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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A Moral Discourse of Man and Beast.
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 | Poems, and phancies |  |
A Moral Discourse of Man and Beast.
Man
is a Creature by himself alone;
For in him joyn all Qualities as one;
When he is Injur'd and sustains a Wrong,
He seems a Lion, Furious, Feirce and Strong;
He's Greedy, Covetous like Wolves and Bears,
Right he Devours and Truth in pieces Tears;
Or like as Crafty Foxes lye in wait,
To catch Young Novice Kids by their Deceit;
So subtile Knaves do watch, Errours to make,
That they thereby Advantages may take;
Not for Examples them to Rectifie,
But that much Mischief they can make thereby:
Others like Crouching Spaniels close will Set,
Creeping about, the Patridge to In-net;
Some Humble seem, and Lowly bend the Knee,
To Men of Power and Autority,
Not out of Love to Honour and Renown,
But to Insnare, and so to Pull them down:
For as a Mastiff flies at every Throat,
So Spight will Fly at all that are of Note;
With slanderous Words, as Teeth, good Deeds they Tear,
No Power, Strength, nor Greatness do they spare;
And so Mischievous they're, Love not to see
Any to Live without an Infamy.
Most do like Ravenous Beasts in Blood delight,
And only to do Mischief, Love to Fight;
But some are like to Horses, strong and free,
Will Gallop over Wrong and Injury:
For as they fear no Foe, nor Enemies dread,
But Fight in Battels till they fall down Dead;
Their Heart with noble Rage so hot will grow,
That from their Nostrils Clouds of Smoak do blow,
And with their Hoofs they'l strike the Ground, and bite
For anger, that they cannot go to Fight;
Their Eyes like Flints will shoot out Sparks of Fire,
They'l Neigh out Loud, when Combats they desire;
So Valiant Men their Foe aloud will Call,
To try their Strength, and grapple Arms withall;
And in their Eyes such Courage doth appear,
As if God Mars did Rule that Hemisphere.
Some like to slow, dull Asses, full of fear,
Contented are heavy Burdens to bear,
And every Clown doth beat his Back and Side,
Because he's Slow, when faster he could Ride;
Then will he Bray out Loud, but dare not Bite,
Why so? 'cause he no Courage has to Fight;
Base Minds will yield their Heads under the Yoak,
Offer their Backs to every Tyrant's stroak;
Like Fools they'l Grumble, but yet dare not Speak,
Nor strive for Liberty, their Bonds to break;
So Dull will those, that Live in Slavery, grow;
Dejected Spirits make the Body slow.
Others, as Swine lye Grovelling in the Mire,
Have no Heroick Thoughts to rise up higher,
And from their Birth do never Sport nor Play,
But Eat and Drink, and Grunting run away:
And Cruel are, as of a Boarish brood;
Of Grumbling Natures, never doing good.
So Gluttons, Sluggards, care for nought but ease,
In Conversations seek no Man to please;
Ambition they do Slight to make them Live,
Nor have they Generosity to give;
But are so Churlish, that if any Pray
To help their Wants, they'l Cursing go away;
So Cruel, and so far from Death to save,
As they'l take Life away, that others have.
Some, as the fearfull Hart, or frighted Hare,
Shun every Noise, and their own Shadows fear:
So Cowards, which when sent in Warrs to Fight,
Think not to Beat, but how to make their Flight;
The Trumpet, when to Charge the Foe it Calls,
Then with that Sound the Heart of th'Coward falls.
Others, as harmless Sheep, in Peace do Live,
Contented are, no Injury will give,
But on the tender Grass do gently Feed,
And neither Spight, nor Rankled malice breed;
Which never in the ways of Mischief stood,
To set their Teeth in Flesh, or Drink up Blood;
But Grieve to walk alone, and Pine away,
Grow Fat in Flocks, and with each other Play;
Which do the Naked Cloath with their soft Wool,
The Ews do feed the hungry Stomacks full:
So gentle Natures, and sweet Dispositions,
Contented Live, and shun Foolish ambitions;
Full of Compassion, pitying the Distrest,
And with their Bounty helping the Opprest;
They Swell not with the Pride of Self-conceit,
Nor for their Neighbour's Life do lye in wait;
Nor Innocence by their Extortions tear,
Nor fill the Widow's Heart with Grief or Care;
Nor any Bribes do take with Cov'tous hands,
Nor set they back the Mark of th'Owner's Lands,
But gratefully all Courtesies requite,
Free from all Envy, Malice, Splene and Spight;
In all their Conversations meek and mild,
Without Lascivious words, or actions Wild;
And those are Fathers to a Common-wealth,
Where Justice is Alive, and Truth in Health.
