Ofee, Conftantia! my short race is run; "See how my blood the thirsty ground doth dye; "But live thou happier than thy love hath done, "And when I'm dead, think fometime upon me! "More my short time permits me not to tell, "For now death feizeth me; my dear, farewell!" As foon as he had spoke these words, life fled A ftar that 's fall'n, or an eclipfed fun. Thither Philocrates was driven by fate, And faw his friend lie bleeding on the earth; Near his pale corpfe his weeping fifter fate, Her eyes fhed tears, her heart to fighs gave birth. "Philocrates when he faw this, did cry, "Friend, I'll revenge, or bear thee company! Just Jove hath fent me to revenge his fate; Nay, ftay,ifardo, think not Heaven in jeft: " 'Tis vain pe flight can fecure thy ftate." Then thruft his fword into the villain s breast. "Here," faid Philocrates, "thy life I fend "A facrifice, t' appease my flaughter'd friend." But, as he fell," Take this reward,” said he, "For thy new victory." With that he flung His darted rapier at his enemy, Which hit his head, and in his brain-pan hung. With that he falls, but, lifting up his eyes, "Farewell, Conftantia!" that word faid, he dies. What shall fhe do? She to her brother runs, His cold and lifeless body does embrace; She calls to him that cannot hear her moans, And with her kiffes warms his clammy face. "My dear Philocrates!" fhe, weeping, cries, Speak to thy fifter!" but no voice replies. Then running to her Love, with many a tear, Thus her mind's fervent paflion she expreft; * O ftay, bleft foul, ftay but a little here, "And take me with you to a lafting rest. "Then to Elyfium's manfions both shall fly, "Be married there, and never more to die." PYRAMUS AND THISBE. WHEN Babylon's high walls erected were By mighty Ninus' wife, two houses join'd. One Thibe liv'd in, Pyramus the fair In th' other: earth ne'er boafted fuch a pair The very fenfelefs walls themselves combin'd, And in grew one, juft like their master's mind. Thisbe all other women did excel, The Queen of Love lefs lovely was than fhe: But Venus, envying they fo fair fhould be, But could he fee, he had not wrought their fmart; For pity fure would have o'ercome his heart, Like as a bird, which in a net is ta'en, The way to enter 's broad; but, being in, Thefe lovers, though their parents did reprove Their fires, and watch'd their deeds with jealoufy; Though in thefe ftorms no comfort could remove The various doubts and fears that cool hot love, Though he nor her's, nor the his face could fee, Yet this could not abolish Love's decree; For age had crack'd the wall which did them part; This the unanimate couple foon did spy, Though Love be blind, this fhews he can defcry A way to leffen his own mifery. Oft to the friendly cranny they refort, To fuck each other's breath for ever there. "And long'd-for, yet untafted, joy kills all. "What though our cruel parents angry be? "What though our friends, alas! are too unkind? "Time, that now offers, quickly may deny, "And foon hold back fit opportunity. "Who lets flip Fortune, her fhall never find "Occafion, once pafs'd by, is bald behind." She foon agreed to that which he requir'd, For little wooing needs, where both confent What he fo long had pleaded, fhe defir'd: Which Venus fecing, with blind Chance confpir'd, And many a charming accent to her fent, That she (at laft) would fruftrate their intent. Thus Beauty is by Beauty's means undone, Striving to close thofe eyes that make her bright; Just like the moon, which fecks t' eclipfe the fun, Whence all her splendor, all her beams, do come: So fhe, who fetcheth luftre from their fight, Doth purpose to destroy their glorious light. Unto the mulberry-tree fair Thisbe came; Where having rested long, at last she 'gan Against her Pyramus for to exclaim, While various thoughts tnrmoil her troubled brain : And, imitating thus the filver fwan, A little while before her death, she fang: HERE doubtful thoughts broke off her pleasant fong, And for her lover's ftay fent many a figh; Fears, that her future fate too truly fing. WHILE the thus mufing fate, ran from the wood Bids her to stay, left Pyramus fhould come, But fear expels all reafons; fhe doth run Into a dark fome cave, ne'er feen by fun. With hafte fhe let her loofer mantle fall: Which, when th' enraged lion did espy, With bloody teeth he tore in pieces fmall; While Thisbe ran, and look'd not back at all; For, could the fenfeless beast her face descry, It had not done her fuch an injury. The night half wafted, Pyramus did come; Who, seeing printed in the yielding fand The lion's paw, and by the fountain fome Of Thibe's garment, forrow ftruck him dumb: Juft like a marble ftatue did he stand, Cut by fome skilful graver's artful hand. Recovering breath, at Fate he did exclaim, Washing with tears the torn and bloody weed: "I may," faid he," myself for her death blame; "Therefore my blood shall wash away that shame : "Since she is dead, whose beauty doth exceed "All that frail man can either hear or read." This fpoke, he drew his fatal fword, and said, "Receive my crimson blood, as a due debt "Unto thy conftant love, to which 'tis paid: " I