Fruits of Retirement Or, Miscellaneous Poems, Moral and Divine. Being Some Contemplations, Letters, &c. Written on a Variety of Subjects and Occasions. By Mary Mollineux ... To which is Prefixed, Some Account of the Author |
 |
|
Of CHASTITY.
|
 | Fruits of Retirement |  |
88
Of CHASTITY.
Vertue's its own Reward; and Innocence,Where'er it dwells, a Fortress of Defence;
And in the Confines of pure, Chastity,
The Heav'n Born Soul finds joyful Liberty,
And pleasant Freedom; far surpassing all
The Latitude of base, luxurious Thrall,
Wherein the captivated Heart's inclin'd
To dote on Trifles, where it cannot find
True Solace, suiting the Nobility
Of that which sprung from Immortality:
Then why should any, stiled Rational,
So slight their Princely Great Original,
As to sit down content, to equalize
Themselves to Bruits, and sordidly despise
Enjoyments more sublime, which gratify
The Noble Intellectual Faculty,
Proper alone to Creatures Rational?
To be preferr'd before those Criminal
Polluting Pleasures, which do so incense
The injur'd (if not seared) Conscience,
As much allays their present seeming Joys,
And feeds the gnawing Worm that never dyes;
Whilst prudent Minds delight to Contemplate
The Wisdom of that Pow'r, that did Create
And Form the Universe: The Mystery
Of Natures scarce observed Harmony,
And that Intrinsick Vertue, that is found
In some familiar Concrets to abound,
89
Save the Indwelling of that Lord alone,
That gives the Knowledge of them, and did frame
Them, to the Glory of his holy Name:
The sweet Experience whereof, I find,
Is, by a Noble and Ingenious Mind,
Acknowledged; asserting it to raise
The Heart, to celebrate their Maker's Praise.
Why then should so much Time, Expence, and Cost,
Be on some vain deluding Objects lost?
Which, as with Chains, do bind in Slavery,
And overwhelm, in gross Impurity,
Some doting Mortals, whose depraved Sense
Can taste no Pleasures, not derived thence.
But where unstained Chastity doth reign,
The Mind kept pure, is apt to entertain
Joys more refin'd; and then, if any rude
Disturbing Thought would secretly intrude,
'Tis soon expell'd, and banish'd from that Breast,
Where Chastity hath taken up her rest:
For here the Thoughts, the Words and Actions be
Well season'd, with an awful Gravity;
The good Effects of an Internal Law,
Which doth, by its prevailing Precepts, draw
Unto Obedience; whose Recompence
Doth far surmount all transient Joys of Sense:
Yet, ah, how many make it their Design,
T'entice the Soul, and lead beyond the Line
Of Innate Law, through pleasant Confidence,
Bringing at last to Boundless Impudence;
That Enemy to Vertue, that Prophane
Preludium unto a Tragick Scene,
Which doth by Heart-beguiling Pastimes bring
The yielding Captives to the wounding Sting
90
That frets their Hearts, involv'd in lasting Shame;
Whilst Peace and Honour evermore remains
To them, in whose chaste Breast true Vertue reigns.
Both Sexes are adorn'd by Chastity,
For, as Recorded to Posterity,
Great Heroes, for their Valour much renown'd,
If in their Princely Bosoms this was found,
As by a Law to limit; such did gain
A more enobling Lustre to their Name:
But those, from whom great Armies conquer'd fled,
That by a wanton Heart were vanquishéd,
(Though Fortitude is not to be forgot)
This to their Names is a perpetual Blot.
Who conquers Self, Vertue more Noble calls,
Than he that overthrows the strongest Walls:
Then for the Blushing Sex, what Tongue can tell
The Infamy that on her Name shall dwell,
That wants the Ornament of Chastity?
'Tis a Reproach unto her Memory:
But she that keeps her Mind retir'd and chaste,
Her Praise shall flourish; Fame nor Envy's blast
Can never blemish it; that Happy Peace,
That in her Bosom lives, shall never cease.
This therefore is to some a Pearl as dear
As Life; and such do less regard or fear
The loss of Life, and all, than once to stain
Their chaste reserved Souls, with guilt and shame.
Thus fair Matilda rather chose to dye
A Martyr to her Spotless Chastity,
Than with a gnawing Guilt and Horror live
In all the Pleasures that a Court can give;
Who, tho' with Mortals she be ceas'd to dwell,
She lives where Joys Immortal do excel
91
Doth still in Honour and Esteem remain.
Vertue bestows a Crown of Endless Praise
On all that to it Consecrate their Days.
1679.
| Fruits of Retirement | |