Sivut kuvina
PDF
ePub

PREFACE.

Ir is endeavoured, in the following poems, to give the readers of both fexes fome ideas of the art of love; fuch a love as is innocent and yirtuous, and whofe defires terminate in prefent happinefs and that of pofterity. It would be in vain to think of doing it without help from the ancients, amongst whom none has touched that paffion more tenderly and juftly than Ovid. He knew that he bore the maftership in that art; and therefore, in the fourth book De Triftibus, when he would give fome account of himself to future ages, he calls himself" Tenerorum Lufor Amorum," as if he gloried principally in the descriptions he had made of that paffion.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

The prefent imitation of him is at least such a one as Mr. Dryden mentions, " to be an endeavour of a later poet to write like one who has "written before him on the fame fubject; that is, "not to translate his words, or be confined to his fenfe, but only to fet him as a pattern, and to "write as he fuppofes that author would have "done, had he lived in our age and in our coun. try. But he dares not say that Sir John Denham, or Mr. Cowley, have carried this libertine way, as the latter calls it, fo far as this definition "reaches." But, alas! the prefent imitator has come up to it, if not perhaps exceeded it. Sir John Denham had Virgil, and Mr. Cowley had Pindar, to deal with, who both wrote upon lafting foundations; but the prefent fubject being love, it would be unreasonable to think of too great a confinement to be laid on it. And though the paflion and grounds of it will continue the fame through all ages; yet there will be many little modes, fafhions, and graces, ways of complaifance and addrefs, entertainments and diverfions, which time will vary. Since the world will expect new things, and perfons will write, and the ancients have fo great a fund of learning, whom can the moderns take better to copy than fuch originals? It is most likely they may not come up to them; but it is a thousand to one but their imitation is better than any clumfy invention of their own. Whoever undertakes this way of writing, has as much reafon to understand the true fcope, genius, and force of the expreffions of his author, as a li

teral translator: and, after all, he lies under t misfortune, that the faults are all his owa; e if there is any thing that may feem pardonable, n Latiu at the bottom fhews to whom he se gaged for it. An imitator and his author f much upon the fame terms as Ben does with zo father in the comedy † :

"What thof he be my father, I an't bound pr "tice to 'en."

There were many reafons why the imitator t posed several verses of Ovid, and has divided the whole into fourteen parts, rather than keep it three books. Thefe may be too tedious to be re cited; but, among the reft, fome were, that m ters of the fame fubject might lie more compa that too large a heap of precepts together appear too burthenfome; and therefore (if matters may allude to greater) as Virgil inte "Georgies," to here most of the parts end with remarkable fable, which carries with it feme no ral: yet, if any persons please to take the fix parts as the first book, and divide the eight l they may make three books of them again. Th have by chance fome twenty lines crept inte poem out of the " Remedy of Love," which inanimate things are generally the most waywar and provoking) fince they would ftay, have be fuffered to ftand there. But as for the love bet mentioned, it being all prudent, honourable, and virtuous there is no need of any remedy to be put feribed for it, but the speedy obtaining of whet defires. Should the imitator's ftyle feem not the fufficiently reftrained, fhould he not have afford pains for review or correction, let it be conficere, that perhaps even in that he defired to imitate his author, and would not perufe them; left, af me of Ovid's works were, fo these might be conund to the flames. But he leaves that for the reader to do, if he pleases, when he has bought them.

[blocks in formation]

THE ART OF LOVE.

PART I.

WHOEVER knows not what it is TO LOVE,
Let him but read these verses, and improve.
Swift fhips are rul'd by art, and oars, and fails :
Skill guides our chariots; Wit o'er Love prevails.
Automedon with reins let loofe could fly;
Tiphys with Argo's fhip cut waves and sky.
In love affairs I'm charioteer of Truth,
And fureft pilot to incautious youth.
Love's hot, unruly, eager to enjoy;
But then confider he is but a boy.
Chiron with pleafing harp Achilles tam'd,

And his rough manners with soft music fram'd:
Though he'd in council ftorm, in battle rage,
He bore a fecret reverence for age.

