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ur un…understanding issue now; In a glad sigh; a smile; a tear; a vow。
II。 Tell me; O self…reviving Sun; In thy perigrination Hast thou beheld a pair Twist their soft beams like these in their chast air? As from bright numberlesse imbracing rayes Are sprung th' industrious dayes; So when they gaze; And change their fertile eyes with the new morn; A beauteous offspring is shot forth; not born。
III。 Be witness then; all…seeing Sun; Old spy; thou that thy race hast run In full five thousand rings; To thee were ever purer offerings Sent on the wings of Faith? and thou; O Night; Curtain of their delight; By these made bright; Have you not mark'd their coelestial play; And no more peek'd the gayeties of day?
IV。 Come then; pale virgins; roses strow; Mingled with Ios as you go。 The snowy ox is kill'd; The fane with pros'lyte lads and lasses fill'd; You too may hope the same seraphic joy; Old time cannot destroy; Nor fulnesse cloy; When; like these; you shall stamp by sympathies Thousands of new…born…loves with your chaste eyes。
Lovelace was connected with the Stanleys through the Auchers。 The Kentish families; about this time; intermarried with each other to a very large extent; partly to indemnify themselves from the consequences of gravelkind tenure (though many had procured parliamentary relief); and the Lovelaces; the Stanleys; the Hammonds; the Sandyses; were all more or less bound together by the ties of kindred。 See the tree prefixed by Sir Egerton Brydges to his edition of HAMMOND'S POEMS; 1816; and the Introduction to STANLEY'S POEMS; 1814。 Sir William Lovelace; the poet's grandfather; married Elizabeth; daughter of Edward Aucher; Esq。; of Bishopsbourne; near Canterbury; while Sir William Hammond; of St。 Alban's Court; married; as his second wife; Elizabeth; daughter of Anthony Aucher; Esq。; of Bishopsbourne; by whom he had; among other children; Mary; who became the wife of Sir Thomas Stanley; of Cumberlow; father of Thomas Stanley; the poet; historian; and translator of Bion; &c。
See THE POEMS OF WILLIAM HAMMOND; 1655; edited by Sir E。 Brydges; 1816; p。 54; where there is a similar poem on Stanley and his bride from the pen of Hammond; who also claimed relationship with the then newly…married poet。 The best account of Stanley is in the reprint of his Poems and Translations; 1814; 8vo。
Meaning that the earth had made 5000 revolutions round the sun; or; in other words; that the sun was 5000 years old。
Original reads AND THOU OF NIGHT。
ON SANAZAR'S BEING HONOURED WITH SIX HUNDRED DUCKETS BY THE CLARISSIMI OF VENICE; FOR COMPOSING AN ELIGIACK HEXASTICK OF THE CITY。
A SATYRE。
Twas a blith prince exchang'd five hundred crowns For a fair turnip。 Dig; dig on; O clowns But how this comes about; Fates; can you tell; This more then Maid of Meurs; this miracle? Let me not live; if I think not St。 Mark Has all the oar; as well as beasts; in's ark! No wonder 'tis he marries the rich sea; But to betroth him to nak'd Poesie; And with a bankrupt muse to merchandise; His treasures beams; sure; have put out his eyes。 His conquest at Lepanto I'l let pass; When the sick sea with turbants night…cap'd was; And now at Candie his full courage shown; That wan'd to a wan line the half…half moon。 This is a wreath; this is a victorie; Caesar himself would have look'd pale to see; And in the height of all his triumphs feel Himself but chain'd to such a mighty wheel。 And now me thinks we ape Augustus state; So ugly we his high worth imitate; Monkey his godlike glories; so that we Keep light and form with such deformitie; As I have seen an arrogant baboon With a small piece of glasse zany the sun。 Rome to her bard; who did her battails sing; Indifferent gave to poet and to king; With the same lawrells were his temples fraught; Who best had written; and who best had fought; The self same fame they equally did feel; One's style ador'd as much as t' other's steel。 A chain or fasces she could then afford The sons of Phoebus; we; an axe or cord; Sometimes a coronet was her renown; And ours; the dear prerogative of a crown。 In marble statu'd walks great Lucan lay; And now we walk; our own pale statua。 They the whole year with roses crownd would dine; And we in all December know no wine; Disciplin'd; dieted; sure there hath bin Ods 'twixt a poet and a Capuchin。 Of princes; women; wine; to sing I see Is no apocrypha: for to rise high Commend this olio of this lord 'tis fit: Nay; ten to one; but you have part of it; There is that justice left; since you maintain His table; he should counter…feed your brain。 Then write how well he in his sack hath droll'd; Straight there's a bottle to your chamber roll'd; Or with embroider'd words praise his French suit; Month hence 'tis yours with his mans; to boot; Or but applaud his boss'd legs: two to none; But he most nobly doth give you one。 Or spin an elegie on his false hair: 'Tis well; he cries; but living hair is dear。 Yet say that out of order ther's one curl; And all the hopes of your reward you furl。 Write a deep epick poem; and you may As soon delight them as the opera; Where they Diogenes thought in his tub; Never so sowre did look so sweet a club。 You that do suck for thirst your black quil's blood; And chaw your labour'd papers for your food; I will inform you how and what to praise; Then skin y' in satin as young Lovelace plaies。 Beware; as you would your fierce guests; your lice; To strip the cloath of gold from cherish'd vice; Rather stand off with awe and reverend fear; Hang a poetick pendant in her ear; Court her as her adorers do their glasse; Though that as much of a true substance has; Whilst all the gall from your wild ink you drain; The beauteous sweets of vertues cheeks to stain; And in your livery let her be known; As poor and tatter'd as in her own。 Nor write; nor speak you more of sacred writ; But what shall force up your arrested wit。 Be chast; religion and her priests your scorn; Whilst the vain fanes of idiots you adorn。 It is a mortal errour; you must know; Of any to speak good; if he be so。 Rayl; till your edged breath flea your raw throat; And burn remarks on all of gen'rous note; Each verse be an indictment; be not free Sanctity 't self from thy scurrility。 Libel your father; and your dam buffoon; The noblest matrons of the isle lampoon; Whilst Aretine and 's bodies you dispute; And in your sheets your sister prostitute。 Yet there belongs a sweetnesse; softnesse too; Which you must pay; but first; pray; know to who。 There is a creature; (if I may so call That unto which they do all prostrate fall) Term'd mistress; when they'r angry; but; pleas'd high; It is a princesse; saint; divinity。 To this they sacrifice the whole days light; Then lye with their devotion all night; For this you are to dive to the abysse; And rob for pearl the closet of some fish。 Arabia and Sabaea you must strip Of all their sweets; for to supply her lip; And steal new fire from heav'n; for