The Blade all reeking in the Gore it fhed,
With fever'd Heads and Arms confus'dly spread; The rapid Flames of a perpetual Fire,
The Groans of Wretches ready to expire:
This Tragick Scene in Terror makes them live,
Till that is forc'd, which they fhould freely give;
Yielding unwillingly what Heav'n will have,
Their Fears eclipfe the Glory of their Grave:
Before thy Face they make indecent Moan,
And feel a hundred Deaths in fearing one:
Thy Flame becomes unhallow'd in their Breast,
And he a Murderer, who was a Priest.
But against me thy ftrongest Forces call,
And on my Head let all the Tempest fall;
No mean Retreat fhall any Weakness show,
But calmly I'll expect the fatal Blow;
My Limbs not trembling, in my Mind no Fear,
Plaints in my Mouth, nor in my Eyes a Tear.
Think not that Time, our wonted fure Relief,
That univerfal Cure for ev'ry Grief,
Whose Aid fo many Lovers oft have found,
With like Succefs can ever heal my Wound:
Too weak the Pow'r of Nature, or of Art,
Nothing but Death can eafe a broken Heart.
And that thou may'ft behold my helpless State,
Learn the extremeft Rigour of my Fate.
Amidft th' innumerable beauteous Train,
Paris, the Queen of Cities, does contain,
(The fairest Town, the largcft, and the best)
The fair ALMERIA fhin'd above the reft.
From her bright Eyes to feel a hopeless Flame,
Was of our Youth the most ambitious Aim;
Her Chains were Marks of Honour to the Brave,
She made a Prince whene'er fhe made a Slave.
Love, under whofe tyrannick Pow'r I groan,
Shew'd me this Beauty c'er 'twas fully blown;
Her tim'rous Charms, and her unpractis'd Look,
Their first Affurance from my Conqueft took;
By wounding me the learn'd the fatal Art,
And the first Sigh fhe had was from my Heart:
My Eyes with Tears moist'ning her fnowy Arms,
Render'd the Tribute owing to her Charms.
But, as I fooneft of all Mortals paid
My Vows, and to her Beauty Altars made;
So, among all thofe Slaves that figh'd in vain,
She thought me only worthy of my Chain.
Love's heavy Burden my fubmiffive Heart
Endur'd not long, before fhe bore her Part ;
My violent Flame melted her frozen Breast,
And in foft Sighs her Pity she exprefs'd;
Her gentle Voice allay'd my raging Pains,
And her fair Hands fuftain'd me in
Ev'n Tears of Pity waited on my Moan,
And tender Looks were caft on me alone.
My Hopes and Dangers were less mine than hers,
Those fill'd her Soul with Joys, and these with
Our Hearts, united, had the fame Defires,
And both alike burn'd with impatient Fires.
Too faithful Memory! I give thee leave
Thy wretched Master kindly to deceive;
Oh, make me not Poffeffor of her Charms,
Let me not find her languifh in my Arms;
Paft Joys are now my Fancy's mournful Themes;
Make all my happy Nights appear but Dreams:
Let not fuch Bliss before my Eyes be brought;
O hide thofe Scenes from my tormenting Thought;
And in their Place difdainful Beauty fhow;
If thou would'ft not be cruel, make her fo:
And, fomething to abate my deep Despair,
O let her feem lefs gentle, or lefs fair.
But I in vain flatter my wounded Mind;
Never was Nymph fo lovely, or so kind :
No cold Repulfes my Defires fupprefs'd;
I feldom figh'd, but on ALMERIA's Breaft:
Of all the Paflions which Mankind destroy,
I only felt Excess of Love and Joy:
Unnumber'd Pleasures charm'd my Senfe, and they
Were, as my Love, without the leaft Allay. /
alas! but not fo fure to last,
For, like a pleafing Dream, they all are past.
From Heav'n her Beauties like fierce Lightnings came,
Which break thro' Darkness with a glorious Flame ♬
Awhile they fhine, awhile our Minds amaze,
Our wondring Eyes are dazled with the Blaze;
But Thunder follows, whose refiftless Rage
None can withstand, and nothing can affuage;
And all that Light which those bright Flashes gave,
Serves only to conduct us to our Grave.
When I had just begun Love's Joys to tafte,
(Those full Rewards for Fears and Dangers paft)
A Fever feiz'd her, and to Nothing brought
The richeft Work that ever Nature wrought.
All things below, alas! uncertain ftand;
The firmeft Rocks are fix'd upon the Sand:
Under this Law both Kings and Kingdoms bend, And no Beginning is without an End.
A Sacrifice to Time, Fate dooms us all,
And at the Tyrant's Feet we daily fall:
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