* Chiron's command with strict obedience ties
The finewy arm by which brave Hector dies:
That was bis task, but fiercer love is mine:
They both are boys, and (prung from race divine.
The ftiff-neck'd bull does to the yoke fubmit,
And the most fiery courfer champs the bit.
So Love fhall yield. I own, I've been his flave;
But conquer'd where my enemy was brave;
And now he darts his flames without a wound,
And all his whistling arrows die in found.
Nor will I raise my fame by hidden art;
In what I teach, found reafon fhall have part:
For Nature's paffion cannot be destroy'd,
But moves in Virtue's path when well employ'd.
Yet ftill 'twill be convenient to remove
The tyranny and plagues of vulgar love.
May infant Chastity, grave matron's pride,
A parent's wish, and blushes of a bride,
Protect this work; fo guard it, that no rhyme
In fyllable or thought may vent a crime!
The foldier, that Love's armour would defy,
Will find his greatest courage is to fly :
When Beauty' amorous glances parley beat,
The only conqueft then is to retreat :
But, if the treacherous Fair pretend to yield,
'Tis prefent death, unless you quit the field.
Whilft youth and vanity would make you range,
Think on fome beauty may prevent your change:
But fuch by falling fkies are never caught;
No happiness is found but what is fought.
The huntfman learns where does trip o'er the
lawn,

And where the foaming boar fecures his brawn.
The fowler's low-bell robs the lark of fleep;
And they who hope for fish must search the deep:

་་

And he, that fuel seeks for chafte defire,
Must search where Virtue may that flame inspire.
To foreign parts there is no need to roam :
The bleffing may be met with nearer home.
From India fome, others from neighbouring
France,

Bring tawny fkins, and puppets that can dance.
The feat of British empire does contain
Beauties that our the conquer'd globe will reign.
As fruitful fields with plenty blefs the fight,
And as the milky way adorns the night;
So that does with thofe graceful nymphs abound,
Whofe dove-like foftnefs is with rofes crown'd.
There tendereft blooms inviting softness spread,
Whilft by their smallest twine the captive's led.
There youth advanc'd in majesty does shine,
Fit to be mother to a race divine.
No age in matrons, no decay appears;
By prudence only there you guess at years.
Sometimes you'll fee thefe beauties seek the
By lofty trees in royal gardens made; [fhade,
Or at St. James's, where a noble care
Makes all things pleafing like himself appear;
Or Kenfington, fweet air and bleft retreat
Of him, that owns a fovereign, though most great",
Sometimes in wilder groves, by chariots drawn,
They view the roble ftag and tripping fawn.
On Hyde-park's circles if you chance to gaze,
The lights revolving ftrike you with amaze.

To Bath and Tunbridge they fometimes retreat
With waters to difpel the parching heat:
But youth with reafon there may oft admire
That which may raise in him a nobler fire;
Till the kind Fair relieves what he endures,
Caus'd at that water which all others cures.

Sometimes at marriage-rites you may efpy Their charms protected by a mother's eye, Where to bleft mufic they in dances move, With innocence and grace commanding love. But yearly when that folemn night returns, When grateful incense on the altar burns, For clofing the most glorious day e'er seen, That first gave light to happy Britain's queen ;

* George Prince of Denmark, confort to the Queen, greatly admired these fine gardens. They were purchafed by King William from Lord Chancellor Finch, were enarged by Queen Mary, and improved by Queen Anne, who was fo pleafed with the place, that the frequently fupped during the fummer in the green-houfe. Queen Caroline extended the gardens to their prefent fize, three miles

and a half in compats.

Then is the time for noble youth to try
To make his choice with a judicious eye.
Not truth of foreign realms, not fables told
Of nymphs ador'd, and goddeffes of old,
Equal thofe beauties who that circle frame;
A fubject fit for never-dying fame; [thrown,
Whole gold, pearl, diamonds, all around them
Yet ftill can add no luftre to their own.

But when their queen does to the fenate go,
And they make up the grandeur of the fhew,
Then guard your hearts, ye makers of our laws,
For fear the judge be forc'd to plead his caufe;
Left the fubmiffive part should fall to you,
And they who fuppliants help be forc'd to fue.
Then may their yielding hearts compaffion take,
And grant your wifhes, for your country's fake:
Eafe to their beauties' wounds may goodness give;
And, fince you make all happy. let you live.
Sometimes thefe beauties on Newmarket plains,
Ruling their gentle pads with filken reins,
Behold the conflicts of the generous fteeds,
Sprung from true blood, and well-attefted breeds.
There youth may juftly with difcerning eye
Through riding Amazonian habit fpy
That which his fwifteft courfer cannot fly.

