Can think on any object what they please?
For what? Are till th' obedient forms at hand,
And wait on our imperious will's command ?
And ftraight prefent whate'er the will defires,
Whether 'tis heav'n, or earth, or sea, or fires,
Wars, Senates, battles, fights, of pomp, and state?
Does nature thefe, as the commands, create?
Since fix'd in one, one conftant place, the mind
Can think on various things of diff'rent kind.
And why the images, with wanton pace, 790
Can feem to move and dance? Why's ev'ry grace
And measure kept? Why do they clasp their arms,
And tofs their legs, and fhow a thousand charms?
What, have these wantons fkill, they thus delight
To show their fairy tricks, and dance by night?
The reafon is, each part, each single now
Of running time, as reafon feems to show,
Has num'rous parts; and fo, in shortest space,
Ten thoufand forms may By through ev'ry place,
Diff'rent and various; here and there may rove,
So nuni'rous are they, and so swift they move.

810

But fince thefe forms are fubtle and refin'd, 802 They are too thin to be perceiv'd by mind; Unless the fet herfelf to think and pry, Contracting clofe her intelle&ual eye. But this not done, the fleeting images, Unfeen, unthought on, and unheeded, ceafe: And when the feeks to know, contracted clofe, She pries upon the thing, and therefore knows. Thus when the curious eye defigns to view An object fubtle, and refin'd, and new, Unlefs contracted clofe the strictly pries; In vain the ftrives, the object 'fcapes the eyes. Nay, ev'n in plaineft things, unless the mind Takes heed, unless the fets herself to find; The thing no more is feen, no more belov'd, Than if the moft obfcure and far remov'd. What wonder, then, if mind the rest should lofe, And only what the ftrives to know she knows? (Befides, the mind oft thinks fmall objects great, And thus the leads herself into a cheat). And often too, a form of diff'rent kind From what it feem'd before, affects the mind,

821

And ftrikes the fancy. Thus the form that came
A man before, is chang'd; in diff'rent frame
Prefents a woman new to our embrace;
Or fhows fome other change in age or face.
Yet 'tis not frange, that monftrous forms com-

mence

830

840

In fancy, when foft fleep has lull'd the fenfe
And mem'ry, fo that neither can controul
The erring thoughts; neither direct the foul.
But now avoid their grofs mistake, who teach
The limbs were made for work; a ufe for each.
The eyes defign'd to fee, the tongue to talk,
The legs made frong, and knit to feet to walk;,
The arms fram'd long and firm, the fervile hands
To work, as health requires, or life commands;
And fo of all the reft, whate'er they feign,
Whate'er they teach is nonfenfe all, and vain.
For proper ufes were defign'd for none;
But all the members fram'd, each made his own.
No light before the eye, no fpeech was found
Before the tongue, before the ears no found;
In short, the working feeds each limb create
Before its fe, fo 'tis not fram'd for that.
We knew to fight before the help of art,
To bruife and wound before we fram'd a dart;
And nature taught us to avoid a wound,
Before the ufe of arms and fhields was found.
Before beds were, ev'n nature threw us down 850
To reft: we drank before a cup was known.
Thefe various things convenience did produce,
We thought them fit, and made them for our ufe.
Thus thefe, and thus our limbs, and fenfes too,
Were form'd before that any mind did know
What office 'twas that they were fit to do.
Therefore, 'tis fond to think that these began,
For proper ufes made, bestow'd on man.

863

What wonder is't that bodies afk for meat? That nature prompts an animal to eat? For I have taught before, how thousand ways Small parts fly off, and ev'ry thing decays: But more from lab'ring animals retreat, More inward parts fly off in breath and sweat; And fo the body waftes, and nature fails, The ftrength decays, and grief and pain prevails. And therefore, meat's requir'd, a new supply, To fill the places of the parts that die, Recruit the strength, allay the furious pain, And top each gaping nerve, each hungry vein. The cooling drink to ev'ry part retreats, That wants the moisture, and the num'rous heats That burn and fire the ftomach, fly before The coming cold, and we are scorch'd no more. Thus drinks defcend, and thus they wash away Fierce thirft. Thus meats do hunger's force allay.

871

And next I'll fing, why men can move, can run Whene'er they please; what force the members on; What move the dull unactive weight, and bear The load about: you with attention hear. First then, the fubtle form's extremely thin, Pafs through the limbs, and ftrike the mind within :

880

That makes the will; for none pretends to do,
None ftrives to act but what the mind does know;
Now what the mind perceives, it only fees
By thin and very fubtle images.

