Thus Harvey sought for Truth in Truth's own book, The creatures-which by God himself was writ; And wisely thought 't was fit,

Not to read comments only upon it,

But on th' original itself to look.

Methinks in Art's great circle others stand
Lock'd-up together, hand in hand;
Every one leads as he is led;

The same bare path they tread,

And dance, like fairies, a fantastick round,

But neither change their motion nor their ground: Had Harvey to this road confin'd his wit,

[yet.

His noble circle of the blood had been untrodden Great Doctor! th'art of curing 's cur'd by thee;

We now thy patient, Physick, see

From all inveterate diseases free,

Purg'd of old errors by thy care,

New dieted, put forth to clearer air;

It now will strong and healthful prove; Itself before lethargick lay, and could not move!

These useful secrets to his pen we owe!
And thousands more 't was ready to bestow;
Of which a barbarous war's unlearned rage
Has robb'd the ruin'd age:

O cruel loss! as if the golden fleece,

With so much cost and labour bought, And from afar by a great hero brought,

Had sunk ev'n in the ports of Greece. O cursed war! who can forgive thee this?

Houses and towns may rise again;

And ten times easier 't is

To rebuild Paul's, than any work of his :
That mighty task none but himself can do,
Nay, scarce himself too, now;

For, though his wit the force of age withstand,
His body, alas! and time, it must command;
And Nature now, so long by him surpass'd,
Will sure have her revenge on him at last.

ODE,

FROM CATULLUS.

ACME and SEPTIMIUS.

WHILST on Septimius' panting breast
(Meaning nothing less than rest)
Acme lean'd her loving head,
Thus the pleas'd Septimius said:

My dearest Acme, if I be
Once alive, and love not thee
With a passion far above
All that e'er was called love;
In a Libyan desert may
I become some lion's prey;
Let him, Acme, let him tear

My breast, when Acme is not there.

The God of Love, who stood to hear him
(The God of Love was always near him),
Pleas'd and tickled with the sound,
Sneez'd aloud; and all around
The little Loves, that waited by,
Bow'd, and blest the augury.
Acme, enflam'd with what he said,
Rear'd her gently-bending head;
And, her purple mouth with joy
Stretching to the delicious boy,
Twice (and twice could scarce suffice)
She kiss'd his drunken rolling eyes.

My little life, my all! (said she)
So may we ever servants be

To this best God, and ne'er retain
Our hated liberty again!

So may thy passion last for me,
As I a passion have for thee,
Greater and fiercer much than can
Be conceiv'd by thee a man !
Into my marrow is it gone,
Fixt and settled in the bone;
It reigns not only in my heart,
But runs, like life, through every part.
She spoke; the God of Love aloud
Sneez'd again; and all the crowd
Of little Loves, that waited by,
Bow'd, and blest the augury.

This good omen thus from heaven

Like a happy signal given,

Their loves and lives (all four) embrace,

And hand in hand run all the race.

To poor Septimius (who did now
Nothing else but Acme grow)
Acme's bosom was alone

The whole world's imperial throne;
And to faithful Acme's mind
Septimius was all human-kind.

If the Gods would please to be
But advis'd for once by me,
I'd advise them, when they spy
Any illustrious piety,

To reward her, if it be she-
To reward him, if it be he

With such a husband, such a wife;

With Acme's and Septimius' life.

ODE

UPON HIS MAJESTY'S RESTORATION AND

RETURN.

"-Quod optanti divûm promittere nemo
"Auderet, volvenda dies, en, attulit ultro."

NOW blessings on you all, ye peaceful stars,
Which meet at last so kindly, and dispense
Your universal gentle influence

VIRG.

To calm the stormy world, and still the rage of wars! Nor, whilst around the continent

Plenipotentiary beams ye sent,

Did your pacifick lights disdain

In their large treaty to contain
The world apart, o'er which do reign

Your seven fair brethren of great Charles's-wain;
No star amongst ye all did, I believe,
Such vigorous assistance give,

As that which, thirty years ago,

*

At Charles's birth, did, in despite

Of the proud sun's meridian light,

His future glories and this year foreshow.

*The star that appeared at noon, the day of the king's birth, just as the king his father was riding to St. Paul's to give thanks to God for that blessing.