Poems By the most deservedly Admired Mrs Katherine Philips: The matchless Orinda. To which is added Monsieur Corneille's Pompey & Horace Tragedies. With several other Translations out of French |
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L'Accord du Bien. |
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L'Accord du Bien.
1
Order, by which all things are made,And this great World's foundation laid,
Is nothing else but Harmony,
Where different parts are brought t'agree.
2
As Empires are still best maintain'dThose ways which first their Greatness gain'd:
So in this universal Frame
What made and keeps it is the same.
3
Thus all things unto peace do tend;Even Discords have it for their end.
The cause why Elements do fight,
Is but their Instinct to Unite.
4
Musick could never please the SenseBut by United excellence:
The sweetest Note which Numbers know,
If struck alone, would tedious grow.
5
Man, the whole World's Epitome,Is by creation Harmony.
'Twas Sin first quarrell'd in his breast,
Then made him angry with the rest.
99
6
But Goodness keeps that Unity,And loves its own society
So well, that seldom we have known
One real Worth to dwell alone.
7
And hence it is we Friendship callNot by one Vertue's name, but all.
Nor is it when bad things agree
Thought Union, but Conspiracy.
8
Nature and Grace, such enemiesThat when one fell t'other did rise,
Are now by Mercy even set,
As Stars in Constellations met.
9
If Nature were it self a sin,Her Author (God) had guilty been,
But Man by sin contracting stain,
Shall purg'd from that be clear again.
10
To prove that Nature's excellentEven Sin it self's an argument:
Therefore we Nature's stain deplore,
Because it self was pure before.
100
11
And Grace destroys not, but refines,Unveils our Reason, then it shines;
Restores what was deprest by sin,
The fainting beam of God within.
12
The main spring (Judgment) rectify'd,Will all the lesser Motions guide,
To spend our Labour, Love and Care,
Not as thing seem, but as they are.
13
'Tis Fancy lost, Wit thrown away,In trifles to imploy that Ray,
Which then doth in full lustre shine
When both Ingenious and Divine.
14
To Eyes by Humours vitiatedAll things seem falsly coloured:
So 'tis our prejudicial thought
That makes clear Objects seem in fault.
15
They scarce believe united good,By whom 'twas never understood:
They think one Grace enough for one,
And 'tis because their selves have none.
101
16
We hunt Extreams, and run so fast,We can no steddy judgment cast:
He best surveys the Circuit round
Who stands i'th' middle of the ground.
17
That happy mean would let us seeKnowledge and Meekness may agree;
And find, when each thing hath its name,
Passion and Zeal are not the same.
18
Who studies God doth upwards flye,And height still lessens to our eye;
And he that knows God, soon will see
Vast cause for his Humility.
19
For by that search it will be knownThere's nothing but our Will our own:
And who doth so that stock imploy,
But finds more cause for Shame then Joy.
20
We know so little and so dark,And so extinguish our own spark,
That he who furthest here can go,
Knows nothing as he ought to know.
102
21
It will with the most Learned suteMore to enquire then dispute:
But Vapours swell within a Cloud;
'Tis Ignorance that makes us proud.
22
So whom their own vain Heart belies,Like Inflammations quickly rise:
But that Soul which is truly great
Is lowest in its own conceit.
23
Yet while we hug our own mistake,We Censures, but not Judgments, make,
And thence it is we cannot see
Obedience stand with Liberty.
24
Providence still keeps even state;But he can best command his Fate,
Whose Art by adding his own Voice
Makes his Necessity his Choice.
25
Rightly to rule ones self must beThe hardest, largest Monarchy:
Whose Passions are his Masters grown,
Will be a Captive in a Throne.
103
26
He most the inward freedom gains,Who just Submissions entertains:
For while in that his Reason sways,
It is himself that he obeys.
27
But onely in EternityWe can these beauteous Unions see:
For Heaven it self and Glory is
But one harmonious constant Bliss.
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