University of Virginia Library

The Choice.

A Dialogue between Emilia and Marissa.

Mar.
Virtue sure's th' only Treasure,
Th' only solid lasting Pleasure:
It does our Souls, our Thoughts refine,
And gives us Joys almost Divine.
It may a while obscur'd remain,
But soon its Lustre will regain;
Like Phœbus chase the Shades away,
And bring again triumphant Day:
Censures like Clouds sometimes appear,
And keep its Rays from shining clear:
But having reach'd Meridian Height,
They fly before its conqu'ring Light;
Before that Light whose glorious Blaze
Does trembling guilty Souls amaze,
And from its dazling Seat on high
Disperses Splendor thro' the Skie:
Pale Envy sickens at the Sight,
And full of Shame, and full of Spite,
To the dark nether World returns,
And there, her Disappointment mourns:
But oh! my dearest Friend, I find
That Malice still is left behind:
Alas! that Fury never sleeps,
But thro' the World still slily creeps,
Each Day a new Disguise she takes,
Each Day some diff'rent Figure makes:
Like Zeal and Pity she appears,
And drown'd in false dissembling Tears,
Often the Mask of Friendship wears,
And with a Shew of Love insnares,
On me she's bent to wreak her Spite,
And with her dire Attacks affright:
From her to this Recess I fled,
And here my Life obscurely led;
Supposing She with Crouds wou'd stay,
Or with the Great, the Rich, the Gay,
With the Young, the Fair, the Wise,
And me, poor worthless me, despise;
But now too late, alas! I find
She will not, will not stay behind,

Emi.
Since Virtue's seated in her Breast,
Marissa ne'er can be distrest:
Malice may you perhaps assail,
But never, never can prevail:
Fortune too may take her part,
Exert her Strength, and shew her Art;
With these the Vicious may combine,
And favour their unjust Design;
But Virtue will the Shock sustain,
And you'll unvanquish'd still remain:
Your inward Joys will be secure,
And you'll no Loss, nor Ill endure.

Mar.
Virtue has, ever had my Love,
And still my Choice, my Guide shall prove;
To me shall still point out the Way,
Until I reach eternal Day,
That dear, that welcome, blissful Shore
Where I shall never suffer more;
No more the Toils of Life sustain,
But live secure from Sin and Pain.
Hark! hark! I'm call'd! I'm call'd away!
I cannot, will not, longer stay:
My Guardian Angel see appear,
See! see! he cuts the yielding Air:
Celestial Musick sweetly plays,
I hear! I hear Seraphick Lays!
O! the soft enchanting Sound!
Nothing here's so charming found!
Adieu, vain World, vain World, adiue:
I come, ye blest! I come to you!
Fortune's Gifts I ne'er could prize,
And now her Trifles I despise:
If at my Feet her Bounties lay,
And Crowns were scatter'd in my Way,
I'd scorn 'em all, and onward go;
There's nothing tempting here below.

Emi.
O! stay my Friend! O! stay for me,
I still will your Companion be:
My Love to Virtue, Love to you,
Was ever strong, and ever true;
And still the same shall ever prove;
Nothing my fixt Resolves shall move.
The Sun may sooner cease to shine,
And it may freeze beneath the Line;
Mountains may sink, and Plains may rise,
Beasts chuse the Seas, and Fish the Skies;
Birds their lov'd airy Region leave,
And flatt'ring Men no more deceive,
Than my Marissa shall e'er find
Emilia faithless, or unkind:
O! do not then her suit disdain,
O! let her not implore in vain:
She longs, she longs with you to die;
Thus, Hand in Hand we'll upward fly;
Thus, thus, my best, my dearest Friend,
Thus, thus embracing we'll ascend.

Mar.
No, thou lov'd Darling of my Heart,
We'll never, never, never part:
Those Virtues which our Souls combine,
Shall ever in our Union shine:
Together we'll lay down our Clay,
Together throw the Load away;
And bright as Fire, and light as Air,
To the superior World repair;
To glorious Seats, and Realms Divine,
Where Love do's in Perfection shine:
Love undisguis'd, without alloy,
Noble, pure, and full of Joy,
Sincere, and strong, and still the same,
One steady, bright, immortal Flame:
There, there our Friendship we'll improve,
Together tast the Sweets of Love;
Still in each other's Bliss rejoice,
And prove one Soul, one Thought, one Voice;
In nothing ever disagree,
Throughout a blest Eternity.