While yet superior love shall mock his power;
And when old Time shall turn the fated hour,
Which only can our well-tied knot unfold,
What rests of both, one sepulchre shall hold.
Hence, then, for ever, from my Emma's breast
(That heaven of softness, and that seat of rest)
Ye doubts and fears, and all that know to move
Tormenting grief, and all that trouble love;
Scatter'd by winds recede, and in wild forests rove.
EMMA. O day! the fairest sure that ever rose!
Period and end of anxious Emma's woes!
Sire of her joy, and source of her delight,
O! wing'd with pleasure take thy happy flight,
And give each future morn a tincture of thy white.
Yet tell thy votary, potent queen of love,
Henry, my Henry, will he never rove?
Will he be ever kind, and just, and good?
And is there yet no mistress in the wood?
None, none there is: the thought was rash and vain,
A false idea, and a fancied pain.
Doubt shall for ever quit my strengthen❜d heart,
And anxious jealousy's corroding smart;
Nor other inmate shall inhabit there,
But soft belief, young joy, and pleasing care.
Hence let the tides of plenty ebb and flow,
And Fortune's various gale unheeded blow.
If at my feet the suppliant goddess stands,
And sheds her treasure with unwearied hands,
Her present favour cautious I'll embrace,
And not unthankful use the proffer'd grace;
If she reclaims the temporary boon,
And tries her pinions, fluttering to be gone;
Secure of mind, I'll obviate her intent,
And, unconcern'd, return the goods she lent.
Nor happiness can I, nor misery, feel,
From any turn of her fantastic wheel:
Friendship's great laws, and Love's superior
Must mark the colour of my future hours.
From the events which thy commands create
I must my blessings or my sorrows date,
And Henry's will must dictate Emma's fate.
Yet while with close delight and inward pride
(Which from the world my careful soul shall hide)
I see thee, lord and end of my desire,
Exalted high as virtue can require;
With power invested, and with pleasure cheer'd,
Sought by the good, by the oppressor fear'd;
Loaded and bless'd with all the affluent store
Which human vows at smoking shrines implore;
Grateful and humble grant me to employ
My life, subservient only to thy joy;
And at my death, to bless thy kindness, shown
To her who, of mankind, could love but thee alone.
WHILE thus the constant pair alernate said,
Joyful above them and around them play'd
Angels and sportive Loves, a numerous crowd;
Smiling they clapp'd their wings, and low they
bow'd.
They tumbled all their little quivers o'er,
To choose propitious shafts a precious store,
That, when their god should take his future darts,
To strike (however rarely) constant hearts,
His happy skill might proper arms employ,
All tipp'd with pleasure, and all wing'd with joy:
And those, they vow'd, whose lives should imitate
These lovers' constancy, should share their fate.
The queen of beauty stopp'd her bridled doves, Approved the little labour of the Loves; Was proud and pleased the mutual vow to hear, And to the triumph call'd the god of war: Soon as she calls, the god is always near.
'Now, Mars, (she said) let Fame exalt her voice, Nor let thy conquests only be her choice; But when she sings great Edward from the field Return'd, the hostile spear and captive shield In Concord's temple hung, and Gallia taught to vield;
And when, as prudent Saturn shall complete
The years design'd to perfect Britain's state,
The swift-wing'd power shall take her trump
again,
To sing her favourite Anna's wondrous reign;
To recollect unwearied Marlborough's toils,
Old Rufus' hall unequal to his spoils;
The British soldier from his high command Glorious, and Gaul thrice vanquish'd by his hand
Let her at least perform what I desire;
With second breath the vocal brass inspire;
And tell the nations, in no vulgar strain,
What wars I manage, and what wreaths I gain.
And when thy tumults and thy fights are pass'd;
And when thy laurels at my feet are cast;
Faithful may'st thou, like British Henry, prove;
And Emma-like let me return thy love.
'Renown'd for truth, let all thy sons appear; And constant Beauty shall reward their care.' Mars smiled, and bow'd: the Cyprian deity Turn'd to the glorious ruler of the sky;
And thou, (she smiling said) great god of days And verse, behold my deed, and sing my praise: As on the British earth, my favourite isle, Thy gentle rays and kindest influence smile, Through all her laughing fields and verdant groves, Proclaim with joy these memorable loves. From every annual course let one great day, To celebrated sports and floral play, Be set aside; and in the softest lays Of thy poetic sons, be solemn praise And everlasting marks of honour paid, To the true lover, and the Nut-brown Maid.'
OF GEORGE PRINCE OF DENMARK AND THE LADY ANNE1.
CONJUNCTUM Veneri Martem, Danosque BriDum canit altisonis docta caterva modis, [tannis Affero sincerum culto pro carmine votum,
Quod minus ingenii, plus pietatis habet. Vivant Ambo diu, vivant feliciter, opto; Diligat hic Sponsam, diligat illa Virum,
1 From the Hymenæus Cantabrigiensis. Cantabrigiæ, 1683.' This copy, notwithstanding the signature, is beyond a doubt the property of the facetious Mat Prior. The distant imitation of Martial's admirable lines on the Happy Married Pair-or rather the allusion to that excellent little piece (for it can hardly be called an imitation of it) shows the taste of a master at the years of a boy, and is not unworthy the name or the fame of Prior.
Junctos perpetuâ teneas, Hymenæe, catena;
Junctos, Juno, die protege; nocte, Venus!
Exultent simili felices prole Parentes,
Ut petat hinc multos natio bina duces!
Cumque senes pariter cupiant valedicere terris,
Nè mors augustum dividat atra jugum :
Sed qualis raptum transvexit currus Elijam,
Transvehat ad superas talis utrumque domos !
A. PRIOR, Coll. Div. Joh. Alumn.
C. Whittingham, College House, Chiswick.
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