So when the active mind defigus to move
From place to place, it gives the foul a shove;
The foul fpread o'er the limbs, ('tis quickly
done,
889
For foul and mind are join'd, and make up one)
That ftrikes the limbs, fo all is carry'd on.
But more than this; the body then grows rare,
The pores are open, and the flitting air,
As 'tis in motion ftill, muft enter there :

This fpreads o'er all, and both these things combin'd,

Force on the limbs, as ships both oars and wind.
Nor is it ftrange fuch little parts should shove
The heavy mafs of limbs, and make them move,
And turn them; for unfeen and fubtle gales 899
Drive forward heavy fhips with lab'ring fails;
And yet, when these rufh on with mighty force,
One hand may turn the helm and change the
courfe :

And engines, pullies too, with eafe can rear
The greatest weights, and shake them in the air.
Next, how foft fleep o'er all fpreads thoughtlefs
reft,

And frees from anxious cares the troubled breast;
In few, but fweeteft numbers, mufe, rehearfe,
My few fhall far exceed more num'rous verfe.
Thus dying fwans, though short, yet tuneful voice,
Is more delightful than a world of noife.
910
You entertain my words with willing mind,
And lift'ning ears; left what my muse design'ɑ
Should feem abfurd, impoffible to be,
And truth be flighted, while the fault's in thee,
And wilful blindness will not let thee fee.

921

When the divided foul flies part abroad,
And part oppress'd with an unusual load,
Retiring backward, clofely lurks within,
Then fleep comes on, and flumbers then begin:
For then the limbs grow weak, foft reft does feize
On all the nerves, they lie diffolv'd in ease.
For fince fenfe rifes from the mind alone,
And all the fenfe is loft as fleep comes on:
Since heavy fleep can ftop, dull reft controul
The fenfe, it must divide and break the foul.
Some parts must fly away, but some must keep
Their feats within; elfe 'twould be death, not
fleep.

For then no fubtle atoms of the mind,
No little fubftance would be left behind;
As fparks in afhes, which might well compofe, 930
The fenfe reftor'd as flames arife from thofe,

But now I'll fing what 'tis that breaks the foul,
What fpreads enfeebling reft o'er all the whole;
And why the bodies lie diffolv'd in ease :
Great things! You carefully attend to these.

First, then, the furfaces of things must bear The conftant impulfe of the neighb'ring air, Still vex'd, ftill troubled with external blows, And, therefore, fhells, or rinds, or films enclose, Or fkin, or hair, on ev'ry body grows: 940 Befides, our breath when drawn in that fhort"

ftay,

}

Grates off fome inward parts, and bears away,
In its return again, its conquer'd prey.
Since, then, our limbs receive, and fince they bear
Thefe ftrokes within, without, and ev'ry where;

Since fome creep through the pores, and strive to breed

Confufion there, and difunite the feed;

The body's ftrength must fail, by just degrees,
Its vigour weaken'd by enfeebling ease:
Some fouls they drive away, and fome they prefs,
Drive deeper in, and fhut in clofe recess: 951
Some parts, fpread o'er the limbs, no more
combine,

Nor with the reft in friendly motion join:
For nature ftops the paffages between.
Now fince the atoms diff 'rent ways are toft,
And lofe their ufual course, their fenfe is loft:
And when that prop is gone, the lids must fall,
The limbs grow dull, and weaknels spread o'er all.
Thus after meals we fleep, because the food,
Spread through the veins, and mingled with the
blood,

969

Does only what the air was wont to do;
For that does prefs the foul, and break it too.
So, after labour, or with toil opprefs'd,
Or bellies full, we take the founder reft:
For then the atoms of the mind retreat
The farther in, and take the deeper feat:
And more fly off, more fubftance of the foul,
And thofe within to diftant fpaces roll
More fcatter'd, and divided o'er the whole.
But more; what ftudies pleafe, what moft
delight,

970 And fill mens thoughts, they dream them o'er

at night.

