EDMUND WALLER

TO A FAIR LADY

PLAYING WITH A SNAKE

TRANGE, that such horror and such grace

STR

Should dwell together in one place:

A Fury's arm, an Angel's face!

'Tis innocence, and youth, which makes
In Chloris' fancy such mistakes :
To start at love and play with snakes.

By this and by her coldness barr'd,
Her servants have a task too hard :
The Tyrant has a double guard.

Thrice happy Snake, that in her sleeve
May boldly creep! we dare not give
Our thoughts so unconfined a leave.

Contented in that nest of snow
He lies, as he his bliss did know ;
And to the wood no more will go.

Take heed, fair Eve! you do not make
Another tempter of this Snake:

A marble one so warm'd would speak.

TO MY YOUNG LADY LUCY SIDNEY

HY came I so untimely forth

WHY

Into a world which, wanting thee,
Could entertain us with no worth

Or shadow of felicity,

That time should me so far remove
From that which I was born to love?

Yet, Fairest Blossom! do not slight
That age which you may know so soon:
The rosy morn resigns her light

And milder glory to the noon;

And then what wonders shall you do
Whose dawning beauty warms us so?

Hope waits upon the flowery prime ;
And Summer, though it be less gay,
Yet is not look'd on as a time

Of declination or decay :

For with a full hand that does bring
All that was promised by the Spring.

AN APOLOGY

FOR HAVING LOVED BEFORE

THEY

HEY that never had the use
Of the grape's surprizing juice
To the first delicious cup
All their reason render up:
Neither do nor care to know
Whether it be best or no.

So they that are to love inclined,

Sway'd by chance, not choice or art,
To the first that's fair or kind

Make a present of their heart.
'Tis not She that first we love,
But whom dying we approve.

To man, that was in the evening made,
Stars gave the first delight,
Admiring in the gloomy shade
Those little drops of light;
Then at Aurora, whose fair hand
Removed them from the skies,
He gazing tow'rd the East did stand,
She entertain'd his eyes.

But when the bright Sun did appear
All those he 'gan despise ;

His wonder was determined there,

And could no longer rise:

He neither might nor wish'd to know

A more refulgent light,

For that, as mine your beauties now,
Employ'd his utmost sight.

TO A LADY

WHO GAVE HIM A LOST COPY OF A POEM

NOTHING lies hid from radiant eyes ;

All they subdue become their spies ;
Secrets, as choicest jewels, are
Presented to oblige the Fair:

No wonder then that a lost thought Should there be found where souls are caught. The picture of fair Venus (that

For which men say the Goddess sat)
Was lost, till Lely from your look
Again that glorious image took.
If Virtue's self were lost, we might
From your fair mind new copies write.
All things but one you can restore :
The heart you get returns no more.

STAY, PHŒBUS!

STAY, Phoebus ! stay!

The world to which you fly so fast,
Conveying day

From us to them, can pay your haste

With no such object nor salute your rise

With no such wonder as De Mornay's eyes.

Well does this prove

The error of those antique books

Which made you move

About the world: Her charming looks Would fix your beams, and make it ever day,

Did not the rolling earth snatch her away.

SIR JOHN SUCKLING

A BALLAD OF A WEDDING

TELL thee, DICK! where I have been,
Where I the rarest things have seen,

O, things beyond compare!
Such sights again can not be found
In any place on English ground,
Be it at wake or fair.

At Charing-Cross, hard by the way
Where we, thou know'st, do sell our hay,
There is a House with stairs;

And there did I see coming down

Such volk as are not in our town,

Vorty at least, in pairs.

Amongst the rest One pest'lent fine,
His beard no bigger though than thine,
Walk'd on before the best:

Our Landlord looks like nothing to him;
The King, God bless him! 'twould undo him
Should he go still so dress'd.

At course-a-park, without all doubt,
He should have first been taken out
By all the maids i' the town,
Though lusty Roger there had been,