Amanda A Sacrifice To an Unknown Goddesse, or, A Free-Will Offering Of a loving Heart to a Sweet-Heart. By N. H. [i.e. Nicholas Hookes] |
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To the Author upon his Amanda. |
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To the Author upon his Amanda.
Courage, (my friend,) boldly assay the stage,
Maugre the uncouth humours of the age,
Though wit th' unsavoury thing be out of date,
And judgement triumph in the fancies fate,
Poetry's heresie, and schisme pure,
(As is free-will or humane literature.)
Yet shall thy Mistresse thaw the Stoicks breast,
And prove Amanda to discretions test.
But doubtful whether Muse or Mistresse be,
The faire Amanda that is meant by thee;
Resolv'd that though thy Madam lovely be,
She paints t' inhance her endlesse tyrannie.
Hadst thou (without a rithme) said, Good and Faire,
Th' hadst matcht the highest loves that couchant are
In mortal breasts, thy zeal forgetting bound,
Has quite o'reshot loves landmarke, and gaines ground
Maugre the uncouth humours of the age,
Though wit th' unsavoury thing be out of date,
And judgement triumph in the fancies fate,
Poetry's heresie, and schisme pure,
(As is free-will or humane literature.)
Yet shall thy Mistresse thaw the Stoicks breast,
And prove Amanda to discretions test.
But doubtful whether Muse or Mistresse be,
The faire Amanda that is meant by thee;
Resolv'd that though thy Madam lovely be,
She paints t' inhance her endlesse tyrannie.
Hadst thou (without a rithme) said, Good and Faire,
Th' hadst matcht the highest loves that couchant are
In mortal breasts, thy zeal forgetting bound,
Has quite o'reshot loves landmarke, and gaines ground
On admiration, dull without desire,
As without warmth the elemental fire:
The famous Grecian beauty's stollen face,
And most choice borrow'd parts fell short of grace,
She had been more then the intended she,
Had she but filch't Amanda's Poetrie.
I'le not assesse thy merits, wise men soon
Will judge thee worthy, and for this thy boon
Each Amirado-Proselyte of thine
Pays his devotion to Amanda's shrine.
But if to please lesse knowing men seem safe,
Raile at Sucinus in a Paragraph:
Confute Arminius in English phrase,
So shall dull men yield suffrage to thy praise.
As without warmth the elemental fire:
The famous Grecian beauty's stollen face,
And most choice borrow'd parts fell short of grace,
She had been more then the intended she,
Had she but filch't Amanda's Poetrie.
I'le not assesse thy merits, wise men soon
Each Amirado-Proselyte of thine
Pays his devotion to Amanda's shrine.
But if to please lesse knowing men seem safe,
Raile at Sucinus in a Paragraph:
Confute Arminius in English phrase,
So shall dull men yield suffrage to thy praise.
M. P. Midd. Temp. Gent.
| Amanda | |