The lawyers plead, make laws, the foldiers fight,The merchants dream of ftorms, they hear them

roar,

And often shipwreck'd, leap or fwim to fhore:
I think of nature's pow'rs, my mind pursues
Her works; and, ev'n in fleep, invokes a mufe:
And other studies too, which entertain [gain.
Mens waking thoughts, they dream them o'er a

Thus they, who with continued sport and play, Make the dull troublesome time hafte away, to The objects, though remov'd, yet leave behind Some fecret tracts, and paffage through the mind,

And fit for images of the fame kind:

Before their waking eyes thofe fports appear; They fee the wantons dance, and feem to hear The fpeaking ftrings breathe forth the fofteft air.) The fame companions still, the same delight, And the fame painted scenes ftill please the fight: So ftrong is ufe, fuch cuftom's pow'r confefs'd; And not in thoughtful man alone, but beast: 990

For often fleeping racers pant and sweat, Breathe fhort, as if they ran their fecond heat; As if, the barrier down, with eager pace They stretch'd, and were contending for the race: And often hounds, when fleep has clos'd their eyes, Will tofs and tumble, and attempt to rife: They open often, often fnuff the air, As if they prefs'd the footsteps of the deer; And, fometimes wak'd, purfue their fancy'd

And fofter curs, that lie and fleep at home, Will often roufe, and walk about the room, And bark, as if they faw fome ftrangers come. But now from images, whofe forms comprife Rough principles, the frightful dreams arife: Thus birds will start, and feek the woods by night,

}

by 7

Whene'er the fancy'd hawk appears in fight,
Whene'er they fee his wing, or hear him fight.
But feeds that raife heroic thoughts in men, 1010
Ev'n fuch are often rais'd in dreams; for then
They fight, are taken captive, and rebel;
They fhout and groan, as if the victor fell:
Some ftrive, fome weep, fome figh; and oft a-
fraid,

Purfu'd or torn by beafts, cry out for aid:
Some talk of ftate affairs, and fome betray
The plots their treach'rous minds had form'd by
day:

Some fly from following death; and others, thrown
From lofty pinnacles, fink headlong down;
But waking, though they know themselves a-
bus'd,

1020

Yet are their pow'rs, their fpirits fo confus'd,
They lie half-dead in deep amaze, remain
Thoughtless, and scarce recover fenfe again.
Others, when thirty, fancy purling ftreams,
Sit down, and quaff the river off in dreams.
[The youth, by Morpheus chain'd with vessels
full,

Dreaming he's near fome fink, or lazy pool,
A briny flood discharges from his veins,
And the rich Afian quilt and bedding stains.]
And thofe whole blood boils high, whom vig-
1030
Has fill'd with feed, and fir'd with luftful rage,

'rous age

pleafing dreams pretent a beauteous face, How hot his blood, how eager to embrace; Nay oft, as in the fury of the joy,

The flowing feed pollutes the am'rous boy. [Then first our feed begins its bufy rage, When ftrength confirms our limbs with rip'ning

Which often are purfu'd by following care, Distracting thoughts, and often deep defpair.

Nay, though the pleasing object is remov'd,
Though we no longer view the thing belov'd, 1060
Yet forms attend: or if we chance to hear
Her name, love enters with it at the ear.
But 'twill be wife and prudent to remove
And banish all incentives unto love:

And let thy age, thy vig'rous youth, be thrown
On all in common, not referv'd for one :

For that breeds cares and fears; that fond difeafe,

Thofe raging pains, if nonrifh'd, will increase:
Unless you fancy ev'ry one you view,
Revel in love, and cure old wounds by new. 1070
Nor do they mifs the joy who love difdain,
But rather take the fweet without the pain:
Nay, they have greater fweets, while lovers arms
Shall clafp their dears, while they behold their
charms.

[ploy'd,
Straight doubts arife, their careless mind's em-
Which sweets must first be rifl'd, which enjoy'd:
What they defir'd they hurt, and 'midst the blifs
Raife pain; and often, with a furious kifs,
They wound the balmy lip: this they endure,
Because the joy's not perfect, 'tis not pure. 1080
But ftill fome fting remains, fome fierce defire
To hurt whatever 'twas that rais'd the fire:
But yet the pains are few, they quickly ceafe;
The mix'd delight does make the hurt the lefs.

Perhaps they hope that she that struck, the same Can heal; that the that rais'd, can stop the flame. Fond fancy this in love! We ne'er give o'er; The more we know and have, we with the more. 'Tis true, becaufe the meat and drink's convey'd

To proper veffels; thirst and hunger's stay'd. 1090
But now from beauty, now from forms that pleafe,
What comes, but thin and empty images?
Ev'n fuch as he enjoys, that drinks in dreams;
His thirft increases 'midft the fancy'd ftreams.
So love deludes poor men; their cov'tous eye,
What long, what frequent fights can fatisfy?
What from the tender limbs, with wanton play,
And am'rous touch, poor lovers bring away?

