Fair trees! wheres'e'er your barks I wound When we have run our passion's heat, What wondrous life is this I lead! Meanwhile the mind, from pleasure less, 24 32 40 Here at the fountain's sliding foot, To a green thought in a green shade. 48 Or at some fruit-tree's mossy root, Such was that happy garden-state, Two paradises 'twere in one, How well the skilful gardener drew 56 64 1 rare, exotic 2 a bed of various flowers which, opening at successive hours, indicate the time of day Computes its time as well as we ! How could such sweet and wholesome hours Be reckoned but with herbs and flowers? TO HIS COY MISTRESS Had we but world enough, and time, And the last age should show your heart. But at my back I always hear Thy beauty shall no more be found, Nor, in thy marble vault, shall sound My echoing song; then worms shall try And your quaint honour turn to dust, The grave's a fine and private place, 72 20 30 Than languish in his slow-chapt1 power. 40 Let us roll all our strength and all Our sweetness up into one ball, And tear our pleasures with rough strife Thus, though we cannot make our sun 1 Time is represented as having jaws (chaps) that move slowly. 2 through HENRY VAUGHAN (1622-1695) THE RETREAT Happy those early days, when I And looking back at that short space - O how I long to travel back, FROM THE WORLD I saw Eternity the other night, Like a great ring of pure and endless light, All calm, as it was bright; ΙΟ 20 30 THE RESTORATION JOHN DRYDEN (1631-1700) FROM ABSALOM AND ACHITOPHEL Of these the false Achitophel1 was first, 150 And o'er-informed the tenement of clay. Pleased with the danger, when the waves went high, He sought the storms; but, for a calm unfit, Would steer too nigh the sands to boast his 530 A numerous host of dreaming saints succeed Nothing to build and all things to destroy. the Earl of Shaftesbury 2 secret 3 intellect 4 overfilled their enemies, the Catholics 545 Such were the tools; but a whole Hydra1 more 551 Besides ten thousand freaks that died in thinking. Blest madman, who could every hour employ With something new to wish or to enjoy! Railing and praising were his usual themes,555 And both, to show his judgment, in extremes: So over violent or over civil That every man with him was God or Devil. In squandering wealth was his peculiar art; 560 Nothing went unrewarded but desert. Beggared by fools whom still he found too late, He had his jest, and they had his estate. By forming parties, but could ne'er be chief: 1 a fabulous monster with a hundred heads, killed by Hercules the Duke of Buckingham, whom Dryden hated personally alchemist found out For the churches symbolized by the beasts see the Notes. 6 a general term for barbarians Their earthly mould obnoxious was to fate, 20 A numerous exile, and enjoyed her pains. viewed Her martyred offspring and their race renewed; Their corps to perish, but their kind to last, So much the deathless plant the dying fruit surpassed. 24 Panting and pensive now she ranged alone, And wandered in the kingdoms once her own. The common hunt, though from their rage restrained 30 By sovereign power, her company disdained, 3 The bloody Bear, an Independent beast 35 Unlicked to form,2 in groans her hate expressed. Among the timorous kind the quaking Hare Professed neutrality, but would not swear. Next her the buffoon Ape, as atheists use, 39 Mimicked all sects and had his own to choose; Still when the Lion looked, his knees he bent, And paid at church a courtier's compliment. The bristled Baptist Boar, impure as he, But whitened with the foam of sanctity, With fat pollutions filled the sacred place, 45 And mountains levelled in his furious race: So first rebellion founded was in grace. But, since the mighty ravage which he made In German forests had his guilt betrayed, With broken tusks and with a borrowed name, He shunned the vengeance and concealed the shame, 51 With greater guile So lurked in sects unseen. False Reynard fed on consecrated spoil; The graceless beast by Athanasius first Was chased from Nice, then by Socinus nursed, But if they think at all, 'tis sure no higher 316 Than matter put in motion may aspire; Souls that can scarce ferment their mass of clay, So drossy, so divisible are they As would but serve pure bodies for allay,1 320 Such souls as shards 2 produce, such beetle things As only buzz to heaven with evening wings, Strike in the dark, offending but by chance, Such are the blindfold blows of ignorance. They know not beings, and but hate a name; To them the Hind and Panther are the same. And seems to shake the spheres. CHORUS With ravished ears The monarch hears, Assumes the god, Affects to nod, And seems to shake the spheres. 40 45 The praise of Bacchus then the sweet musician sung, Of Bacchus ever fair, and ever young. The jolly god in triumph comes; Sound the trumpets, beat the drums ;50 He shows his honest face: Now give the hautboys breath; he comes, he a celebrated Athenian musician (d. 357 B.C.), said to have improved the cithara by adding one string to it 2 fabled to have been Alexander's father 3 disguised uplifted in shining spirals 5 Olympias, mother of Alexander |