}

It is no treacherous or bafe piece of art, T'approve the fide with which the Fair takes part: For equal paffion equal minds will strike, Either in commendation or diflike: For, when two fencers ready ftand to fight, And we're fpectators of the bloody fight, Our nimble paflion Love has foon defign'd The man to whom we muft and will be kind. We think the other is not fit to win: This is our conqueror ere fight begin. If danger dares approach him, how we start! Our frighted blood runs trembling to our heart: He takes the wounds, but we endure the fmart. And Nature by fuch inftances does prove, That we fear most for that which moft we love. Therefore, if chance fhould make her faddle flide, Or any thing fhould flip, or be untied, Oh, think it not a too officious care With eagerness to run and help the Fair. We offer fmall things to the powers above: "Tis not our merit that obtains their love. So when Eliza, whofe propitious days Revolving Heaven does feem again to raise, Whofe ruling genius fhew'd a master-stroke In every thing the did, and all the spoke, Was stepping o'er a paffage, which the rain Had fill'd, and feem'd as ftepping back again, Young Raleigh fcorn'd to fee his queen retreat, And threw his velvet cloak beneath her feet. The queen approv'd the thought, and made him great *.

Mark when the queen her thanks divine would Midit acclamations, that the long may live; [give To whom kind Heaven the bleiling has beftow'd, To let her arms fucceed for Europe's good; No tyranny throughout the triumph reigns, Nor are the captives dragg'd with ponderous chains;

Sir Walter Raleigh is well known to have been indebt. ed to this little mark of gallantry for his rife at court.

But all declare the British subje&s' cafe, And that their war is for their neighbours' peace, Then, whilft the pomp of majesty proceeds With ftately steps, and eight well-chosen steeds, From every palace beauties may be feen, That will acknowledge none but her for Queen. Then, if kind chance a lovely maid has thrown Next to a youth with graces like her own, Much she would learn, and many questions afk: The answers are the lover's pleafing task. "Is that the man who made the French to fly? "What place is Blenheim? is the Danube nigh? "Where was't that he with fword victorious "ftood,

(flood? "And made their trembling squadrons choose the "What is the gold adorns this royal state? "Is it not hammer'd all from Vigo's plate? "Don't it require a moft prodigious care "To manage treasures in the height of war? "Muft he not be of calmeft truth poffeft, "Prefides o'er councils of the royal breaft? "Sea-fights are furely dismal fcenes of war! "Pray, Sir, were ever you at Gibraltar? "Has not the emperor got fome envoy here? "Won't Danish, Swedish, Pruffian lords ap " pear?

"Who represents the line of Hanover? "Don't the States General affift them all? "Should we not be in danger, if they fall? "If Savoy's duke and prince Eugene could mert "In this folemnity, 'twould be complete. "Think you that Barcelona could have flood "Without the hazard of our nobleft blood? "At Ramilies what enfigns did you get? "Did many towns in Flanders then fubmit? "Was it the conqueror's business to destroy, "Or was he met by all of them with joy? "Oh, could my with but fame eternal give, "The laurel on thofe brows fhould ever live."

The British worth in nothing need despair, When it has fuch affiftance from the Fair. As Virtue merits, it expects regard; And Valour flies, where Beauty's the reward.

PART II.

In love affairs the theatre has part,
That wife and most inftructing feene of art,
Where Vice is punifh'd with a just reward,
And Virtue meets with fuitable regard;
Where mutual Love and Friendship find return,)
But treacherous Infolence is hifs'd with feorn,
And Love's unlawful wiles in torment burn.
This without blufhes whilft a virgin fees,
Upon fome brave fpectator Love may feize,
Who, till fe fends it, never can have ease.

As things that were the best at first,
By their corruption grow the work;
The modern ftage takes liberties
Unfeen by our forefathers' eyes.
As bees from hive, from mole-hill ants;
So fwarm the females and gallants,

All crowding to the comedy,
For to be feen, and not to fee.
But, though these females are to blame,
Yet ftill they have fome native shame:
They all are filent till they're afk'd,
And ev'n their impudence is mafk'd:
For Nature would be modeft ftill,
And there's reluctancy in will.

Sporting and plays had harmless been,
And might by any one be seen,, - *),
Till Romulus began to fpoil them,
Who kept a palace, call'd Afylum;
Where baftards, pimps, and thieves, and pan.
dars,

Were lifted all to be commanders.
But then the rafcals were fo poor,
They could not change a rogue for whore;
And neighbouring jades refolv'd to tarry,
Rather than with fuch fcrubs they'd marry.
But, for to cheat them, and be wiv'd,
They knavishly a farce contriv'd.
No gilded pillars there were seen,
Nor was the cloth they trod on green.
No ghofts came from the cellar crying,
Nor angels from the garret flying.

