 | Poems, Songs and Love-Verses |  |
10
Omnia mutantur.
My Genius hurried by that haste
Which brought the Universe to waste,
And all things by its Power defac't,
Which brought the Universe to waste,
And all things by its Power defac't,
Compels me to reflect upon
Past Ages, others coming on,
By a swift Revolution.
Past Ages, others coming on,
By a swift Revolution.
For by the eating Teeth of Time,
There's nought so noble, or sublime,
But shall be turned into slime.
There's nought so noble, or sublime,
But shall be turned into slime.
The four great Monarchies that were
So vast, as kept the World in fear,
Their Exits past, and disappear.
So vast, as kept the World in fear,
Their Exits past, and disappear.
Cities so vast that one may say,
The Sun scarce view'd them in a day,
Are nothing now, but heaps of Clay.
The Sun scarce view'd them in a day,
Are nothing now, but heaps of Clay.
Wonders, of which the World did boast,
For their Magnificence and Cost,
Are now in their own Ruins lost.
For their Magnificence and Cost,
Are now in their own Ruins lost.
All things are subject unto change,
And into several orders range:
Natures events are often strange.
And into several orders range:
Natures events are often strange.
11
Yet Man, whose Glory's but a shade,
Oft-times his fancy does perswade
That nothing can his Power invade.
Oft-times his fancy does perswade
That nothing can his Power invade.
And yet their Honours quickly rust,
And all their glorious Titles must
Be mingled with the common dust.
And all their glorious Titles must
Be mingled with the common dust.
Their Pageant Pomp does fade away,
And greatest Trophies soon decay,
And Death the Victor turns to clay.
And greatest Trophies soon decay,
And Death the Victor turns to clay.
Riches remain but for a Night,
And e're the Morning take their flight,
And leave the miserable Wight.
And e're the Morning take their flight,
And leave the miserable Wight.
Beauty decays much like a Flower,
Which buds and spreads, and in an hour
Th' Impartial Scythe doth it devour.
Which buds and spreads, and in an hour
Th' Impartial Scythe doth it devour.
That Beauty which e're while might seem
Enough to grace the Cyprian Queen,
Is counted now of no esteem.
Enough to grace the Cyprian Queen,
Is counted now of no esteem.
When in her Glass fair Hellen spy'd
Her Face, by Time so mortifi'd,
Which was e're-while her chiefest pride,
Her Face, by Time so mortifi'd,
Which was e're-while her chiefest pride,
She weeping said unto her Glass,
Is this the Beauty did surpass?
Tell me why I twice ravisht was.
Is this the Beauty did surpass?
Tell me why I twice ravisht was.
12
O Time, whose greedy Teeth devours
The prime and glory of our Powers,
And leav'st us what was none of ours;
The prime and glory of our Powers,
And leav'st us what was none of ours;
VVho lay'st thy rav'nous hands on all,
The Rich, the Poor, the great, the small;
None are secure untill they fall.
The Rich, the Poor, the great, the small;
None are secure untill they fall.
VVhen will thy wanton lust have end?
Or till what date dost thou pretend
These outrages thus to defend?
Or till what date dost thou pretend
These outrages thus to defend?
Thou need'st not answer; for I know
Thy furious course shall forward go,
Till Heaven does Ne plus ultra show.
Thy furious course shall forward go,
Till Heaven does Ne plus ultra show.
Tempus edax rerum tuq; invidiosa omnia distruitis, &c.
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