RY then, O Man, the Moments to deceive,
That from the Womb attend Thee to the Grave:
For weary'd Nature find some apter Scheme: Health be thy Hope; and Pleasure be thy Theme: From the perplexing and unequal Ways, Where Study brings Thee; from the endless Maze, Which Doubt perfuades to run, forewarn'd recede, To the gay Field, and flow'ry Path, that lead To jocund Mirth, foft Joy, and careless Eafe: Forfake what may inftruct, for what may please: Effay amufing Art, and proud Expence;
And make thy Reason subject to thy Sense.
I commun'd thus: the Pow'r of Wealth I try'd,
And all the various Luxe of coftly Pride.
Artists and Plans reliev'd my folemn Hours:
I founded Palaces, and planted Bow'rs.
Birds, Fishes, Beafts of each Exotic Kind
Quicquid alit Tellus, fpatiofa in Clauftra recepi.
Quin noftro peregrina folo viget Arbor, & umbram
Miratur Judæa novam; quà Sylva virebat,
Squamigeri ludunt pifces; æquantur opaci
Montes, ut major se exporrigat area campo.
Flumina ducuntur curfus oblita priores,
Docta novos; grato feu præcipitata tumultu
Defuper Unda cadit, five eluctatur in altum
Sculptile per marmor, vivoque erumpit ab auro.
Vifceribus latè fpoliatis, ultima mittit
Africa marmoreas rupes; jamque ardua Turris
Attingit cœlos, ftant vafta mole Columnæ
Suppofitæ fpiffo nemori, & pendentibus hortis.
Inftant Artifices operi; Pariesque nitescit
Illufus Calamo, Turrique inducitur Aurum:
Difcolor hic variis nitet intertexta lapillis
Area; fubftrata hìc folio calcatur Jafpis.
Ipfa etiam Cedrus, centum quæ viderat Annos
Vertice fublimi, nemoris Regina, peritam
Artificis confeffa manum, laquearia fingit;
Et raptos Lebanus sylvarum mæret honores.
Mille Fabri coeunt, & eburnam ad fydera turrim
I to the Limits of my Court confin'd.
To Trees transferr'd I gave a fecond Birth;
And bid a foreign Shade grace JUDAH'S Earth.
Fish-ponds were made, where former Forrests grew;
And Hills were levell'd to extend the View.
Rivers diverted from their Native Course,
And bound with Chains of Artificial Force,
From large Cascades in pleafing Tumult roll'd;
Or rose thro' figur'd Stone, or breathing Gold.
From furtheft AFRICA's tormented Womb
The Marble brought, erects the spacious Dome,
Or forms the Pillars long-extended Rows,
On which the planted Grove, and penfile Garden grows.
The Workmen here obey the Master's Call,
To gild the Turret, and to paint the Wall;
To mark the Pavement there with various Stone;
And on the Jasper Steps to rear the Throne:
The fpreading Cedar, that an Age had ftood,
Supreme of Trees, and Mistress of the Wood,
Cut down and carv'd, my shining Roof adorns;
And LEBANON his ruin'd Honor mourns.
A thousand Artifts fhew their cunning Pow'r,
Mirum opus, educunt: percurrunt pectine telas
Mille fimul Nymphæ, fucataque vellera carpunt,
Dulce tori thalamique decus; dum murice rapto
Non habet ipfa Tyrus mentitos unde colores
Lana bibat: Montefque Afri, Pariique queruntur
Marmoris avulfas ufque à penetralibus imis
Radices; nec jam ulterius fua Saltibus Indis
Bellua jactatur, niveique Superbia dentis.
Jamque aderam immenfi cupidis miracula Sumptus Percurrens oculis ---- vidi, indoluique videndo. Poenituit moles nimium accelerâffe fuperbas; Namque Opere extructo fugit ambitiofa Voluptas.
Anxietas infefta novas volitavit ad Ædes,
Et Dolor auratum circà Laqueare pependit.
Quid juvat ah! Thalami Splendor? quid purpura?
Sæpe toro infomnis membra irrequieta rotabam:
Hæfit adhuc inala Cura, animum comitata fugacem,
Limitis impatiens, & certæ nefcia fedis,
Noctes atque dies vexans; lentoque per hortos
Incedens paffu, veftigia preffit eunti,
Ambagesque viarum, altofque fecuta receffus.
To raise the Wonders of the iv'ry Tow'r.
A thousand Maidens ply the purple Loom,
To weave the Bed, and deck the Regal Room;
'Till TYRE confeffes her exhaufted Store,
That on her Goaft the Murex is no more;
'Till from the PARIAN Ifle, and LIBYA's Coast,
The Mountains grieve their hopes of Marble loft;
And INDIA's Woods return their juft Complaint,
Their Brood decay'd, and want of Elephant.
My full Defign with vaft Expence atchiev'd,
came, beheld, admir'd, reflected, griev'd.
I chid the Folly of my thoughlefs Haft:
For, the Work perfected, the Joy was paft.
To my new Courts fad Thought did still repair; And round my gilded Roofs hung họv'ring Care. In vain on filken Beds I fought Repose; And restless oft from purple Couches rofe: Vexatious Thought still found my flying Mind, Nor bound by Limits, nor to Place confin'd; Haunted my Nights, and terrify'd my Days; Stalk'd thro' my Gardens, and purfu'd my Ways, Nor shut from artful Bow'r, nor loft in winding Maze.
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