ON THE DEATH OF A FAIR INFANT,1 DYING OF A COUGH. I. O FAIREST flower, no sooner blown but blasted, Summer's chief honour, if thou hadst out-lasted That did thy cheek envermeil, thought to kiss, II. For since grim Aquilo,2 his charioteer, By boisterous rape the Athenian damsel got, Of long-uncoupled bed and childless eld, Which, 'mongst the wanton gods, a foul reproach was held. III. So, mounting up in icy-pearled car, Through middle empire of the freezing air He wander'd long, till thee he spied from far; There ended was his quest, there ceas'd his care : But, all unawares, with his cold-kind embrace IV. Yet art thou not inglorious in thy fate; 'On the Death of a Fair Infant:' this was written when the author was seventeen. The child was a daughter of his sister Phillipps.-'Aquilo,' or Boreas, the north wind, ravished Orithyra; see Ovid, Met. vi. Young Hyacinth, born on Eurotas' strand, But then transform'd him to a purple flower: Alack, that so to change thee Winter had no power! V. Yet can I not persuade me thou art dead, Or that thy corse corrupts in earth's dark womb, Hid from the world in a low-delved tomb; VI. Resolve me then, O Soul most surely blest, VII. Wert thou some star which from the ruin'd roof Of shak'd Olympus by mischance didst fall; Of sheeny Heaven, and thou, some goddess, fled, VIII. Or wert thou that just Maid,2 who once before 1 'Earth's sons:' the Giants.-Maid:' Justice. Or wert thou that sweet-smiling youth ?1 Or that crown'd matron sage white-robed Truth? Let down in cloudy throne to do the world some good? IX. Or wert thou of the golden-winged host, To scorn the sordid world, and unto heaven aspire? X. But oh! why didst thou not stay here below To stand 'twixt us and our deserved smart? But thou canst best perform that office where thou art. XI. Then thou, the Mother of so sweet a Child, Her false-imagin'd loss cease to lament, And wisely learn to curb thy sorrows wild ; That, till the world's last end, shall make thy name to live. 1 Youth: Mercy. ON TIME.1 FLY, envious Time, till thou run out thy race; So little is our loss, So little is thy gain! For when as each thing bad thou hast entomb'd, And last of all thy greedy self consum'd, Then long Eternity shall greet our bliss With an individual2 kiss; And Joy shall overtake us as a flood, When every thing that is sincerely good And perfectly divine, With Truth, and Peace, and Love, shall ever shine About the supreme throne Of Him, to whose happy-making sight alone When once our heavenly-guided soul shall clime; Then, all this earthly grossness quit, Attir'd with stars, we shall for ever sit, Triumphing over Death, and Chance, and thee, O Time! เ On Time:' this was meant to be set on a clock-case.- Individual:' inseparable. AT A SOLEMN MUSICK. BLEST pair of Syrens, pledges of Heaven's joy, With saintly shout, and solemn jubilee ; Singing everlastingly : That we on earth, with undiscording voice, As once we did, till disproportion'd sin Jarr'd against Nature's chime, and with harsh din Broke the fair musick that all creatures made To their great Lord, whose love their motion sway'd In perfect diapason, whilst they stood In first obedience, and their state of good. O, may we soon again renew that song, And keep in tune with Heaven, till God ere long To live with him, and sing in endless morn of light! |