Exceed their promise in the ripen'd store,
Yet in the rising blossom promise more,
There in bright drops the crystal Fountains play,
By Laureis shielded from the piercing day :
Where Daphne, now a tree as once a maid,
Still from Apollo vindicates her shade,
Still turns her beauties from th' invading beam, 25
Nor seeks in vain for succour to the Stream,
The stream at once preserves her virgin leaves,
At once a shelter from her boughs receives,
Where Summer's beauty midst of Winter stays,
And Winter's Coolness spite of Summer's rays. 30

W E E PIN G.

W

HILE Celia's Tears make forrow bright,

Proud Grief fits swelling in her eyes ; The Sun, next those the fairest light,

Thus from the Ocean first did rise : And thus thro' Mifts we see the Sun,

35 Which else we durst not gaze upon.

These filver drops, like morning dew,

Foretell the fervour of the day:
So from one Cloud soft show'rs we view,

And blasting lightnings burst away.
The Stars that fall from Celia's eye,
Declare our Doom in drawing nigh,

40

The Baby in that funny Sphere

So like a Phaëton appears,
That Heav'n, the threaten'd World to spare, 45

Thought fit to drown him in her tears:
Else might th' ambitious Nymph aspire,
To set, like him, Heav'n too on fire.

V.

E. of ROCHESTER.

On SILENCE.

SILEN

I.
ILENCE! coeval with Eternity. ;

Thou wert, ere Nature's self began to be, 'Twas one vastNothing, all, and all slept fast in thee."

II.
Thine was the sway, ere heav'n was form’d, or

earth, Ere fruitful Thought conceiv'd creation's birth, Os midwife Word gave aid, and spoke the infant

forth.

HII.
Then various elements, against thee join'd,

In one more various animal combin'd,
And fram'd the clam'rous race of busyHuman-kind,

IV. The tongue mov'd gently first, and speech was

low, 'Till wrangling Science taught it noise and show, And wicked Wit arose, thy most abusive foe.

IO

But rebel Wit deserts thee oft in vain ;

Lost in the maze of words he turns again, 14 And seeks a surer state, and courts thy gentle reign.

VI.
Afficted Sense thou kindly dost set free,

Oppress’d with argumental tyranny,
And routed Reason finds a safe retreat in thee,

VII.
With thee in private modest Dulness lies,

And in thy bosom lurks in Thought's disguise; Thou varnisher of Fools, and cheat of all theWise!

VIII.
Yet thy indulgence is by both confest;

Folly by thee lies sleeping in the breast,
And 'tis in thee at last that Wisdom seeks for rest,

IX. Silence the knave's repute, the whore's good name,

25 The only honour of the wishing dame ; Thy very want of tongue makes thee a kind of

Fame,

X. But could'st thou seize some tongues that now aro

free, How Church and State should be oblig'd to thee? At Senate,and at Bar,how welcome would'st thou be?

XI. Yet speech ev’n there, submissively withdraws, From rights of subjects, and the poor man's cause:

Silence reigns, and stills the noisy Laws,

Then pompous

XII.

Paft services of friends, good deeds of foes,

What Fav’rites gain, and what the Nation owes, Fly the forgetful world, and in thy arms repose,

XIII.
The country wit, religion of the town,

The courtier's learning, policy o’th' gown,
Are best by thee express’d; and shine in thee alone,

XIV.
The parson's cant, the lawyer's sophistry,

Lord's quibble, critic's jest; all end in thee,
All rest in peace at last, and sleep eternally.