HIEROGLIPH XIV.
Yet a lttle while is the light with you.
JOHN 12. 35.
1
The day growes old; The low pitcht Lamp hath made
No lesse than treble shade:
And the descending damp does now prepare
T'uncurle bright Titans haire;
Whose Westerne Wardrobe, now begins t'unfold
Her purples, fring'd with gold,
To cloathe his evening glory; when th'alarmes
Of Rest shall call to rest in restless Thetis armes.
2
Nature now calls to Supper, to refresh
The spirits of all flesh;
The toyling ploughman drives his thirsty Teames,
To tast the slipp'ry Streames:
The droyling Swineheard knocks away, and feasts
His hungry-whining guests:
The boxbill Ouzle, and the dappled Thrush
Like hungry Rivals meet, at their beloved bush.
3
And now the cold Autumnall dewes are seene
To copwebbe every Greene;
And by the low-shorne Rowins doth appeare
The fast-declining yeare.
The Sapless Branches d'off their summer Suits
And waine their winter fruits:
And stormy blasts have forc'd the quaking Trees
To wrap their trembling limbs in Suits of mossie Freeze.
4
Our wasted Tapour, now hath brought her light
To the nest dore to night;
Her sprightless flame, grown great with snuffe, does turn
Sad as her neighb'ring Urne:
Her slender Inch, that yet unspent remaines;
Lights but to further paines
And in a silent language bids her guest
Prepare his wearie limbs to take eternall Rest.
5
Now carkfull Age hath pitcht her painefull plough
Upon the furrow'd brow;
And snowie blasts of discontented Care
Hath blancht the falling haire:
Suspitious envie mixt with jealous Spight
Disturb's his wearie night:
He threatens youth with age: And, now, alas,
He ownes not what he is, but vaunts the Man he was.
6
Gray haires, peruse thy daies; And let thy past
Reade lectures to thy last:
Those hastie wings that hurri'd them away
Will give these daies no Day:
The constant wheeles of Nature scorne to tyre
Untill her worke expire:
That blast that nipt thy youth, will ruine Thee;
That hand that shooke the branch will quicklie strike the Tree.
St. CHRYS.
Gray hayres are honourable, when the behaviour suits with gray hayres: But
when an ancient man hath childish manners, he becomes more ridiculous than a
childe.
SEN.
Thou art in vaine attained to old yeares, that repeatest thy youthfulnesse.
EPIGRAM 14.
[Seest thou this good old man? He represents]
Seest thou this good old man? He represents
Thy Future; Thou, his Preterperfect Tense;
Thou go'st to labour, He prepares to Rest:
Thou break'st thy Fast; He suppes: Now which is best?
