Iter boreale With large additions of several other poems: being an exact collection of all hitherto extant. Never before published together. The author R. Wild |
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To the Father of a very vertuous Virgin, Deceased; who desired an obscure
Person to make an Elegy, &c.
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To the Father of a very vertuous Virgin, Deceased; who desired an obscure Person to make an Elegy, &c.
Sir, Be advis'd; She's not your Daughter now,But a crown'd Saint in Heav'ns great Court, & you
Must take heed what you offer to her Shrine;
You'l be profane, if that be not Divine.
Sternhold (who kill'd the Psalms, and David too
In Meeter and good meaning) did not do
More violence to Heav'n, than you to her,
If, whil'st you think't a kindness, you shall blur
Her Honour with my Ink: 'tis a disgrace
To set black Spots upon a glorious Face.
Disdain will burst her Coffin (sure) to have
Such dirty Feet as mine stand on her Grave.
Besides, 'tis niggardly to weep in Verse,
Tears without measure best become her Hearse,
The talking Book is shallow, still we see
Great Sorrows, like deep Rivers, silent be.
Were I Apollo's Priest indeed, and fit
To send a Poem up in flames of Wit,
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Whole Hecatombs of Verse, and Poets too.
Go search St. Pauls-Church-yard, imploy choice eyes
To scan all Epitaphs and Elegies;
All the rich Fancies, sacred Raptures, all
The Pearly drops which ever yet did fall
On spotless Virgins Tombs: then make your claim
Print and devote them to your Daughters name.
Those vast Hyperboles, those lofty Notes,
Which crackt the Muses Voices, rent their throats
Offended scrup'lous Readers, made them think
Poetry only strong Lines, and strong Drink,
Allayed by her merit, soon will be
Reduc'd to sober Truth, and Modesty,
But stay, this counsel is but simple stuff,
(Englands Divine) Reynolds hath done enough:
His Sermon is her Monument in print,
And hath more Honour than all Poems in't.
That doth not only speak her Saint, and more,
Can make him one too, who but reads it o're.
Reynolds records her Saint, and you may hope
That's more than canonizing by a Pope.
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