From words, which are but pictures of the thought The thirsty soul's refreshing wine. Who to the life an exact piece would make, 70 75 No, not from Rubens or Vandyck; Much less content himself to make it like 80 The ideas and the images which lie In his own fancy or his memory: 85 Each judgment of his eye and motion of his hand. From these, and all long errors of the way, In which our wandering predecessors went, And, like the old Hebrews, many years did stray In deserts, but of small extent, 90 Bacon! like Moses, led us forth at last; The barren wilderness he passed, Did on the very border stand Of the blessed Promised Land, And from the mountain's top of his exalted wit, 95 But life did never to one man allow Time to discover worlds, and conquer too; To fathom the vast deeps of Nature's sca: 100 The work he did we ought to admire, From you, great champions! we expect to get Though Learning has whole armies at command, A better troop she ne'er together drew. Methinks, like Gideon's little band, God with design has picked out you, To do these noble wonders by a few. When the whole host He saw, they are, said He, Too many to o'ercome for Me: And now He chooses out his men, Much in the way that He did then: 115 120 To drink, with their dejected head, The stream, just so as by their mouths it fled: 125 No; Thus you prepared, and in the glorious fight Their old and empty pitchers first they brake, 130 And with their hands then lifted up the light. Iö! sound too the trumpets here! Already your victorious lights appear; New scenes of heaven already we espy, And crowds of golden worlds on high, 135 Which from the spacious plains of earth and sea By sailor's or Chaldean's watchful eye. Of her imperceptible littleness: 140 You' have learned to read her smallest hand, And well begun her deepest sense to understand. 145 Mischief and true dishonour fall on those Who would to laughter or to scorn expose So virtuous and so noble a design, So human for its use, for knowledge so divine. The things which these proud men despise, and call 150 So when, by various turns of the celestial dance, In many thousand years A star, so long unknown, appears, 160 Though heaven itself more beauteous by it grow, Does to the wise a star, to fools a meteor, show. With courage and success you the bold work begin; Your cradle has not idle been; 165 None e'er but Hercules and you would be At five years' age worthy a history: And ne'er did fortune better yet The historian to the story fit. As you from all old errors free 170 And purge the body of Philosophy, So from all modern follies he Has vindicated eloquence and wit: His candid style like a clean stream does slide, And his bright fancy all the way 175 Does, like the sunshine, in it play; It does like Thames, the best of rivers, glide, Where the god does not rudely overturn, But gently pour, the crystal urn, And with judicious hand does the whole current guide. 'T has all the beauties Nature can impart, 181 Abraham Cowley. And all the comely dress, without the paint, of Art. CVII THE DREAM. No victor that in battle spent, Methought I saw the earliest shade Though dead she lay, yet could I see But all showed unconcerned to be, 5 ΙΟ 15 And now, methought, I lost all care, In losing her; and was as free As birds let loose into the air, Or rivers that are got to sea. Methought Love's monarchy was gone; Our choice and change makes power our own, Yet soon, now from my Princess free, I rather frantic grew than glad, Birds that are long in cages awed, And to the ocean rivers run From being pent in banks of flowers; 35 Is but proud strutting in a chain ; Then growing wiser, when undone, 45 330 25 20 |