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SEVERAL OCCASIONS.

I.

ANNO AETATIS 17.

On the death of a fair Infant, dying of a cough.

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I.

Faireft flow'r no fooner blown but blafted, Fore Soft filken primrose fading timelesly, Summer's chief honor, if thou hadft out-lafted Bleak Winter's force that made thy bloffom dry; For he being amorous on that lovely dye

That did thy cheek envermeil, thought to kifs, But kill'd, alas, and then bewail'd his fatal blifs.

II.

For fince grim Aquilo his charioteer

By boiftrous rape th' Athenian damfel got,
He thought it touch'd his deity full near,
If likewise he fome fair one wedded not,
Thereby to wipe away th' infamous blot

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Of long-uncoupled bed, and childlefs eld, (held. Which 'mongst the wanton Gods a foul reproach was

So

III.

So mounting up in icy-pearled car,
Through middle empire of the freezing air
He wander'd long, till thee he spy'd from far;
There ended was his queft, there ceas'd his care.
Down he defcended from his fnow-soft chair,

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But all unwares with his cold-kind embrace 20 Unhous'd thy virgin foul from her fair biding place. IV.

Yet art thou not inglorious in thy fate;
For fo Apollo, with unweeting hand,
Whilome did flay his dearly-loved mate,
Young Hyacinth born on Eurota's ftrand,
Young Hyacinth the pride of Spartan land;

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But then transform'd him to a purple flower: Alack that so to change thee Winter had no power.

V.

Yet can I not perfuade me thou art dead,
Or that thy corfe corrupts in 'earth's dark womb,
Or that thy beauties lie in wormy bed,

Hid from the world in a low delved tomb;
Could Heav'n for pity thee so strictly doom?

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Oh no! for fomething in thy face did shine Above mortality, that show'd thou waft divine. 35 VI.

Resolve me then, oh Soul most surely bleft,
(If fo it be that thou these plaints doft hear)
Tell me bright Spirit where'er thou hoverest,

Whether

Whether above that high first-moving sphere,
Or in th' Elysian fields (if such there were)

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Oh say me true, if thou wert mortal wight, And why from us fo quickly thou didst take thy flight.

VII.

Wert thou some star which from the ruin'd roof,
Of shak'd Olympus by mischance didst fall;
Which careful Jove in nature's true behoof
Took up, and in fit place did reinstall?
Or did of late earth's fons befiege the wall

45.

Of sheeny Heav'n, and thou fome Goddess fled Amongst us here below to hide thy nectar'd head? VIII.

Or wert thou that just Maid who once before 50
Forfook the hated earth, O tell me footh,
And cam'ft again to visit us once more?
Or wert thou that sweet smiling Youth?

Or that crown'd matron fage white-robed Truth?
Or any other of that heav'nly brood
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Letdown in cloudy throne todo the world fome good?

IX.

бо

Or wert thou of the golden-winged hoft,
Who having clad thyself in human weed,
To earth from thy prefixed seat didst post,
And after short abode fly back with speed,
As if to fhow what creatures Heav'n doth breed,
Thereby to fet the hearts of men on fire
To scorn the fordid world, and unto heav'n aspire ?

But

X.

But oh why didst thou not stay here below
To bless us with thy heav'n-lov'd innocence, 65
To flake his wrath whom fin hath made our foe,
To turn swift-rushing black perdition hence,
Or drive away the flaughtering peftilence,

To ftand 'twixt us and our deserved smart? 69 But thou canst best perform that office where thou art. XI.

Then thou the mother of fo fweet a Child
Her false imagin'd lofs cease to lament,
And wifely learn to curb thy forrows wild;
Think what a present thou to God hast sent,
And render him with patience what he lent;

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This if thou do, he will an ofspring give, (live. That till the world's last end fhall make thy name to II.

Anno AEtatis 19. At a Vacation Exercise in the college, part Latin, part English. The Latin speeches ended, the English thus began:

HA

AIL native Language, that by finews weak Didft move my firft endevoring tongue to speak, And mad'st imperfect words with childish trips, Half unpronounc'd, slide through my infant-lips, Driving dumb filence from the portal door, Where he had mutely fat two years before: Here I falute thee, and thy pardon ask, That now I use thee in my latter task:

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Small

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Small lofs it is that thence can come unto thee,
I know my tongue but little grace can do thee: 10
Thou need'ft not be ambitious to the first,
Believe me I have thither packt the worst:
And, if it happen as I did forecast,

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20

The daintieft difhes fhall be ferv'd up laft.
I pray thee then deny me not thy aid
For this fame small neglect that I have made :
But hafte thee ftrait to do me once a pleasure,
And from thy wardrobe bring thy chiefest treasure,
Not those new fangled toys, and trimming flight
Which takes our late fantaftics with delight,
But cull those richest robes, and gay'ft attire
Which deepest spirits, and choiceft wits defire:
I have fome naked thoughts that rove about,
And loudly knock to have their paffage out;
And weary of their place do only flay
Till thou haft deck'd them in thy beft array;

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That fo they may without fufpect or fears
Fly swiftly to this fair affembly's ears;
Yet I had rather, if I were to chufe,

Thy service in fome graver subject use,

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may

Such as may make thee search thy coffers round,
Before thou clothe my fancy in fit found:
Such where the deep transported mind foar
Above the wheeling poles, and at Heav'n's door
Look in, and fee each blissful Deity
How he before the thunderous throne doth lie,

Y

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Lift'ning

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