The Works of Soame Jenyns ... In Four Volumes. Including Several Pieces Never Before Published. To Which are Prefixed, Short Sketches of the History of the Author's Family, and also of his Life; By Charles Nalson Cole |
 | I. |
 |
ON LUCINDA's RECOVERY FROM THE SMALL-POX. |
| II. |
 | The Works of Soame Jenyns |  |
ON LUCINDA's RECOVERY FROM THE SMALL-POX.
Bright Venus long with envious eyes
The fair Lucinda's charms had seen,
And shall she still, the goddess cries,
Thus dare to rival Beauty's queen?
The fair Lucinda's charms had seen,
And shall she still, the goddess cries,
Thus dare to rival Beauty's queen?
156
She spoke, and to th' infernal plains
With cruel haste indignant goes,
Where Death, the prince of terrors, reigns,
Amidst diseases, pains, and woes.
With cruel haste indignant goes,
Where Death, the prince of terrors, reigns,
Amidst diseases, pains, and woes.
To him her pray'rs she thus applies:
O sole, in whom my hopes confide
To blast my rival's potent eyes,
And in her fate all mortal pride!
O sole, in whom my hopes confide
To blast my rival's potent eyes,
And in her fate all mortal pride!
Let her but feel thy chilling dart,
I will forgive, tremendous god!
Ev'n that which pierc'd Adonis' heart:
He hears, and gives th' assenting nod.
I will forgive, tremendous god!
Ev'n that which pierc'd Adonis' heart:
He hears, and gives th' assenting nod.
Then calling forth a fierce Disease,
Impatient for the beauteous prey,
Bids him the loveliest fabric seize,
The gods e'er form'd of human clay.
Impatient for the beauteous prey,
Bids him the loveliest fabric seize,
The gods e'er form'd of human clay.
Assur'd he meant Lucinda's charms,
To her th' infectious dæmon flies;
Her neck, her cheeks, her lips disarms,
And of their lightning robs her eyes.
To her th' infectious dæmon flies;
Her neck, her cheeks, her lips disarms,
And of their lightning robs her eyes.
157
The Cyprian queen with cruel joy
Beholds her rival's charms o'erthrown,
Nor doubts, like mortal Fair, t'employ
Their ruins to augment her own.
Beholds her rival's charms o'erthrown,
Nor doubts, like mortal Fair, t'employ
Their ruins to augment her own.
From out the spoils of ev'ry grace
The goddess picks some glorious prize,
Transplants the roses from her face,
And arms young Cupids from her eyes.
The goddess picks some glorious prize,
Transplants the roses from her face,
And arms young Cupids from her eyes.
Now Death (ah veil the mournful scene!)
Had in one moment pierc'd her heart,
Had kinder Fate not stept between,
And turn'd aside th' uplifted dart.
Had in one moment pierc'd her heart,
Had kinder Fate not stept between,
And turn'd aside th' uplifted dart.
What frenzy bids thy hand essay,
He cries, to wound thy surest friend,
Whose beauties to thy realms each day
Such num'rous crowds of victims send?
He cries, to wound thy surest friend,
Whose beauties to thy realms each day
Such num'rous crowds of victims send?
Are not her eyes, where-e'er they aim,
As thine own silent arrows sure?
Or who, that once has felt their flame,
Dar'd e'er indulge one hope of cure?
As thine own silent arrows sure?
Or who, that once has felt their flame,
Dar'd e'er indulge one hope of cure?
158
Death, thus reprov'd, his hand restrains,
And bids the dire distemper fly;
The cruel beauty lives, and reigns,
That thousands may adore, and die.
And bids the dire distemper fly;
The cruel beauty lives, and reigns,
That thousands may adore, and die.
| The Works of Soame Jenyns | |