And therefore to our weaker view,
O'er-laid with black staid Wisdom's hue,
Black, but fuch as in efteem,
Prince Memnon's Sifter might befeem,
Or that starr'd Ethiope Queen that strove
To fet her beauties praise above
The Sea Nymphs, and their powers offended,
Yet thou art higher far descended,
Thee bright-hair'd Vefta long of yore
To folitary Saturn bore;
His daughter fhe (in Saturn's reign,
Such mixture was not held a stain)
Oft in glimmering Bowers, and glades
He met her, and in fecret shades
Of woody Ida's inmost grove,
While yet there was no fear of Jove.
Come penfive Nun, devout and pure,
Sober, ftedfaft, and demure,
All in a robe of darkest grain,
Flowing with majestick train,
And fable stole of Cypres Lawn,
Over thy decent shoulders drawn.
Come, but keep thy wonted state,
With ev'n step, and musing gate,
And looks commerfing with the skies,
Thy rapt Soul fitting in thine eyes:
There held in holy paffion still,
Forget thy felf to Marble, till
With a fad Leaden downward cast,
Thou fix them on the earth as faft.
And joyn with thee calm Peace, and Quiet,
Spare Faft, that oft with Gods doth diet,
And hears the Muses in a ring,
Ay round about Jove's Altar fing,
And add to these retired Leafure,
That in trim Gardens takes his pleasure ;
But first, and chiefeft, with thee bring,
Him that yon foars on golden wing,
Guiding the ficry-wheeled throne,
The Cherub Contemplation,
And the mute Silence hift along,
'Lefs Philomel will deign a Song,
In her sweetest, faddeft plight,
Smoothing the rugged brow of night,
While Cynthia checks her Dragon yoke,
Gently o'er th' accustom❜d Oke;
Sweet Bird that fhunn'st the noise of folly,
Most Musical, moft Melancholy!
Thee Chauntrefs oft the Woods among,
I woo to hear thy Even-Song,
And miffing thee, I walk unfeen
On the dry smooth-shaven Green,
To behold the wandring Moon,
Riding near her highest noon,
Like one that had been lead aftray
Through the Heav'ns wide pathless way;
And oft, as if her head the bow'd,
Stooping through a fleecy cloud.
Oft on a Plat of rifing ground,
I hear the far-off Curfeu found,
Over fome wide water'd fhoar,
Swinging flow with fullen roar,
Or if the Air will not permit,
Some still removed place will fit,
Where glowing Embers through the room
Teach light to counterfeit a gloom,
Save the Cricket on the hearth,
Or the Belman's drowsie charm,
To bless the doors from nightly harm:
Or let my Lamp at midnight hour,
Be feen in fome high lonely Tower,
Where I may oft out-watch the Bear,
With thrice great Hermes, or unfphear
The spirit of Plato to unfold
What Worlds, or what vaft Regions hold
The immortal mind that hath forfook
Her mansion in this fleshly nook:
And of thofe Demons that are found
In fire, air, flood, or under ground,
Whose power hath a true consent
With Planet, or with Element.!
Sometime let Gorgeous Tragedy
In Scepter'd Pall come fweeping by,
Presenting Thebs, or Pelops line,
Or the tale of Troy divine.
Or what (though rare) of later age,
Ennobled hath the Buskin'd ftage.
But, O fad Virgin, that thy power
Might raise Mufaus from his bower,
Or bid the Soul of Orpheus fing
Such notes as warbled to the string,
Drew Iron tears down Pluto's cheek
And made Hell grant what Love did feek.
Or call up him that left half told
The ftory of Cambuscan bold
Of Camball, and of Algarfife,
And who had Canace to wife,
That own'd the virtuous Ring and Glass,
And of the wondrous Horfe of Brafs,
On which the Tartar King did ride;
And if ought elfe, great Bards befide,
In fage and folemn tunes have sung,
Of Turneys and of Trophies hung;
Of Forests, and Inchantments drear,
Where more is meant than meets the ear,
Thus night oft fee me in thy pale career,
Till civil-fuited Morn appear,
Not trickt and frounc't as he was wont,
With the Attick Boy to hunt,
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