Specimens with Memoirs of the Less-known British Poets Part 88

4 But then, arriving at an orb whose flames, Like an unbounded ocean, flowed about, Fool as I was, I quaked; till its kind beams Gave me a harmless kiss. I little thought Fire could have been so mild; but surely here It rageth, 'cause we keep it from its sphere.

5 There, reverend sire, it flamed, but with as sweet An ardency as in your n.o.ble heart That heavenly zeal doth burn, whose fostering heat Makes you Heaven's living holocaust: no part Of my dream's tender wing felt any harm; Our journey, not the fire, did keep us warm.

6 But here my guide, his wings' soft oars to spare, On the moon's lower horn clasped hold, and whirled Me up into a region as far, In splendid worth, surmounting this low world As in its place: for liquid crystal here Was the tralucid matter of each sphere.

7 The moon was kind, and, as we scoured by, Showed us the deed whereby the great Creator Instated her in that large monarchy She holdeth over all the ocean's water: To which a schedule was annexed, which o'er All other humid bodies gives her power.

8 Now complimental Mercury was come To the quaint margin of his courtly sphere, And bid us eloquent welcome to his home.

Scarce could we pa.s.s, so great a crowd was there Of points and lines; and nimble Wit beside Upon the back of thousand shapes did ride.

9 Next Venus' face, heaven's joy and sweetest pride, (Which brought again my mother to my mind,) Into her region lured my ravished guide.

This strewed with youth, and smiles, and love we find; And those all chaste: 'tis this foul world below Adulterates what from thence doth spotless flow.

10 Then rapt to Phoebus' orb, all paved with gold, The rich reflection of his own aspect: Most gladly there I would have stayed, and told How many crowns and thorns his dwelling decked, What life, what verdure, what heroic might, What pearly spirits, what sons of active light.

11 But I was hurried into Mars his sphere, Where Envy, (oh, how cursed was its grim face!) And Jealousy, and Fear, and Wrath, and War Quarrelled, although in heaven, about their place.

Yea, engines there to vomit fire I saw, Whose flame and thunder earth at length must know.

12 Nay, in a corner, 'twas my hap to spy Something which looked but frowardly on me: And sure my watchful guide read in mine eye My musing troubled sense; for straightway he, Lest I should start and wake upon the fright, Speeded from thence his seasonable flight.

13 Welcome was Jupiter's dominion, where Ill.u.s.trious Mildness round about did flow; Religion had built her temple there, And sacred honours on its walks did grow: No mitre ever priest's grave head shall crown, Which in those mystic gardens was not sown.

14 At length, we found old Saturn in his bed; And much I wondered how, and he so dull, Could climb thus high: his house was lumpish lead, Of dark and solitary comers full; Where Discontent and Sickness dwellers be, d.a.m.ned Melancholy and dead Lethargy.

15 Hasting from hence into a boundless field, Innumerable stars we marshalled found In fair array: this earth did never yield Such choice of flowery pride, when she had crowned The plains of Shechem, where the gaudy Spring Smiles on the beauties of each verdant thing.

PARADISE.

1 Within, rose hills of spice and frankincense, Which smiled upon the flowery vales below, Where living crystal found a sweet pretence With musical impatience to flow, And delicately chide the gems beneath Because no smoother they had paved its path.

2 The nymphs which sported on this current's side Were milky Thoughts, tralucid, pure Desires, Soft turtles' Kisses, Looks of virgin brides, Sweet Coolness which nor needs nor feareth fires, Snowy Embraces, cheerly-sober Eyes, Gentleness, Mildness, Ingenuities.

3 The early gales knocked gently at the door Of every flower, to bid the odours wake; Which, catching in their softest arms, they bore From bed to bed, and so returned them back To their own lodgings, doubled by the blisses They sipped from their delicious brethren's kisses.

4 Upon the wings of those enamouring breaths Refreshment, vigour, nimbleness attended; Which, wheresoe'er they flew, cheered up their paths, And with fresh airs of life all things befriended: For Heaven's sweet Spirit deigned his breath to join And make the powers of these blasts divine.

5 The goodly trees' bent arms their n.o.bler load Of fruit which blest oppression overbore: That orchard where the dragon warder stood, For all its golden boughs, to this was poor, To this, in which the greater serpent lay, Though not to guard the trees, but to betray.

6 Of fort.i.tude there rose a stately row; Here, of munificence a thickset grove; There, of wise industry a quickset grew; Here, flourished a dainty copse of love; There, sprang up pleasant twigs of ready wit; Here, larger trees of gravity were set,

7 Here, temperance; and wide-spread justice there, Under whose sheltering shadow piety, Devotion, mildness, friends.h.i.+p planted were; Next stood renown with head exalted high; Then twined together plenty, fatness, peace.

O blessed place, where grew such things as these!

EVE.