Others, as Apes do imitate the rest,
And when they Mischief do, seem but to Jest;
So are Buffoons, which seem for Mirth to Sport,
Whose Liberty makes Factions in a Court;
Those that delight in Fools, must in good part
Take what they say, although their Words are Smart;
And many times they Rankled thoughts beget
In Hearts of Princes, and much Envy set
By praising Rivals, or else do reveal
Those faults they should with privacy Conceal:
For when a Fool unpleasing Truth doth tell,
Or be it False, if but like Truth it Smell,
It gets such hold, e'n in a wise Man's Brain,
That hardly it will ever out again.
Some are like Worms, upon which others tread,
And some like Ven'mous Vipers do sting Dead;
For like as subtile Serpents wind about,
To compass their Designs, crawl in and out,
And never leave untill some Nest they find,
Suck out the Eggs, and leave the Shells behind;
So Flatterers with Praises wind about
A noble Mind, to get a Secret out;
And Flattery through every Ear will glide
Down to the Heart, and there some time abide,
And in the Breast with feigned Friendship lye,
Till to the Death it Stings it Cruelly.
Thus some like Beasts, and some like Worms, are such;
But some do Flying Birds resemble much:
Some like a Soaring Eagle mount up high,
Wings of Ambition bear them to the Sky;
And some like Hawks fly round to catch their Prey;
Some like to Puttocks bear the Chick away;
Some are like Ravens, which on Carrion feed,
Feeding on Spight, wch Spight doth Slanders breed;
And like as Pea-cocks proud their Tails do show,
So some, that Followers have, will Haughty grow:
Some Melancholy Owls, that hate the Light,
And like as Bats fly in the Shades of Night;
So envious Men their Neighbours hate to see,
When as they Shine in great Prosperity;
Keep home in Discontent, Repine at all,
Untill some Mischief on the Good do fall:
Others, like chearfull Larks Sing as they fly,
So they are Merry, and have no Envy;
And some, like Nightingals do sweetly Sing,
As Messengers, when they good News do bring.
For in him joyn all Qualities as one;
When he is Injur'd and sustains a Wrong,
He seems a Lion, Furious, Feirce and Strong;
He's Greedy, Covetous like Wolves and Bears,
Right he Devours and Truth in pieces Tears;
Or like as Crafty Foxes lye in wait,
To catch Young Novice Kids by their Deceit;
120
That they thereby Advantages may take;
Not for Examples them to Rectifie,
But that much Mischief they can make thereby:
Others like Crouching Spaniels close will Set,
Creeping about, the Patridge to In-net;
Some Humble seem, and Lowly bend the Knee,
To Men of Power and Autority,
Not out of Love to Honour and Renown,
But to Insnare, and so to Pull them down:
For as a Mastiff flies at every Throat,
So Spight will Fly at all that are of Note;
With slanderous Words, as Teeth, good Deeds they Tear,
No Power, Strength, nor Greatness do they spare;
And so Mischievous they're, Love not to see
Any to Live without an Infamy.
Most do like Ravenous Beasts in Blood delight,
And only to do Mischief, Love to Fight;
But some are like to Horses, strong and free,
Will Gallop over Wrong and Injury:
For as they fear no Foe, nor Enemies dread,
But Fight in Battels till they fall down Dead;
Their Heart with noble Rage so hot will grow,
That from their Nostrils Clouds of Smoak do blow,
And with their Hoofs they'l strike the Ground, and bite
For anger, that they cannot go to Fight;
Their Eyes like Flints will shoot out Sparks of Fire,
They'l Neigh out Loud, when Combats they desire;
So Valiant Men their Foe aloud will Call,
To try their Strength, and grapple Arms withall;
And in their Eyes such Courage doth appear,
As if God Mars did Rule that Hemisphere.
121
Contented are heavy Burdens to bear,
And every Clown doth beat his Back and Side,
Because he's Slow, when faster he could Ride;
Then will he Bray out Loud, but dare not Bite,
Why so? 'cause he no Courage has to Fight;
Base Minds will yield their Heads under the Yoak,
Offer their Backs to every Tyrant's stroak;
Like Fools they'l Grumble, but yet dare not Speak,
Nor strive for Liberty, their Bonds to break;
So Dull will those, that Live in Slavery, grow;
Dejected Spirits make the Body slow.
Others, as Swine lye Grovelling in the Mire,
Have no Heroick Thoughts to rise up higher,
And from their Birth do never Sport nor Play,
But Eat and Drink, and Grunting run away:
And Cruel are, as of a Boarish brood;
Of Grumbling Natures, never doing good.
So Gluttons, Sluggards, care for nought but ease,
In Conversations seek no Man to please;
Ambition they do Slight to make them Live,
Nor have they Generosity to give;
But are so Churlish, that if any Pray
To help their Wants, they'l Cursing go away;
So Cruel, and so far from Death to save,
As they'l take Life away, that others have.
