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Poems, and phancies

written By the Thrice Noble, Illustrious, And Excellent Princess The Lady Marchioness of Newcastle [i.e. Margaret Cavendish]. The Second Impression, much Altered and Corrected

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Nature's City.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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Nature's City.

Nature did of great Rocks and Mountains build
A City, with all sorts of Creatures fill'd;
The Citizens are VVorms, which stir not far,
But sit within their Shops and Sell their Ware;
The Moles, as Magistrates, do Mine about
Each ones Estate to find their Riches out,
And with Extortions do high Houses make,
Called Mole-hills, wherein they Pleasure take;

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The lazy Dormouse in her House doth keep
The Gentry, which doth Eat, and Drink, and Sleep,
Unless it be to Hunt about for Nuts,
VVherein the Sport is still to fill their Guts;
The Peasant-Ants with their Industrious feet,
Provisions get, made by hard Labours sweet;
They Dig, they Draw, they Plow, and Reap with Care,
And what they get they to their Barns do bear:
But after all their Husbandry and Pains,
Extortion comes and Eats up all their Gains.
All sorts of Bugs, as several Merchants, do
In all things Trade, and each place Travel to;
But Vapours, they are Artisans with Skill,
And make strong Winds to send which way they will;
They do round Balls of VVild-fire make to Run,
Which spreads about when that round Form's undone:
This is the City, which great Nature makes,
And in this City she great Pleasure takes.