 | The poems of John Wilmot: Earl of Rochester |  |
Upon Nothing
Nothing thou Elder Brother even to Shade
Thou hadst a being ere the world was made
And (well fixt) art alone of ending not afraid.
Thou hadst a being ere the world was made
And (well fixt) art alone of ending not afraid.
Ere Time and Place were, Time and Place were not
When Primitive Nothing, somthing straight begott
Then all proceeded from the great united what—
When Primitive Nothing, somthing straight begott
Then all proceeded from the great united what—
Somthing, the Generall Attribute of all
Severed from thee its sole Originall
Into thy boundless selfe must undistinguisht fall.
Severed from thee its sole Originall
Into thy boundless selfe must undistinguisht fall.
Yet Somthing did thy mighty power command
And from thy fruitfull Emptinesses hand
Snatcht, Men, Beasts, birds, fire, water, Ayre, and land.
And from thy fruitfull Emptinesses hand
Snatcht, Men, Beasts, birds, fire, water, Ayre, and land.
Matter, the Wickedst offspring of thy Race
By forme assisted flew from thy Embrace
And Rebell-Light obscured thy Reverend dusky face.
By forme assisted flew from thy Embrace
And Rebell-Light obscured thy Reverend dusky face.
With forme and Matter, Time and Place did joyne
Body thy foe with these did Leagues combine
To spoyle thy Peaceful Realme and Ruine all thy Line.
Body thy foe with these did Leagues combine
To spoyle thy Peaceful Realme and Ruine all thy Line.
But Turncote-time assists the foe in vayne
And brib'd by thee destroyes their short liv'd Reign
And to thy hungry wombe drives back thy slaves again.
And brib'd by thee destroyes their short liv'd Reign
And to thy hungry wombe drives back thy slaves again.
63
Though Misteries are barr'd from Laick Eyes
And the Divine alone with warrant pries
Into thy Bosome, where thy truth in private lyes
And the Divine alone with warrant pries
Into thy Bosome, where thy truth in private lyes
Yet this of thee the wise may truly say
Thou from the virtuous Nothing doest delay
And to be part of thee the wicked wisely pray.
Thou from the virtuous Nothing doest delay
And to be part of thee the wicked wisely pray.
Great Negative how vainly would the wise
Enquire, define, distinguish, teach, devise,
Didst Thou not stand to poynt their blind Phylosophies.
Enquire, define, distinguish, teach, devise,
Didst Thou not stand to poynt their blind Phylosophies.
Is or is not, the two great Ends of ffate
And true or false the Subject of debate
That perfect or destroy the vast designes of State—
And true or false the Subject of debate
That perfect or destroy the vast designes of State—
When they have wrackt the Politicians Brest
Within thy Bosome most Securely rest
And when reduc't to thee are least unsafe and best.
Within thy Bosome most Securely rest
And when reduc't to thee are least unsafe and best.
But (Nothing) why does Somthing still permitt
That Sacred Monarchs should at Councell sitt
With persons highly thought, at best for nothing fitt,
That Sacred Monarchs should at Councell sitt
With persons highly thought, at best for nothing fitt,
Whilst weighty Somthing modestly abstaynes
ffrom Princes Coffers and from Statesmens braines
And nothing there like Stately nothing reignes?
ffrom Princes Coffers and from Statesmens braines
And nothing there like Stately nothing reignes?
Nothing who dwell'st with fooles in grave disguise
ffor whom they Reverend Shapes and formes devise
Lawn-sleeves and ffurrs and Gowns, when they like thee looke wise:
ffor whom they Reverend Shapes and formes devise
Lawn-sleeves and ffurrs and Gowns, when they like thee looke wise:
ffrench Truth, Dutch Prowess, Brittish policy
Hibernian Learning, Scotch Civility
Spaniards Dispatch, Danes witt, are Mainly seen in thee;
Hibernian Learning, Scotch Civility
Spaniards Dispatch, Danes witt, are Mainly seen in thee;
64
The Great mans Gratitude to his best freind
Kings promises, Whors vowes towards thee they bend
fflow Swiftly into thee, and in thee ever end.
Kings promises, Whors vowes towards thee they bend
fflow Swiftly into thee, and in thee ever end.
| The poems of John Wilmot: Earl of Rochester | |