Some, as the fearfull Hart, or frighted Hare,
Shun every Noise, and their own Shadows fear:
So Cowards, which when sent in Warrs to Fight,
Think not to Beat, but how to make their Flight;
The Trumpet, when to Charge the Foe it Calls,
Then with that Sound the Heart of th'Coward falls.
122
Contented are, no Injury will give,
But on the tender Grass do gently Feed,
And neither Spight, nor Rankled malice breed;
Which never in the ways of Mischief stood,
To set their Teeth in Flesh, or Drink up Blood;
But Grieve to walk alone, and Pine away,
Grow Fat in Flocks, and with each other Play;
Which do the Naked Cloath with their soft Wool,
The Ews do feed the hungry Stomacks full:
So gentle Natures, and sweet Dispositions,
Contented Live, and shun Foolish ambitions;
Full of Compassion, pitying the Distrest,
And with their Bounty helping the Opprest;
They Swell not with the Pride of Self-conceit,
Nor for their Neighbour's Life do lye in wait;
Nor Innocence by their Extortions tear,
Nor fill the Widow's Heart with Grief or Care;
Nor any Bribes do take with Cov'tous hands,
Nor set they back the Mark of th'Owner's Lands,
But gratefully all Courtesies requite,
Free from all Envy, Malice, Splene and Spight;
In all their Conversations meek and mild,
Without Lascivious words, or actions Wild;
And those are Fathers to a Common-wealth,
Where Justice is Alive, and Truth in Health.
Others, as Apes do imitate the rest,
And when they Mischief do, seem but to Jest;
So are Buffoons, which seem for Mirth to Sport,
Whose Liberty makes Factions in a Court;
Those that delight in Fools, must in good part
Take what they say, although their Words are Smart;
123
In Hearts of Princes, and much Envy set
By praising Rivals, or else do reveal
Those faults they should with privacy Conceal:
For when a Fool unpleasing Truth doth tell,
Or be it False, if but like Truth it Smell,
It gets such hold, e'n in a wise Man's Brain,
That hardly it will ever out again.
Some are like Worms, upon which others tread,
And some like Ven'mous Vipers do sting Dead;
For like as subtile Serpents wind about,
To compass their Designs, crawl in and out,
And never leave untill some Nest they find,
Suck out the Eggs, and leave the Shells behind;
So Flatterers with Praises wind about
A noble Mind, to get a Secret out;
And Flattery through every Ear will glide
Down to the Heart, and there some time abide,
And in the Breast with feigned Friendship lye,
Till to the Death it Stings it Cruelly.
Thus some like Beasts, and some like Worms, are such;
But some do Flying Birds resemble much:
Some like a Soaring Eagle mount up high,
Wings of Ambition bear them to the Sky;
And some like Hawks fly round to catch their Prey;
Some like to Puttocks bear the Chick away;
Some are like Ravens, which on Carrion feed,
Feeding on Spight, wch Spight doth Slanders breed;
And like as Pea-cocks proud their Tails do show,
So some, that Followers have, will Haughty grow:
Some Melancholy Owls, that hate the Light,
And like as Bats fly in the Shades of Night;
124
When as they Shine in great Prosperity;
Keep home in Discontent, Repine at all,
Untill some Mischief on the Good do fall:
Others, like chearfull Larks Sing as they fly,
So they are Merry, and have no Envy;
And some, like Nightingals do sweetly Sing,
As Messengers, when they good News do bring.
Thus Men, Beasts, Birds in Humours much agree,
Though in them all several Proprieties be;
'Tis proper for a Lively Horse to Neigh,
And for a slow, dull, foolish Ass to Bray;
For Doggs to bark, Bulls roar, Wolves howl, Pigs squeak;
For Men to Frown, to Weep, to Laugh, to Speak:
Proper for Flies to Buzz, Birds Sing and Chatter,
Only for Men to Promise, Swear and Flatter.
Though in them all several Proprieties be;
'Tis proper for a Lively Horse to Neigh,
And for a slow, dull, foolish Ass to Bray;
For Doggs to bark, Bulls roar, Wolves howl, Pigs squeak;
For Men to Frown, to Weep, to Laugh, to Speak:
Proper for Flies to Buzz, Birds Sing and Chatter,
Only for Men to Promise, Swear and Flatter.
Thus can Man's Shape their Properties express,
Yet they have some, which all his Skill surpass;
For Men want Wings to fly up to the Sky;
Nor can they like the Fish in Waters lye:
No Man like Roes can run so swift and long;
Nor are they like to Horse or Lions strong;
Nor have they Sent like Dogs, a Hare to find,
Nor Sight like Swine to see the subtile Wind:
Thus several Creatures, by their several Sense,
Have better far, than Man, Intelligence;
And several Creatures, several Arts know well,
But Man in gen'ral doth them far Excell;
For Nature Arts as well to Man did give,
As other Qualities to Beasts to Live;
And from Man's Brains such fine Inventions flow,
As in his Head all other Heads do grow.