Nay, ev'n in the embrace, whilft both employ Their ftrength; and bodies feel the coming joy; Though then they twine, and bill like loving doves,

ΙΙΟΙ

Though ardent breathings fire each other's loves;
In vain! fond fools, they cannot mix their fouls,
Although they seem to try, in am'rous rolls;
So ftrictly twin'd, till all their pow'rs decay,
And the loofe airy pleaire flips away:
Then a fhort paufe between, and then returns
The fame fierce luft, the fame fierce fury burns;
Whilft they both feek, whilst they both with to
have

Whate'er their wanton fancies, wanton wishes

And live poor flaves unto another's will:

Debts they contract apace, their money flies:
Their fame, their houour too, grows fick, and dies.
Rich fhoes, and jewels, fet in gold, adorn
The feet; the richest purple vests are worn.
The wealth, their fathers toil'd, and fought to gain,
Now buys a coat, a mitre, or a chain.
Great fhows and sports are made, and royal feasts,
Where choiceft meats and wines provoke the
guests:

1120

Where gawdy tapestry, and odours fpread
O'er all the room, and crowns grace ev'ry head:
In vain for still fome bitter thought destroys
His fancy'd mirth, and poisons all his joys.

[Firft, guilty confcience does the mirror bring; Then sharp remorfe shoots out her angry fting; And anxious thoughts, within themselves at trife, Upbraid the long mis-spent luxurious life.] 1130 Perhaps fome doubtful word torments his mind, Sinks deep, and wounds, and leaves a fting behind.

Perhaps he thinks his mistress' wanton eyes Gloat on his friend, perhaps faint fmiles he fpies.

Such mischiefs happen ev'n in profp'rous love:
But thofe, that crofs and adverse passion prove,
Those wretched lovers met ten thousand more,
Ten thousand scarce can measure the vaft store,
So obvious all, that with the strictest care
'Tis good to keep my rules, and fhun the snare;
'Tis easier to avoid, than break the chain, 1141
When once entrapp'd, or be redeem'd again;
The nets are ftrong, and we may ftrive in vain.
Yet, though fecurely caught, you may be free
Again, unless you are refolv'd to be

A trifling flave; and from your thoughts remove
The faults in mind and face of her you love:
For often men, quite blind by fond defire,
First think their loves great beauties, then ad-
mire;

Their pow'rful working fancy ftill fupplies 11507
With borrow'd shapes, and flattering disguise,
The meaner beauties great neceflities.
Hence 'tis, that ugly things, in fancy'd dress,
Seem gay, look fair to lovers eyes, and please.
The black feems brown, the nafty, negligent;
Owl-ey'd, like Pallas, and my heart's content:
The little dwarf is pretty, grace all o'cr;
The vaft, furprifing; and we must adore; 1158
The ftanini'ring lips; the lover thinks he hears
The broken founds breath'd forth in fofteft airs:
She's modeft if she's dumb, and nought can fay;
The fierce and prattling thing is brisk and gay;
She's thin, if hectic, and but one remove
From death; the meagre is my flender love:
The great and fwelling breaft like Ceres is;
The big and hanging lip, a very kifs.

Ten thousand fuch: But grant the fweeteft face, Grant each part lovely, grant each part a grace, Yet others equal beauties do enjoy,

The lefs obdurate gate; though then he pours His ointments on, and crowns the gates with flow'rs;

Yet, when admitted; when no longer coy,
The Mifs provokes the eager fool to joy:
Then ev'ry thing offends, he fancies none; 1188
But feeks fome fit excufes to be gone :
Then he forgets the stories he defign'd;
Nor tells how much her coldnefs vex'd his
mind,
[kind?
Nor fighs, and why, my dear, was you un
Then grieves he gave to her that awful love,
He only vow'd to the great pow'rs above.

And this our Miffes know, and ftrive to hide Their faults from thofe (the cov'ring's decent pride)

Whom they would cheat, and bind to an amour;'
Though foul behind, they look all bright be
fore;
1190
In vain; for thou canst understand the cheat,
Discover, know their wiles and grofs deceit.
Nay, if he's free, if not defigns to vex,
Nor cross thy courtship, or thy thoughts perplex,
She'll fhow the common failures of her fex.

