ODE XIII.
[Soe powerfull Nature, doth in Things appeare]
1
Soe powerfull Nature, doth in Things appeare,
To this Great Rector's will;
Some things live but a Day, and some a yeare;
Some, many yeares fullfill;
Some, which in Nature were thought strong enough,
Doe soone Decaye;
And the weake Spray
Which yeilds to everie wind, is sometimes tough.
2
The long-lived Raven sometime knowes a Date
Short as the Sparrowe's Life;
The Stagge and Sheepe may be co-terminate,
In Nature's finall Strife;
The mightie Elephant and Mouse may run
An Equall race;
And in this case,
The Heliotrope may live with the last Sun.
3
That wonder; is it Nature's? that a Flower
Observing all his path,
Should change the Station with Him everie Howre,
And feele a kind of Death,
When his Flame quencht, to westerne waves doth fall;
Againe inspired,
When he is fired;
When in his South he rides, spred most of All.
4
Or, be it Nature's worke, who gave her Power?
The word is the mistake;
You call it Nature, but I call it more;
That which did Nature make.
For what is Nature? but the Creature All
Sealed by his hand;
And cannot Stand
Without his ayde, nor yet without Him fall.
5
For not the Elements whereby we live,
Can Challenge ought in this;
Hee made them Strong, or wasting; he did give
The breath, which still is His,
To everie Creature; Soe that wee can find
Noe Shape at all;
For what wee call
Nature, but his Impression in the Kind.
6
Thus I agree, and thus I dare avow
Nature our Strongest Light;
For the Thing men call Art, I doe not know
A Thing more Sleight;
For what bold Impudence dare boast a Trade?
Or vndertake
More strong to make,
The Creature, the Creator perfect made?
7
This mightie Idoll, which fond men adore,
Is but a Shadow vaine;
Boasting of Knowledge, knoweing nere the more;
But makes an Easie plaine
Path, intricate and rugged; to invite
By silken Clue
Such as pursue
Her winding Steps, to an Eternall night.
8
The Knowledge men would know, if they could tell
What their own thoughts/Soules would know,
Is Nature's Patent, Stampt with Heaven's Great Seale;
Which, well surveigh'd, will Show
Large Misterie, and Misterie vnfold:
Then doe not Strive
(Fond men,) to give
Your ffreedome to a Zanie, blind and bold.
9
It is the great Imposture of the world;
A Snare to ruine Sence;
A pitt where glorious witts have often hurl'd
Their brightest Excellence;
Where Sober Knowledge and the Light of Truth
Were never heard;
But Hee who rear'd
His ffollie loudest, with a high-rais'd mouth.
10
And doubtles, thus the Earth with Iove made warre:
When man shall vndertake
To Circle mightie Nature in the Sphere
Which groveling Fancies make;
What is it This, but to their power, to raise
A mound, to Scale
The Olimpicke wall,
And deprive the Creator of his praise?
11
But mightie Nature, (provident in All)
Did this of old foresee;
And sett before the Face of Truth a wall,
Beyond Discoverie;
Lest Man, too bold in veiwing her bright Shine,
Might proudlie vant
Hee did not want
Of the Perfection iustly call'd Devine.
12
Soe fell the Angells; soe did Man, at first,
And soe doth often fall;
For soe bold Crime how iustlie was Hee curst;
Who seeking, lost it All.
And if there be a parcell of that Fire
Not yet put out;
It is, noe doubt,
From the first Flame, who gave it first entire.
