III.

PROV. xiv. 13.

Even in laughter the heart is forrowful, and the end of that mirth is heaviness.

I

A How are thy thoughts beguil'd

To hope for honey from a neft of wafps?
Thou may'ft as well

Go feek for eafe in hell,

Or fprightly nectar from the mouths of afps.

The world's a hive,

From whence thou can'ft derive

No good, but what thy foul's vexation brings :
Put cafe thou meet

Some petti-petti-sweet,

Each drop is guarded with a thoufand ftings.

3

Why doft thou' make

Thefe murm'ring troops forfake

The fafe protection of their waxen homes?

Their hive contains

No fweet that's worth thy pains;
There's nothing here, alas!" but empty combs,

For trash and toys,

4.

And grief-engend'ring joys,

What

B 3

What torment seems too fharp for flesh and blood !

What bitter pills,

Compos'd of real ills,

Men fwallow down, to purchase one falfe good!

The dainties here,

5.

Are leaft what they appear;
Though fweet in hopes, yet in fruition four:
The fruit that's yellow,

Is found not always mellow;
The fairest tulip's not the sweetest flow'r.

6.

Fond youth, give o❜er,

And vex thy foul no more

In feeking what were better far unfound
Alas! thy gains

Are only prefent pains

To gather fcorpions for a future wound..

7.

What's earth? or in it,

That longer than a minute,

Can lend a free delight that can endure ?

O who would droil *,

Or delve in fuch a foil,

Where gain's uncertain, and the pain is fure

* Dreils i. e. drudge.

S. AU

S. AUGUST.

Sweetness in temporal matters is deceitful: it is a labour and a perpetual fear; it is a dangerous pleasure, aubofe beginning is without providence, and whofe end is not without repentance.

HUGO.

Luxury is an enticing pleasure, a bastard mirth, which bath honey in her mouth, gall in her heart, and a fing in her tail.

EPIG. 3.

What, Cupid, are thy fhafts already made?
And feeking honey to fet up thy trade,

True emblem of thy fweets! Thy bees do bring.
Honey in their mouths, but in their tails a fting,

IV.

PSALM lxii. 29.

To be laid in the balance, it is altogether lighter than

PUT

vanity.

I.

in another weight: 'tis yet too light :
And yet, fond Cupid, put another in

And yet another: ftill there's under-weight:
Put in another hundred : put again;

Add world to world; then heap a thoufand more To that; then, to renew thy wasted store, Take up more worlds on truft, to draw thy balance (low'r.

2.

Put in the flesh, with all her loads of pleafuré ;
Put in great Mammon's endless inventory;
Put in the pond'rous acts of mighty Cæfar:
Put in the greater weight of Sweden's glory;
Add Scipio's gauntlet; put in Plato's gown:
Put Circe's charms, put in the triple crown.
Thy balance will not draw; thy balance will not
[down.

3.

Lord! what a world is this, which day and night Men feek with fo much toil,with fo much trouble? Which, weigh'd in equal fcales, is found fo light, So poorly overbalanc'd with a bubble!

Good God! that frantic mortals fhould deftroy Their higher hopes, and place their idle joy Upon fuch airy trafh, upon fo light a toy !

Thou

B.I.Emb.4.

Quis levior? cui plus ponderi addit Amor. Which is the lightest in the Scale of Fate?

That where fond Cupid still is adding Weight.

NIV

OF