University of Virginia Library

To Eugenia, a defence of juvenile wildnesse.

No troubled Sea of lust, no passions move,
Like storms, once deaf as corks, now hear of love.
What was I wild as Sea, inflam'd as air,
And deaf as Rocks, to th' giddy Seamans prayer?
Know gravity's prodigious in a Child:
Nature's inverted if he is not wild.
Bid th' sprightly morn be sullen, and display,
No beam for to inaurate new born day.
That which to youth gives motion, growth and sense,
Is but the effluxion of æray from thence.
'Cause young men visions see, and th' aged dream,
Must truths in youthful breasts more clearly stream
Age doth the stinging panthers breath perfume
By time the Firtrees odours do assume:
Myrabolans and dates in bloom and bud,
Both noxious are, both in their fruit are good.
To prove wild youth makes good man th' proverb take,
See how the wilder Colts best horses make!
Who Noy in Law, Butler in's art excels?
Who Julius or Severus paralells?
These like new wine, would sally, fume and swel,
In reasons confines would not alwaies dwel.
Priveling in drops and dirt view springs laid low:
Whence silver streams do swel, and rivers flow.
Know barren earth doth Mines of gold obscure:
And viler shels do precious gems immure.
Come my Eugenia, thou shalt me refine;
See how from dirt doth spring a glorious mine!
View how the Phœnix hid in ashes lies!
See after mucky burialls plants arise!
A spring of virtue and of youth's in thee,
Shine out, and nature opes her treasurie.
Colours in night dead quickned by the ray,
Of such a Sun will shine more bright then day.
See th' sport of every tyrant wave a bark!
On passions deluge view a rowling Ark.
Come dearest Dove with Olive branch of peace,
The deluge of thy woes and mine shall cease.
Chymists say, who fix Mercury can make gold,
Fix me Eugenia thou art rich if't hold.