The house was made of sticks and bushes,
And all the floor was ftrew'd with rufhes:
The feats were rais'd with turf and fods,
Whence heroes might be view'd, and gods.
Paris and Helen was the play,
And how both of them ran away.
Romulus bade his varlets go
Invite the Sabines to his fhew.

Unto this opera no rate is:

They all were free to come in gratis:
And they, as girls will feldom mifs
A merry meeting, came to this.
There was much wishing, fighing, thinking,
Not without whispering, and winking.
Their pipes had then no haking touch:
Their fong and dance were like the Dutch:
The whole performance was by men,
Because they had no eunuchs then.
But, whilft the mufic briskly play'd,
Romulus at his cue display'd
The fign for each man to his maid.

"Huzza!" they cry; then feize: fome trem-
ble

In real fact, though most dissemble.
Some are attempting an escape,
And others foftly cry, "A rape!"
While fome bawl out, "That they had rather
"Than twenty pound lofe an old father."
me look extremely pale, and others red,
me wifh they'd ne'er been born, or now
were dead,

[ocr errors]

nd others fairly wish themselves a-bed.
Some rant, tear, run; whilft fome fit ftill,
o fhew they're ravish'd much against their will.
Thus Rome began; and now at last,
After fo many ages paft,

Their rapes and lewdnefs without shame;
Their vice and villainy's the fame,

Il be their fate who would corrupt the stage,
And fpoil the true corrector of the age!

PART III.

Now learn thofe arts which teach you to obtain
Those beauties which you fee divinely reign,

Though they by nature are transcendent bright, And would be feen ev'n through the gloom of night;

Yet they their greatest luftre ftill difplay,
In the meridian pitch of calmeft day.
'Tis then we purple view, and coftly gem,
And with more admiration gaze on them.
Faults feek the dark; they who by moun-light woo,
May find their fair-one as inconftant too.

When modefty (upported is by truth,
There is a boldnefs that becomes your youth.
In gentle founds difclofe a lover's care,
'Tis better than your fighing and despair.
Birds may abhor their groves, the flocks the plain,
The hare grown bold may face the dogs again,
When beauty don't in virtue's arms rejoice,
Since harmony in love is Nature's voice.
But harden'd impudence fometimes will try
At things which juftice cannot but deny.
Then, what that fays is infolence and pride,
Is prudence, with firm honour for its guide.
The lady's counfels often are betray'd

By trufting fecrets to a fervile maid,
The whole intrigues of whose infidious brain
Are bafe, and only terminate in gain.
Let them take care of too diffusive mirth;
Sufpicious thence, and thence attempts, take birth.
Had Ilium been with gravity employ'd,
By Simon's craft it had not been destroy'd.
A vulgar air, mean fongs, and free discourse,
With fly infinuations, may prove worfe
To tender females than the Trojan horse.

Take care how you from virtue stray;
For fcandal follows the fame way,
And more than truth it will devife.
Old poets did delight in lies,
Which modern ones now call furprise.
Some fay that Myrrha lov'd her father,
That Byblis lik'd her brother rather.
And in fuch tales old Greece did glory:
Amongst the which, pray take this ftory.

Crete was an ifle, whofe fruitful nations
Swarm'd with an hundred corporations,
And there upon Mount Ida flood
A venerable fpacious wood,
Within whofe centre was a grove
Immortaliz'd by birth of Jove :
In vales below a bull was fed,
Whom all the kine obey'd as head;
Betwixt his horns a tuft of black did grow,
But all the rest of him was driven fnew.

(Our tale to truth does not confine us.)
At the fame time one Juftiee Minos,
That liv'd hard by, was married lately;
And, that his bride might fhow more stately,
When through her pedigree he run,
Found the was daughter to the Sun,
Her name Paliphaë was hight,

And, as her father, he was bright.

This lady took up an odd fancy,
That with this bull the fain would dance ye.
Shew'd mow him grafs, and cut him boughs,
On which his ftatelinefs might browse.
Whilft thus fhe hedges breaks and climb,
Sure Minos muft have happy times!
She never car'd for going fine,
She'd rather trudge among the kine.
Then at her toilet she would say,

"Methinks I look bizarre to day. "Sure my glafs lies, I'm not so fair: "Oh, were this face o'ergrown with hair! "I never was for top knots born;

[ocr errors]

My favourites fhould each be horn.