What Creature Builds, like Man, a stately Tower,
And makes such things, as Time cannot devour?
What Creature makes such Engines, as Man's hand,
To Traffick, and to Use at Sea and Land?
To Kill or Spoil, or else Alive to take,
Destroying all that other Creatures make;
This makes Man seem of all the World a King,
Because he Power hath of every thing;
He'l teach Birds words, in measure Beasts to go,
Makes Passions in the Mind to Ebb and Flow;
And though he cannot fly as Birds with wings,
Yet can he take the Height and Breadth of things;
He knows the course and number of the Stars,
When Birds and Beasts are no Astrologers.
And though he cannot Swim like Fish, he'l make
Angles and Nets, those Fish withall to take;
And with his Ships the World he'l Circle round;
What Beast or Bird, that doth so, is yet found?
He'l fell down Woods, with Axes sharp he'l strike,
Whole Herds of Beasts can never do the like.
What Beast can Plead to save anothers Life,
Or by his Eloquence can end a Strife?
Or Counsels give, how Dangers may be shun,
Or tell the Cause of the Eclipsed Sun?
He'l turn the Current of the Waters clear,
And make that they do like new Seas appear;
Where Fish do only in Old waters Glide,
He'l cut new Rivers out on any Side;
He'l Mountains make, which Clouds almost do touch,
Small Hills of Moles or Ants scarce do so much.
What Creature like to Man can Reason show,
Which makes him sure, that he thereby doth know?
And who but Man makes use of every thing?
For Goodness out of Poyson he can bring.
'Tis only Man that's fill'd with strong desire,
And by his Rhetorick sets the Soul on Fire.
Beasts no Ambition have to get a Fame,
Nor Build they Tombs t'Eternalize their Name;
They never VVarr, Honour and Fame to get,
But to secure themselves, their Meat to Eat:
In short, Men like to Gods, for ever shall
Live; but Beasts like themselves to Dust must fall.
Yet they have some, which all his Skill surpass;
For Men want Wings to fly up to the Sky;
Nor can they like the Fish in Waters lye:
No Man like Roes can run so swift and long;
Nor are they like to Horse or Lions strong;
Nor have they Sent like Dogs, a Hare to find,
Nor Sight like Swine to see the subtile Wind:
Thus several Creatures, by their several Sense,
Have better far, than Man, Intelligence;
And several Creatures, several Arts know well,
But Man in gen'ral doth them far Excell;
For Nature Arts as well to Man did give,
As other Qualities to Beasts to Live;
And from Man's Brains such fine Inventions flow,
As in his Head all other Heads do grow.
125
And makes such things, as Time cannot devour?
What Creature makes such Engines, as Man's hand,
To Traffick, and to Use at Sea and Land?
To Kill or Spoil, or else Alive to take,
Destroying all that other Creatures make;
This makes Man seem of all the World a King,
Because he Power hath of every thing;
He'l teach Birds words, in measure Beasts to go,
Makes Passions in the Mind to Ebb and Flow;
And though he cannot fly as Birds with wings,
Yet can he take the Height and Breadth of things;
He knows the course and number of the Stars,
When Birds and Beasts are no Astrologers.
And though he cannot Swim like Fish, he'l make
Angles and Nets, those Fish withall to take;
And with his Ships the World he'l Circle round;
What Beast or Bird, that doth so, is yet found?
He'l fell down Woods, with Axes sharp he'l strike,
Whole Herds of Beasts can never do the like.
What Beast can Plead to save anothers Life,
Or by his Eloquence can end a Strife?
Or Counsels give, how Dangers may be shun,
Or tell the Cause of the Eclipsed Sun?
He'l turn the Current of the Waters clear,
And make that they do like new Seas appear;
Where Fish do only in Old waters Glide,
He'l cut new Rivers out on any Side;
He'l Mountains make, which Clouds almost do touch,
Small Hills of Moles or Ants scarce do so much.
What Creature like to Man can Reason show,
Which makes him sure, that he thereby doth know?
126
For Goodness out of Poyson he can bring.
'Tis only Man that's fill'd with strong desire,
And by his Rhetorick sets the Soul on Fire.
Beasts no Ambition have to get a Fame,
Nor Build they Tombs t'Eternalize their Name;
They never VVarr, Honour and Fame to get,
But to secure themselves, their Meat to Eat:
In short, Men like to Gods, for ever shall
Live; but Beasts like themselves to Dust must fall.
| Poems, and phancies | |