Occasional Poems Translations, Fables, Tales, &c. By William Somervile |
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Canidia's Epithalamium.
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 | Occasional Poems |  |
138
Canidia's Epithalamium.
Upon the same.
Time as malevolent, as old,
To blast Canidia's Face,
(Which once 'twas Rapture to behold
With Wrinkles, and Disgrace.
To blast Canidia's Face,
(Which once 'twas Rapture to behold
With Wrinkles, and Disgrace.
Not so in blooming Beauty bright,
Each envying Virgin's Pattern,
She reign'd with undisputed Right
A Priestess of St. Cattern.
Each envying Virgin's Pattern,
She reign'd with undisputed Right
A Priestess of St. Cattern.
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Each sprightly Soph, each brawny Thrum,
Spent his first Runnings here;
And hoary Doctors dribling come,
To languish, and despair.
Spent his first Runnings here;
And hoary Doctors dribling come,
To languish, and despair.
Low at her Feet the prostrate Arts,
Their humble Homage pay;
To her the Tyrant of their Hearts,
Each Bard directs his Lay.
Their humble Homage pay;
To her the Tyrant of their Hearts,
Each Bard directs his Lay.
But now when impotent to please,
Alas! she wou'd be doing;
Reversing Nature's wise Decrees,
She goes herself a wooing.
Alas! she wou'd be doing;
Reversing Nature's wise Decrees,
She goes herself a wooing.
Tho' bribe'd with all her Pelf, the Swain
Most aukwardly complies;
Press'd to bear Arms, he serves in Pain,
Or from his Colours flies.
Most aukwardly complies;
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Or from his Colours flies.
So does an Ivy, green when old,
And sprouting in decay;
In juiceless, joyless Arms infold
A Sapling young and gay.
And sprouting in decay;
In juiceless, joyless Arms infold
A Sapling young and gay.
The thriving Plant, if better join'd,
Wou'd emulate the Skies;
But to that wither'd Trunk confin'd,
Grows sickly, pines, and dies.
Wou'd emulate the Skies;
But to that wither'd Trunk confin'd,
Grows sickly, pines, and dies.
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