[Nor always do they feign the fweets of love, When round the panting youth their pliant limbt they move;

And cling, and heave, and moisten ev'ry kiss; They often fhare, and more than fhare the blifs; From ev'ry part, even to their inmok foul, 1200 They feel the trickling joys, and run with vigour to the goal,

Stirr'd with the fame impetuous defire,

Birds, beafts, and herds, and mares their males re

quire;

Because the throbbing nature in their veins
Provokes them to affuage their kindly pains:
The lufty leap th' expecting female stands,
By mutual heat compell'd to mutual bands.
Thus dogs with lolling tongues by love are ty';
Nor fhouting boys, nor blows, their union as

divide:

At either end they strive the link to loose; 1210 In vain; for ftronger Venus holds the noose. Which never would thofe wretched lovers do, But that the common heats of love they know ; The pleasure therefore must be fhar'd in com-( mon too,]

The child still bears the form, whofe feed pr

vails,

If mother's, her's, if father's, then the male's:
But thofe, that show a part of either face,
Are made of feed, whofe friendly pow'rs em-

brace;

[the mafs

When neither this nor that prevails, and forms)
And oft with joy indulgent father's view'd 1210
The grandfire's image in their fons renew'd:
Because the little mafs of feed remains
Entire, and whole within the father's veins,
Which from the grandfire fell: this Venus takes,
Of this a likeness in the fhapes she makes;
She imitates the grandfire's voice, or hair,
His fmile or fome peculiar grace, and air:
For thefe on proper feeds depend, and rise
From proper shapes, as well as hands or eyes

And thick with thin, and thin with thick should join,

The male's, and female's feed agree to make 1230|
The tender young, of both the young partake;
But yet that fex the young resembles most,
That has more pow'rful feed, more vig'rous luft.
Nor do the gods decree, nor thoughts em-
ploy,

Which mortal fhall, which shall not get a boy,
As fome believe; and therefore facrifice,
While clouds of incenfe from the altars rife ;
Make vows, and pray'rs, temples and altars build,
To please the angry gods, and beg a child :
Fond fooling this, to court the pow'rs above, 1240
They fit at eafe, and never mind our love.

But male and female, though they aft embrace,

1250

In vain endeavour to increase their race,
If either's feeds too fubtle, thin, and fine;
Or elfe too grofs, and dull for that defign;
For if too thin, the veffels ne'er retain
The feed receiv'd; it ftraight flows out again,
And all the kind endeavour is in vain.
But if too grofs and dull, it moves but flow,
And little pores refufe to let it through:
Or it lies fullen there, unfit to breed,
Nor kindly mixes with the female feed;
For all not fit with all: Thus fome do prove
Unfruitful, after many years of love;
Though they have often prov'd the nuptial joy,
And ftrove but all in vain to get a boy :
Yet by a fecond husband's apt embrace,
They quickly bear a fair and num'rous race,
And the decaying families increase.

}

They fee their fons grow ftrong with youthful 1260

rage,

The joy and comfort of their feeble age.

[So much it does impart, that feed with feed Should of the kindly mixture make the breed;

So to produce and propagate the line.
Of fuch concernment too is drink and food,
T'incraffate or attenuate the blood.

1270

Of like importance is the pofture too,
In which the genial feat of love we do:
For as the females of the four-foot kind
Receive the leapings of their males behind,
So the good wives with loins uplifted high,
And leaning on their hands, the fruitful ftroke
may try :

For in that posture they will best conceive;
Not when, fupinely laid, they frisk and heave:
For active motions only break the blow,
And more of ftrumpets than of wives they
fhow:
[liquors flow.
When anfw'ring stroke with stroke the mingled
Endearments eager, and too brifk a bound
Throw off the ploughfhare from the furrow'd

ground:

1280

Ver. 1. THE first twenty-nine verfes of this book, in which the poet invites the attention of his Memmius, or any other reader, are in Book f. V.931. where you may confult our notes upon them. Some blame Lucretius for this long repetition: Nor indeed have we one fingle inftance of the like battology in any of the ancient poets. Moreover, we may obferve, that our tranflator has employed the two whole verfes, which begin this book, to render only thefe four words of his author: "Avia pieridum peragro loca :" Now the mufes were called Pierides, either from Pierius, a mountain of Theffalia, in which they are faid to be born of Jupiter and Mnemofyne: or from the victory they gained over the nine daughters of Pieros the Macedonian, who had challenged the mufes to fing with them, and being overcome, were by the fame mufes changed into fo many magpies. This fable is related at large by Ovid, Metamor.