20

Exceed their promise in the ripen'd store,
Yet in the rifing bloffom promise more.
There in bright drops the crystal Fountains play,
By Laurels shielded from the piercing day :
Where Daphne, now a tree as once a maid,
Still from Apollo vindicates her shade,
Still turns her beauties from th' invading beam,
Nor feeks in vain for fuccour to the Stream. 26
The stream at once preferves her virgin leaves,
At once a fhelter from her boughs receives,
Where Summer's beauty midft of Winter stays,
And Winter's Coolness fpite of Summer's rays. 30

WEEPING.

WHI

HILE Celia's Tears make forrow bright, Proud Grief fits fwelling in her The Sun, next those the faireft light,

eyes;

Thus from the Ocean first did rife: And thus thro' Mifts we see the Sun, Which else we durft not gaze upon.

These filver drops, like morning dew,
Foretell the fervour of the day:

So from one Cloud foft fhow'rs we view,
And blafting lightnings burst away.
The Stars that fall from Celia's eye,
Declare our Doom in drawing nigh.

5

10

The Baby in that funny Sphere

So like a Phaëton appears,

That Heav'n, the threaten'd World to spare, 15
Thought fit to drown him in her tears:

Elfe might th' ambitious Nymph aspire,
To fet, like him, Heav'n too on fire.

V.

E. of ROCHESTER,

On SILENCE.

I.

SILE

ILENCE! coeval with Eternity;
Thou wert, ere Nature's self began to be,

'Twas one vaft Nothing, all, and all slept fast in

thee.

II. Thine was the fway, ere heav'n was form'd, or earth,

Ere fruitful Thought conceiv'd creation's birth, Or midwife Word gave aid, and spoke the infant forth.

III.

Then various elements, against thee join'd,
In one more various animal combin'd,

And fram'd the clam'rous race of busy Humankind.

IV.

The tongue mov'd gently first, and speech was low,

"Till wrangling Science taught it noise and show, And wicked Wit arose, thy most abusive foe.

V.

But rebel Wit deferts thee oft' in vain;

Loft in the maze of words he turns again, And seeks a furer ftate, and courts thy gentle reign,

VI.

Afflicted Senfe thou kindly doft fet free,
Opprefs'd with argumental tyranny,

And routed Reason finds a safe retreat in thee.

VII.

With thee in private modest Dulness lies, And in thy bofom lurks in Thought's disguise; Thou varnisher of Fools, and cheat of all the Wife!

VIII.

Yet thy indulgence is by both confest ;
Folly by thee lies fleeping in the breast,

And 'tis in thee at last that Wisdom seeks for rest

IX.

Silence the knave's repute, the whore's good

name,

;

The only honour of the wishing dame The very want of makes thee a kind of

tongue

Fame.

X.

But could't thou feize fome tongues that now are free,

How Church and State should be oblig'd to thee? At Senate, and at Bar, how welcome would'st thou be?

XI.

Yet speech ev'n there, fubmiffively withdraws, From rights of fubjects, and the poor man's caufe: Then pompous Silence reigns, and ftills the noify Laws.

XII.

Paft fervices of friends, good deeds of foes, What Fav'rites gain, and what the Nation owes, Fly the forgetful world, and in thy arms repose.

XIII.

The country wit, religion of the town, The courtier's learning, policy o' th' gown, Are beft by thee exprefs'd; and shine in thee alone.

XIV.

The parfon's cant, the lawyer's sophistry, Lord's quibble, critic's jeft; all end in thee, All reft in peace at laft, and fleep eternally.