"But now I'm liker to a fow,

[ocr errors]

Than, what I wish to be, a cow→→

"What would I give that I could lough!
"My bull-y cares for none of those
"That are afraid to fpoil their clothes:
"Did he but love me, he'd not fail
"To take me with my draggle tail."

Then tears would fall, and then she'd run, As would the devil upon Dun. When the fome handsome cow did spy, She'd fean her form with jealous eye; Say, "How fhe frifks it o'er the plain, "Runs on, and then turns back again! "She feems a bear refolv'd to prance, "Or a fhe-afs that tries to dance. "In vain fhe thinks herself so fine : "She can't please bull-y; for his mine. "But 'tis revenge alone affuages "My envy when the paffion rages. "Here, rafcal, quickly yoke that cow, "And fee the fhrivel'd carrion plough. "But fecond counfel's beft: fhe dies: "I'll make immediate facrifice, "And with the victim feaft my eyes. "'Tis thus my rivals I'll remove

"Who interpofe 'twixt me and what I love. "lo in Egypt's worship'd now, "Since Jove transform'd her to a cow. "I was on a bull Europa came

"To that bleft land which bears her name.
"Who knows what fate's ordain'd for me
"The languifhing Pafiphae,
"Had I a bull as kind as the "

When madness rages with unusual fire,
'Tis not in Nature's power to quench defire;
Then vice transforms man's reafon into beaft,
And fo the monster's made the poet's jeft.

PART IV.

LET youth avoid the noxious heat of wine:
Bacchus to Cupid bears an ill design.

The grape, when scatter'd on the wings of love,
So clogs the down, the feathers cannot move.
The boy, who otherwife would fleeting stray,
Reels, trembles, lies, and is enforc'd to stay.
Then courage rifes, when the fpirit's fir'd,
And rages to poffefs the thing defir'd:
Care vanishes through the exalted blood,
And forrow paffes in the purple flood;

Laughter proceeds; nor can he want a foul,
Whofe thoughts in fancied heaps of plenty roll.
Uncommon freedom lets the lips impart
Plain fimple truth from a diffembling heart.
Then to fome wanton paffion he must run,
Which his difcreeter hours would gladly fhun;
Where he the time in thoughtlefs cafe may país;
And write his billet-doux upon the glass;
Whilft finking eyes with languifhment profess
Follies his tongue refufes to confefs.
Then his good-nature will take t' other fup,
If she'll first kifs, that he may kifs the cup.
Then fomething nice and coftly he could cat,
Suppofing ftill that she will carve the meat.
But, if a brother or a husband's by,
Whom the ill-natur'd world may call a fpy,
He thinks it not below him to pretend
The open heartendness of a true friend;
Gives him refpect furpalling his degree:
The perfon that is meant by all is foe.

'Tis thought the fafeft way to hide a paffion,
And therefore call'd the friendship now in fation.
By fecret figns and enigmatic ftealth,
She is the toast belongs to every health:
And all the lover's business is to keep

His thoughts from anger, and his eyes from fleep
He'll laugh ye, dance ye, fing ye, vault, lai

gay,

And ruffle all the ladies in his play.
But ftill the gentleman's extremely fine;
There's nothing apifh in him but the wing.
Many a mortal has been bit
By marrying in a drunken fit.
To lay the matter plain before ye,
Pray hearken whilft I tell my story.
It happen'd about break of day
Gnoffis a girl had loft her way,

And wander'd up and down the Strand,
Whereabouts now York Buildings ftand:
And half awak'd fh roar'd as bad
As if the really had been mad;
Unlac'd her bodlice, and her gown
And petticoats hung dangling down :
Her fhoes were flipt, her ancles bare,
And all around her flew her yellow hair.
Oh, cruel Thefeus! can you go,
And leave your little Gnoffis fo?
You in your fcull' did promife carriage,
And gave me proofs of future marriage;
But then last night away did creep,
And bafely left me faft afleep.
Then she is falling in a fit :
But don't grow uglier one bit.
The flood of tears rather fupplies
The native rheum about her eyes.
The bubbies then are beat again :
Women in paffion feel no pain.
What will become of me? oh, what
Will come of me oh, tell me that:

Bacco was drawer at the Sun,
And had his belly like his tun:
For blubber lips and cheeks all bloated,
And frizzled pate, the youth was noted.
He, as his cuftom was, got drunk,
And then went ftrolling for a punk.

« EdellinenJatka »