdain the sufferer pay?
Consult her Pride alone in the affair,
And coldly cry—In time perhaps I may—
Consider and redress the Youth's despair;
And when she wou'd a Period put to's Fate,
Alas, her cruel Mercy comes too late!
But wise Respect obligingly reply'd,
Amintas Cruelty you need not dread,
Your Passion by your Eyes will soon be known,
Without this hast to Declaration;
'Tis I will guide you where you still shall find,
Aminta in best Humour and most kind.
Strong were his Arguments; his Reasonings prove
Too pow'rful for the angry God of Love.
Who by degrees t' his native softness came,
Yields to Respect and owns his haste a blame.
Both vow obedience to his judging Wit,
And to his graver Conduct both submit,
Who now invites us to a Reverend place,
An ancient Town, whose Governor he was.
Impregnable, with Bastions fortify'd,
Guarded with fair built Walls on every side,
The top of which the Eye cou'd scarce discern,
So strong as well secur'd the Rich concern;
Silence with Modesty and Secrecy,
Have all committed to their Custody.
Silence to every questions ask'd, replies
With apt Grimasses of the Face and Eyes;
Her Finger on her Mouth; and as you've seen,
Her Picture, Handsom, with fantastick mean,
Her every Motion her Commands express,
But seldom any the hid Soul confess.
The Virgin Modesty is wond'rous fair,
A bashful Motion, and a blushing Air;
With unassur'd regard her Eyes do move,
Untaught by affectation or Self-love;
Her Robes not gaudy were, nor loosely ty'd,
But even concealing more then need be hid.
For Secrecie, one rarely sees her Face,
Whose lone Apartment is some Dark recess;
From whence unless some great affairs oblige,
She finds it difficult to dis-ingage;
Her voice is low, but subtilly quick her Ears,
And answers still by signs to what she hears.
—Led by Respect we did an entrance get,
Not saying any thing, who ere we met.
The City of DISCRETION.
The Houses there, retir'd in Gardens are,
And all is done with little noise,
One seldom sees Assemblies there,
Or publick shows for Grief or Joys.
One rarely walks but in the Night,
And most endeavour to avoid the Light.
There the whole World their bus'ness carry,
Without or confident, or Secretary:
One still is under great constraint,
Must always suffer, but ne'r make complaint,
'Tis there the dumb and silent languishes,
Are predic'd, which so well explain the Heart:
Which without speaking can so much express,
And secrets to the Soul the nearest way impart;
Language which prettify perswades belief;
Who's silent Eloquence obliges Joy or Grief.