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Men thought her Minerva, and him a new god. But why should I stories of Athens rehearse, Where people knew love, and were partial to verse; Since none can with justice my pleasures oppose, In Holland half drowned in interest and prose? By Greece and past ages what need I be tried, When the Hague and the present are both on my side?

And is it enough for the joys of the day,

To think what Anacreon or Sappho would say?
When good Vandergoes, and his provident Vrow,
As they gaze on my triumph, do freely allow,
That, search all the province, you ll find no man.
dar is

So blest as the Englishen Heer Secretar' is.

THE REMEDY WORSE THAN THE DISEASE

I SENT for Ratcliffe; was so ill,
That other doctors gave me over:
He felt my pulse, prescrib'd his pill,
And I was likely to recover.

But, when the wit began to wheeze,
• And wine had warm'd the politician,

Cur'd yesterday of my disease,

I died last night of my physician.

UPON THIS PASSAGE IN THE SCALIGERIANA.

"Les Allemans ne ce soucient pas quel Vin ils boivent pourveu que ce soit Vin, ni quel Latin ils parlent pour veu que ce soit Latin."

WHEN you with High-Dutch Heeren dine,
Expect false Latin, and stumm'd wine;
They never taste who always drink;
They always talk, who never think.

TO A CHILD OF QUALITY,

FIVE YEARS OLD, MDCCIV. THE AUTHOR THEN FORTY.

LORDS, knights, and squires, the numerous ban‹l,
That wear the fair Miss Mary's fetters,
Were summon'd by her high command,
To show their passions by their letters.

My pen among the rest I took,

Lest those bright eyes that cannot read Should dart their kindling fires, and look The power they have to be obey'd.

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Nor quality, nor reputation,

Forbid me yet my flame to tell,
Dear five years old befriends my passion,
And I may write till she can spell.

For, while she makes her silkworms beds
With all the tender things I swear;
Whilst all the house my passion reads,
In papers round her baby's hair;

She may receive and own my flame,

For, though the strictest prudes should know it, She'll pass for a most virtuous dame, And I for an unhappy poet.

Then too, alas! when she shall tear
The lines some younger rival sends;
She'll give me leave to write, I fear,
And we shall still continue friends.

For, as our different ages move,

'Tis so ordain'd (would Fate but mend it!) That I shall be past making love,

When she begins to comprehend it.

:

PARTIAL FAME.

THE sturdy man, if he in love obtains,
In open pomp and triumph reigns:
The subtle woman, if she should succeed,
Disowns the honour of the deed.

Though he, for all his boast, is forc'd to yield,
Though she can always keep the field:

He vaunts his conquest, she conceals her shame;
How partial is the voice of Fame!

TO CLOE.

WHILST I am scorch'd with hot desire,
In vain cold friendship you return;

Your drops of pity on my fire,

Alas! but make it fiercer burn.

Ah! would you have the flame supprest,
That kills the heart it heats too fast,
Take half my passion to your breast;
The rest in mine shall ever last.

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

THE COUNTESS DOWAGER OF DEVONSHIRE,

ON A PIECE OF WIESSEN'S WHEREON WERE
ALL HER GRANDSONS PAINTED.

WIESSEN1 and Nature held a long contest,
If she created, or he painted best ;

With pleasing thought the wondrous combat grew,
She, still form'd fairer; he, still liker drew.
In these seven brethren, they contended last,

With art increas'd, their utmost skill they tried, And, both well pleas'd they had themselves surpass'd,

The goddess triumph'd, and the painter died. 'That both, their skill to this vast height did raise, Be ours the wonder, and be yours the praise:

1 William Wiessen, an eminent portrait painter, born at the Hague in 1656. He learned the art of painting from Dodoens, and after some time spent with him, visited England, and improved himself under Sir Peter Lely, whose manner he imitated with success. "He had the honour," says Mr. Pilkington, "to be competitor with Sir Godfrey Kneller, though the superiority was allowed to the latter, on account of that dignity and air which Kneller generally gave to his portraits; however, the real merit of Wiessen as an artist, as also the politeness of his manners, secured to him the esteem of the great, and provided him employment as long as he lived." Dictionary of Painters, 4to. 1770, p. 685. He died 1687.

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