Without a Crime my Paffion had afpir'd,
Found the lov'd Prince, and told what I defir'd.
Then I had come, preventing SHEBA'S Queen,
To see the comelieft of the Sons of Men;
To hear the charming Poet's am'rous Song,
And gather Honey falling from his Tongue;
To take the fragrant Kiffes of his Mouth,
Sweeter than Breezes of her native South;
Likening his Grace, his Perfon, and his Mien
To all that Great or Beauteous I had feen.
Serene and bright his Eyes, as folar Beams
Reflecting temper'd Light from Crystal Streams;
Ruddy as Gold his Cheek; his Bofom fair
As Silver; the curl'd Ringlets of his Hair
Black as the Raven's Wing; his Lip more red,
Than Eastern Coral, or the scarlet Thread;
Even his Teeth, and white, like a young Flock
Coeval, newly fhorn, from the clear Brook
Recent, and blanching on the Sunny Rock.
Iv'ry with Saphirs interfpers'd, explains
How white his Hands, how blue the Manly Veins.
Columns of polifh'd Marble firmly fet
On golden Bases, are his Legs, and Feet.
Ut toto attollit fe corpore! furgit in auras
Palmæ inftar, pinuque caput fublimior effert.
Suavè crocum redolent Vestes Myrrhamque fluentem,
Et caput ambrofii circùm jactantur odores.
Quid loquor aut ubi fum? heu! infelix, infcia Virgo!
Quin morere ô! morere Abra; eheu nimis ausa fateri
Quam Tibi Cor ardens afpirat Principis alto
Mifceri amplexu, ferofque beare nepotes;
Plaudente ut populo Te illuftret regia Proles,
Felicemque novis jactes SOLOMONIBUS alvum.
Hic lacrymis lingua interrupta filefcit obortis; Curarum ô triftis feries! malefana Puella! Cor mihi, multa dolens nuper, nova spicula temnit; In me fruftrà alii meditentur vulnus ocelli. Hei mihi! adhuc altè cruciatis fenfibus hæret Hærebitque diu vetus atque horrenda Cicatrix, Et Pharium vinc'lum fpretique injuria voti.
Quum penitùs (dixi) poterit volventibus annis Principis opprobrii vanefcere triftis Imago; Alta iterum in fummâ Ratio dominabitur arce, Atque iterum SOLOMON lapfos revocabit honores.
His Stature all Majeftic, all Divine,
Strait as the Palmtree, ftrong as is the Pine.
Saffron and Myrrhe are on his Garments shed:
And everlasting Sweets bloom round his Head.
What utter I? where am I? wretched Maid!
Dye, ABRA, dye: too plainly haft Thou said
Thy Soul's Defire to meet His high Embrace,
And Bleffings ftamp'd upon thy future Race;
To bid attentive Nations bless thy Womb,
With unborn Monarchs charg'd, and SOLOMONs to come.
Here o'er her Speech her flowing Eyes prevail.
O foolish Maid! and O unhappy Tale!
My fuff'ring Heart for ever shall defy
New Wounds, and Danger from a future Eye.
O! yet my tortur'd Senfes deep retain
The wretched Mem'ry of my former Pain,
The dire Affront, and my EGYPTIAN Chain.
As Time, I faid, may happily efface
That cruel Image of the King's Disgrace;
Imperial Reason shall refume her Seat;
And SOLOMON once fall'n, again be great.
Luferit Affectus, feu Marte fubegerit Hoftis,
Cautior intendat totos Sapientia nervos,
Servatâque femel metuat virtute relabi.
Abra fed intereà ---- quæfita accedere ad ora
Sæpiùs indulfi; nam fic Clementia fuafit
Ancillæ miferos paulùm lenire dolores.
Verus Amor vultuque animoque ardente patebat;
Tangimur & veros ultrò miserescimus ignes.
Affiduam blandâ fpectavi fronte miniftram;
Et femper ftudiofam accedere, fæpe vocavi.
Inque dies jam Nympha magis dilecta magifque
Paulatim in venas tacitum infinuavit amorem.
Sera ubi fæmineis agerem convivia tectis,
(Jam tum fola dedi leviufcula tempora Nymphæ)
Illius à dextrâ pomorum gratia major,
Illius à dextrâ meliùs fapuere Placentæ.
Sed pomis deceffit odor, dulcedo placentis,
Conftructas nifi blanda epulas ornaverat Abra:
Necquicquam vinum rutilanti ardebat in auro,
Ridentem nifi blanda admoverat Abra liquorem.
Carmina mifcerent cum vefpertina Puellæ
Æquantes parili citharæ modulamina cantu;
Betray'd by Paffion, as fubdu'd in War,
We wifely should exert a double Care,
Nor ever ought a fecond time to Err.
I faw Her; 'twas Humanity: it gave
Some Refpite to the Sorrows of my Slave.
Her fond Excess proclaim'd her Paffion true;
And generous Pity to that Truth was due.
Well I entreated Her, who well deferv'd;
I call'd Her often; for She always ferv'd.
Use made her Perfon easy to my Sight;
And Ease infenfibly produc'd Delight.
Whene'er I revell'd in the Women's Bow'rs
(For firft I fought Her but at loofer Hours)
The Apples She had gather'd smelt most sweet:
The Cake She kneaded was the fav'ry Meat:
But Fruits their Odor loft, and Meats their Taste;
If gentle ABRA had not deck'd the Feast.
Dishonor'd did the sparkling Goblet stand:
Unless receiv'd from gentle ABRA's Hand:
And when the Virgins form'd the Evening Choir,
Raifing their Voices to the mafter-Lyre;
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