ftrait will meet thee in the pleasant shade "Of cool Elysium; where we, being met, “Shall taste those joys that here we could not "get." Then through his breast thrusting his fword, life hies Was bound by promife for to meet him there'; From white to black, fhe knew not certainly It was the place where they agreed to be. With what delight from the dark cave fhe came, Thinking to tell how the efcap'd the beat! But, when the faw her Pyramus lic flain, Ah! how perplex'd did her fad foul remain! She tears her golden hair, and beats her breaft, And every fign of raging grief expreft. She blames all powerful Jove; and ftrives to take His bleeding body from the n oiften'd ground. She kiffes his pale face, till the doth make It red with kiffing, and then feeks to wake His parting foul with mournful words; his wound Washes with tears, that her sweet speech confound. But afterwards, recovering breath, faid fhe, "Alas! what chance hath parted thee and I? "O tell what evil hath befall'n to thee, "That of thy death I may a partner be; "Tell Thibe what hath caus'd this tragedy!" He, he..ing Thifbe's name, lifts up his eye; And on his Love he rais'd his dying head; Where, ftriving long for breath, at laft, faid he, "O Thifbe, I am hafting to the dead, "And cannot heal that wound my fear hath bred; "Farewell, fweet Thisbe! we muft parted be, "For angry Death will force me foon from "thee." Life did from him, he from his mistress, part, With Pyramus's crimson blood warm ftill; "In endless joys, and never fear the ill "Of grudging friends!"-Then the herself did kill. To tell what grief their parents did fuftain, Were more than my rude quill can overcome ; Much did they weep and grieve, but all in vain, For weeping calls not back the dead again. Both in one grave were laid, when life was done; And these few words were writ upon the tomb. D UM more antiquo jejunia fefta coluntur, Quinta beat noftram foboles formosa Mariam; Cur pede vel tellus trita frequente fonet? A te fic vinci magnus quàm gaudeat ille! Da veniam, hîc omnes nimium quòd fimus ava IN FELICISSIMAM REGINÆ MARI FERTILITATEM. ATURÆ facies renovatur quolibet NATU mirum fertilis ipla parit. Sic quoque Naturæ exemplar Regina, decusque Dum redit à fanctis non feffus Carolus aris, O magnas epulas exhibitura fames! turbam Cum Reginâ ipfam parturiiffe putes. Credibile eft puerum populi fenfiffe dolores; Edidit hinc mæftos fiebilis ipfe fonos. A. COWLEY, A. B. T[rin]. Call) UPON THE HAPPIE BIRTH OF THE Carolum, de quinta fua fobole [Princess "Anne], clariffima Principe, fibi nuper feliciffimè "nata. Cantabrigiæ, 1637." I doubt not but it will prove a pleafing amufement to the curious reader, to trace the first dawnings of genius in fome of our first-rate poetic characters; and to compare them with the eminence they afterwards attained to, and the rank they att held among their brethren of the laurel. Some early fpecimens of Dryden's genius may be feen in the first volume of his poems. Thofe of Cowley, here printed, abound with ftrokes of wit, fome true, but the far greater part falfe; which thoroughly characterife the writer, and may be juftly pronounced to point out his genius and manner, in miniature. K.-This fpecies of entertainment the kind attention of Mr. Kynafton (the friend to whom I owe these remarks) enables me confiderably to extend, by furnishing the earlieft poetical Whilft warre is fear'd, and conqueft hop'd by all luctions of fome writers who are now univery looked up to as excellent; none of which are to be found in any edition of their refpective works. In fuch juvenile performances, it is well obferved by an admirable critic," the abfurd con"ceits and extravagant fancies are the true feeds "and gerins, which afterwards ripen, by proper "culture, into the moft luxuriant harvests." See Annual Register, 1779, p. 180. J. N. WHI DUKE†. HILST the rude North Charles his flow wrath doth call, From the "Voces Votivæ ab Academici Cantabrigienfibus pro noviffimo Caroli et Ma "riæ Principe Filio, emiffe Cantabrigiæ, 1640. Henry, who was declared by his father Duk of Gloucester in 1641, but not fo created till Ma 13, 1659. He died September 13, 1660.-Th verfes are taken from the "Voces Votivæ," & 1640. J. N. !feverall fhires their various forces lend, fome do men, fome gallant horfes fend, ee fteel, and fome (the stronger weapon) gold: efe warlike contributions are but old. at countrey learn'd a new and better way, fee all this; for fure 'tis present now. The leaves and painted flowers, which did erc- Tremble with mournfull drops, beginne to fmile. A. COWLEY, A. B. T[rin]. C[oll]. AN ELEGY ON THE DEATH OF THE RIGHT HON. DUDLEY LORD CARLETON, VISCOUNT Late Principal Secretary of State. TH' infernal fifters did a council call Of all the fiends, to the black Stygian hall; Where'er difpers'd abroad, hearing the fame And, had there been before no fpring of theirs, He who durft fearlefs pafs black Acheron, Though arm'd with great Alcides' valiant mind. Bewail his fatal and untimely end? Who hath fuch hard, fuch unrelenting eyes, Something is here wanting, as appears from the want both of rhyme and connexion. J. N. |