If e'er my breast a guilty flame receives, Or covets joys, but what thy presence gives; 20 And Love avenge his violated laws : Ah faithless charmer, lovely perjur'd maid! Love ev'n thy crimes, and fly to guilty joys! 30 Thy fatal eyes my best resolves betray, My fury melts in soft defires away: Each look, each glance, for all thy crimes attone, But if my injur❜d foul dares yet be brave, 35 40 Shalt mourn, whilst I, with nobler flames, pursue Some nymph as fair, tho' not unjust, as you; Whose wit, and beauty, fhall like thine excel, But far furpass in truth, and loving well. But wretched thou, who-e'er my rival art, That fondly boasts an empire o'er her heart; 50 Thou that enjoy'ft the fair inconstant prize, And vainly triumph'st with my victories; Unenvy'd now, o'er all her beauties rove, Enjoy thy ruin, and Neæra's love: Tho' wealth and honours grace thy nobler birth, To bribe her love, and fix a wand'ring faith; 56 Tho' ev'ry grace, and ev'ry virtue join, T'inrich thy mind, and make thy form divine; Loft, and abandon'd by th' ungrateful fair, Laugh at thy fate, and triumph in my turn. 60 } TO A CANDLE. ELEGY. BY WILLIAM CONGREVE, ESQ.* deftruction turn, 5 THOU watchful taper, by whose filent light Born 1672; dyed 1729. 16 HORACE, BOOK II. ODE IV. IMITATID. Do not, most fragrant earl, disclaim And fay G― d― the town. II. Full many heroes, fierce and keen, 5 Some who with you have Hounslow seen, · Born 1673; dyed 1718. III. Did not bafe Greber's Pegg* inflame Of fober fire defcended? That careless of his foul and fame, To play-houses he nightly came, And left church undefended. IV. The monarch who of France is hight, 15 Loves Maintenon, his lady bright, 20 Who was but Scarron's leaving. V. Tho' thy dear's father kept an inn, For carriers at Northampton; Than e'er that father dreamt on. VI. Of proffers large her choice had fhe, Which the with scorn rejected: And can a nymph so virtuous be Of base-born blood fufpected? 25 30 * Signiora Francesca Margareta' de l'Epine,' an Italian fangftrefs. |