Mancipium Domini, ftimulofque cupidinis acres
Sentit iners, fævoque piger fub Verbere torpet.

Te compello iterum, ô Ratio! miferere doloris
Effufi, miferere, oro, & fuccurre labanti.
Nimirùm cælis Sapientia nafcitur; altos

Hinc ducit radios, hominumque in pectora torquet.
Hæc tamen humanæ Regina altiffima mentis
Sceptra parùm metuenda manu fuftentat inerti;
Incola fi gravior furgat, folioque potitam
Vi majore premens, cogat fibi cedere Victor.

Sis verò licet imbellis, fis mollis inerfque,
Confilio tamen orba tuo Mens inscia, cursu
Incauto tutæ veftigia linqueret alta
Virtutis, vitiique incerto in calle periret.

Ut mulcet placidâ nares dulcedine fragrans Unguentum, lætas pertentat fuaviter aures Laudis honos meritæ; quod fi labatur in urnam Muscula, contacti dulces violantur odores;

Balfamaque, heu! quantum mutata, inamabile fpirant. Sic minimas labes inter pulcherrima facta

Si fpargas hinc inde, lues fubnascitur atra,

Con

Tortur'd by cruel Change of wild Defires,
Lash'd by mad Rage, and fcorch'd by brutal Fires.

O Reason! once again to Thee I call: Accept my Sorrow, and retrieve my Fall. Wisdom, Thou fay'ft, from Heav'n receiv'd her Birth; Her Beams transmitted to the subject Earth. Yet this great Empress of the human Soul Does only with imagin'd Pow'r controul; If restless Paffion by Rebellious Sway Compells the weak Ufurper to obey.

O troubled, weak, and Coward, as thou art!
Without thy poor Advice the lab'ring Heart
To worfe Extremes with fwifter Steps would run,
Not fav'd by Virtue, yet by Vice undone.

Oft have I faid; the Praise of doing well
Is to the Ear, as Oyntment to the Smell.
Now if fome Flies perchance, however small,
Into the Alabafter Urn fhould fall;

The Odors of the Sweets inclos'd would dye;

And Stench corrupt (fad Change!) their Place fupply. So the least Faults, if mix'd with faireft Deed,

Of future Ill become the fatal Seed:

M

Into

Contrahit informes maculas puriffima Virtus,
Paulatimque fluens diffunditur undique peftis.

Infelix SOLOMON! mitte has de pectore curas: Quin vitæ recolas errores mille pera&tæ; Demiffis tacitè lacrymis, quòd, facta Bonorum Carmine dum celebret Mufa immortalis, honores Accumulans famæ meritos; tua crimina sola Voce canet clarâ, neque regia carpere parcet Nomina, manfurum infundens nimis æqua venenum.

Me tandem eripui è fomnis, oculofque patentes Confcius erexi; bilem movere cohortes Fæmineæ, Turbæque Deorum: ftat mihi certum Immotumque animo, paulatim emergere ab alto Oceano Vitii: Querulos hinc mæfta refurgens Musa modos renovat, culpatque fugacia vitæ Gaudia; fublimique audens fe attollere pennâ, Spes hominum fragiles fævi ludibria fati, Divitias fruftra aggeftas, ingrataque honorum Tædia profequitur, miferafque libidinis atræ Blanditias: aperitque dolos, nugasque fatetur.

Into the Balm of pureft Virtue caft,
Annoy all Life with one contagious Blast.

Loft SOLOMON! purfue this Thought no more: Of thy paft Errors recollect the Store:

And filent weep, that while the Deathless Muse
Shall fing the Juft; fhall o'er their Head diffuse
Perfumes with lavish Hand; She shall proclaim
Thy Crimes alone; and to thy evil Fame
Impartial, scatter Damps and Poyfons on thy Name.)

Awaking therefore, as who long had dream'd,
Much of my Women, and their Gods asham'd,
From this Abyss of exemplary Vice

Refolv'd, as Time might aid my Thought, to rise;
Again I bid the mournful Goddess write

The fond Purfuit of fugitive Delight:

Bid her exalt her melancholy Wing,

And rais'd from Earth, and fav'd from Paffion, fing
Of human Hope by crofs Event destroy'd,
Of useless Wealth, and Greatness unenjoy'd,

Of Luft and Love, with their fantastic Train,

Their Wishes, Smiles, and Looks deceitful all, and vain.