Dirige me, qui tanta potes: cœlestia nolunt
Terreno dirigi duce.

Fælix, qui propriis erorrem abstergit ocellis,
Et cœlos instruit suos.

Astra habeo cognata mihi, lucemque vagantem,
Quam docta corrigat manus.

Quippe facem crasso Natura in corpore clausit,
Suæque consulit domi.

Sol et luna oculi mihi sunt: solique renides
Poelle, phosporus novus.

Claude tuas Aurora fores: mihi prævius alter,
Nec radiis Lucifer tuis.

Hic notis oculis, claroque propinquior igne,
Amata nascitur Venus.

Eugenius Philalethes.

TRANSLATION.

TO THE BELOVED AND IN ALL PHILOSOPHY MOST SKILLED, T[HOMAS] P[OWELL] ON HIS ELEMENTS OF OPTICS: A TRANSLATION BY THE REV. J. H. CLARK, M.A., WEST DEREHAM, NORFOLK.

HEN on heaven's sparkling train, her

whirling maze

And pensile groves, I gaze,

Dark Night, star-gemm'd before me seems to

sweep

Like some swart Queen be-jewell'd from the

deep.

With awe I view the shifting scenes, where move Those beacon-lights above,

And there, methinks, we strive to trace the ways Of Fate-the vain pursuits that wear our days!

O mad Ambition, and short-sighted Pride

That heaven's own hosts would guide! Direct me Thou Who can'st: supernal powers Must needs disdain all leadership of ours.

Happy who can his own eyes keep from blight,
And guide his course aright:

Kind stars I have, and light, which tho' too prone
To wander, still a guiding Hand doth own.

A torch we have, and He Who placed it there
Will of His own take care:

Mine eyes the sun and moon are, and the sun,

Thou Powell-a new Phosphor-dost fore-run.

Close then thy gates, Aurora, for to me
Unlit by rays from thee,

Has risen another Lucifer; and here

A brighter, lovelier Venus doth appear.

IX. FROM "THE CHYMIST'S KEY."

(1657.)

"To this purpose Chymistry serves: for by the help of this art, we know how to digest, to dissolve, to putrifie, to separate the impure from the pure, and so to come by most perfect medicines. And verily so great and precious a blessing it is that God never imparts it to any fraudulent mountebanks, nor to tyrants, nor to any impure, lascivious persons, nor to the effeminate and idle, nor to gluttons, nor usurers, nor to any worshippers of Mammon but in all ages, the pious, the indefatigable spirit, who was a diligent observer and admirer of His marvellous works, found it out. This truth is elegantly sung and expressly taught by, that famous philosopher and poet, the excellent Augurellius.

:

HE greedy cheat with impure hands may

not,

Attempt this art, nor is it ever got

By the unlearn'd and rude: the vitious mind

To lust and softnesse given, it strikes stark blind : So the slye, wandring factour, &c.

And shortly after:

But the sage, pious man, who stil adores,
And loves his Maker, and His love implores,

Who ever joyes to search the secret cause,

And series of His works, their love and lawes,
Let him draw near, and joyning will with strength
Study this art in all her depth and length :
Then grave Experience shall his consort be,
Skill'd in large Nature's inmost mysterie.
The knots and doubts his busie course and cares
Will oft disturb, till Time the truth declares,
And stable patience-through all trials past—
Brings the glad end, and long hop'd for, at last.

X. FROM THE "BREIF NATURAL HIS-
TORY." (1669.)*

BOETHIUS DE CONSOL. LIB. 4. MET. 6.
HE concord tempers equally

Contrary elements,

That moist things yield unto the dry,

And heat with cold consents;

Here fire to highest place doth flie,

And earth doth downward bend,

And flowery Spring perpetually

Sweet odours forth doth send.
Hot Summer harvest gives, and store
Of fruit Autumnus yields,

And shoures which down from heaven do

poure

Each Winter drown'd the fields: Whatever in the world doth breath, This temper forth hath brought And nourished: the same by Death

Again it brings to nought. (p 55-6.)