1 Her s.p.a.cious, polished forehead was the fair And lovely plain where gentle majesty Walked in delicious state: her temples clear Pomegranate fragments, which rejoiced to lie In dainty ambush, and peep through their cover Of amber-locks whose volume curled over.

2 The fuller stream of her luxuriant hair Poured down itself upon her ivory back: In which soft flood ten thousand graces were Sporting and dallying with every lock; The rival winds for kisses fell to fight, And raised a ruffling tempest of delight.

3 Two princely arches, of most equal measures, Held up the canopy above her eyes, And opened to the heavens far richer treasures, Than with their stars or sun e'er learn'd to rise: Those beams can ravish but the body's sight, These dazzle stoutest souls with mystic light.

4 Two garrisons were these of conquering love; Two founts of life, of spirit, of joy, of grace; Two easts in one fair heaven, no more above, But in the hemisphere of her own face; Two thrones of gallantry; two shops of miracles; Two shrines of deities; two silent oracles.

5 For silence here could eloquently plead; Here might the unseen soul be clearly read: Though gentle humours their mild mixture made, They proved a double burning-gla.s.s which shed Those living flames which, with enlivening darts, Shoot deaths of love into spectators' hearts.

6 'Twixt these, an alabaster promontory Sloped gently down to part each cheek from other; Where white and red strove for the fairer glory, Blending in sweet confusion together.

The rose and lily never joined were In so divine a marriage as there.

7 Couchant upon these precious cus.h.i.+onets Were thousand beauties, and as many smiles, Chaste blandishments, and modest cooling heats, Harmless temptations, and honest guiles.

For heaven, though up betimes the maid to deck, Ne'er made Aurora's cheeks so fair and sleek.

8 Enamouring neatness, softness, pleasure, at Her gracious mouth in full retinue stood; For, next the eyes' bright gla.s.s, the soul at that Takes most delight to look and walk abroad.

But at her lips two threads of scarlet lay, Or two warm corals, to adorn the way,--

9 The precious way whereby her breath and tongue, Her odours and her honey, travelled, Which nicest critics would have judged among Arabian or Hyblaean mountains bred.

Indeed, the richer Araby in her Dear mouth and sweeter Hybla dwelling were.

10 More gracefully its golden chapiter No column of white marble e'er sustained Than her round polished neck supported her Ill.u.s.trious head, which there in triumph reigned.

Yet neither would this pillar hardness know, Nor suffer cold to dwell amongst its snow.

11 Her blessed bosom moderately rose With two soft mounts of lilies, whose fair top A pair of pretty sister cherries chose, And there their living crimson lifted up.

The milky countenance of the hills confessed What kind of springs within had made their nest.

12 So leggiadrous were her snowy hands That pleasure moved as any finger stirred: Her virgin waxen arms were precious bands And chains of love: her waist itself did gird With its own graceful slenderness, and tie Up delicacy's best epitome.

13 Fair politure walked all her body over, And symmetry rejoiced in every part; Soft and white sweetness was her native cover, From every member beauty shot a dart: From heaven to earth, from head to foot I mean, No blemish could by envy's self be seen.

14 This was the first-born queen of gallantry; All gems compounded into one rich stone, All sweets knit into one conspiracy; A constellation of all stars in one; Who, when she was presented to their view, Both paradise and nature dazzled grew.

15 Phoebus, who rode in glorious scorn's career About the world, no sooner spied her face, But fain he would have lingered, from his sphere On this, though less, yet sweeter, heaven, to gaze Till shame enforced him to lash on again, And clearer wash him in the western main.

16 The smiling air was tickled with his high Prerogative of uncontrolled bliss, Embracing with entirest liberty A body soft, and sweet, and chaste as his.

All odorous gales that had but strength to stir Came flocking in to beg perfumes of her.

17 The marigold her garish love forgot, And turned her homage to these fairer eyes; All flowers looked up, and dutifully shot Their wonder hither, whence they saw arise Unparching courteous l.u.s.tre, which instead Of fire, soft joy's irradiations spread.

18 The st.u.r.diest trees, affected by her dear Delightful presence, could not choose but melt At their hard pith; whilst all the birds whose clear Pipes tossed mirth about the branches, felt The influence of her looks; for having let Their song fall down, their eyes on her they set.

TO THE MEMORY OF HIS WIFE.

1 Sweet soul, how goodly was the temple which Heaven pleased to make thy earthly habitation!

Built all of graceful delicacy, rich In symmetry, and of a dangerous fas.h.i.+on For youthful eyes, had not the saint within Governed the charms of her enamouring shrine.

2 How happily compendious didst thou make My study when I was the lines to draw Of genuine beauty! never put to take Long journeys was my fancy; still I saw At home my copy, and I knew 'twould be But beauty's wrong further to seek than thee.

3 Full little knew the world (for I as yet In studied silence hugged my secret bliss) How facile was my Muse's task, when set Virtue's and grace's features to express!