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 Landskip.
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 | Poems, and phancies |  |
Nature's Landskip.
I standing on a Hill of Fancies high,And viewing round with Curiosity's Eye,
Under my Thoughts saw several Landskips lye.
In Champains of delight, I saw, did Feed
Pleasures, as Weathers fat, and Ews to breed;
And Cows of Probability, which went
In Hope's green Pastures, gave Milk of Content;
Some Fields, though Plow'd with care, Unsow'd did lye,
VVanting the fruitfull Seed of Industry;
In other Fields full Crops of Joys there grow'd,
VVhere some of them Fruition down had Mow'd;
Some by Ill accidents were Blasted found,
Some blown with Sorrow down, lay on the Ground;
Then I Inclosures View'd, which close did lye,
Hearts Hedg'd about with Thoughts of Secrecy;
Meadows of Youth did pleasant shew and Green,
Innocency, as Cowslips, grew therein:
Some ready with Old age to cut for Hay,
Some Hay cock'd high for Death to take away;
Clear Rivulets of Health ran here and there,
No sign of Sickness in them did appear;
No Stones or Gravel stopt their passage free,
No Weeds of Pain or slimy Gouts could see.
VVoods did present my View on the left side,
VVith Trees of high Ambition and great Pride;
There shades of Envy were made of Dark Spight,
VVhich did Eclipse the Fame of Honour's Light;
Faults stood so close, that but few Beams of Praise
Could enter, and Spight stopt up all the ways;
But Leaves of pratling Tongues I did espy,
VVhich sometimes Truth, for th'most part tell a Lye.
Pleasures, as Weathers fat, and Ews to breed;
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In Hope's green Pastures, gave Milk of Content;
Some Fields, though Plow'd with care, Unsow'd did lye,
VVanting the fruitfull Seed of Industry;
In other Fields full Crops of Joys there grow'd,
VVhere some of them Fruition down had Mow'd;
Some by Ill accidents were Blasted found,
Some blown with Sorrow down, lay on the Ground;
Then I Inclosures View'd, which close did lye,
Hearts Hedg'd about with Thoughts of Secrecy;
Meadows of Youth did pleasant shew and Green,
Innocency, as Cowslips, grew therein:
Some ready with Old age to cut for Hay,
Some Hay cock'd high for Death to take away;
Clear Rivulets of Health ran here and there,
No sign of Sickness in them did appear;
No Stones or Gravel stopt their passage free,
No Weeds of Pain or slimy Gouts could see.
VVoods did present my View on the left side,
VVith Trees of high Ambition and great Pride;
There shades of Envy were made of Dark Spight,
VVhich did Eclipse the Fame of Honour's Light;
Faults stood so close, that but few Beams of Praise
Could enter, and Spight stopt up all the ways;
But Leaves of pratling Tongues I did espy,
VVhich sometimes Truth, for th'most part tell a Lye.
Then I a Garden did of Beauty view,
Where sweet Complexion's Rose and Lilly grew;
And on the Banks of Breasts most perfect there
Did Violets of Azure-Veins appear;
Lips of fresh Gilly-flowers grew up high,
VVhich oft the Sun did Kiss as he pass'd by;
Hands of Narcissus shew'd most perfect white,
Whose Palms fine Tulips were streak'd with Delight.
Where sweet Complexion's Rose and Lilly grew;
And on the Banks of Breasts most perfect there
Did Violets of Azure-Veins appear;
Lips of fresh Gilly-flowers grew up high,
VVhich oft the Sun did Kiss as he pass'd by;
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Whose Palms fine Tulips were streak'd with Delight.
Close by this Gard'n a lovely Orchard stood,
Wherein was Fruit of Pleasure rare and good;
All Colour'd Eyes grew there, as Bullice gray,
And Damsons black, which do Taste best, some say;
Others there were of the pure blewest Grape,
And Pear-plum Faces of an Oval shape;
And Cheeks of Apricotes made Red with heat,
And Cherry-lips, which most delight to Eat:
But having View'd this Landskip round about,
And left this Fancy's Hill, Wit's Sight went out.
Wherein was Fruit of Pleasure rare and good;
All Colour'd Eyes grew there, as Bullice gray,
And Damsons black, which do Taste best, some say;
Others there were of the pure blewest Grape,
And Pear-plum Faces of an Oval shape;
And Cheeks of Apricotes made Red with heat,
And Cherry-lips, which most delight to Eat:
But having View'd this Landskip round about,
And left this Fancy's Hill, Wit's Sight went out.
| Poems, and phancies | |