Poems on Several Occasions :: :: University of Virginia Library

Poems on Several Occasions

by Samuel Wesley. The Second Edition, with Additions

Wesley, Samuel (1662-1735)

[epigraph]

THE BATTLE OF THE SEXES.

On the Sixth and Eighth Verses of the Fortieth Chapter of Isaiah.

Epitaph on an Infant.

To a Friend in the Country,

From MARTIAL.

The ELECTIONEER.

The DECANTER.

TO Sir HERBERT POWELL, Bart.

A SONG to a Girl of Five Years old.

Epigram, from the Greek.

THE PARISH PRIEST.

To a Friend, upon his Marriage.

Epigram, from the Greek.

The PIG: .

A Letter from a Guardian to a Young Lady

Epitaph on a Gamester and Free-thinker.

SONG.

On Mr. HOBBES.

On the DEATH of Mr. Morgan of Christ-Church, Oxford.

ON The Birth-Day of a CHILD of a Year Old.

On the ROSE:

On the setting up Mr. Butler's Monument Westminster Abbey.

To the Right Honourable the EARL of OXFORD,

An Anacreontick Ode upon a Wedding, After Thirteen Years Courtship.

REFLECTIONS Upon these two Verses of Mr. Oldham: Lord of Myself, accountable to none, But to my Conscience, and my God alone.

An EPIGRAM.

To the MEMORY of the Right Rev. FRANCIS GASTRELL, D.D. Lord Bishop of Chester.

An ANACREONTICK, Alter'd from Herbert.

Against LIFE.

For LIFE.

To the Right Honourable the EARL of OXFORD, On His Birth-Day.

To a Young Gentleman,

The DOG:

THE DESCRIPTIVE:

EPIGRAM On the foregoing Miltonicks.

SNUFF:

Epigram, From the Greek.

On the foregoing Epigram.

An ODE To JAMES OGLETHORPE, Esq. In the Country. A.D. 1728.

To a Friend, on his Marriage.

The MONUMENT.

PROLOGUE Spoken before the Beau's-Stratagem Acted by some young Persons of Quality.

THE PRISONS OPEN'D:

EPIGRAM, On the Death of a PHYSICIAN.

On the Death of Dr. FREIND.

A WEDDING-SONG.

PASTORAL.

A Familiar Epistle, to a Friend.

To a Physician, on his Marriage.

To the Memory of The Reverend Dr. SOUTH.

To a Young Lady, on her Birth-Day, being the First of April.

Epigram, from the Greek.

A PINDARICK ODE TO THE Right Hon. the Earl of Oxford.

Epigram, from the Greek.

The BONDS-MEN:

Advice to One who was about to Write, To avoid the Immoralities of the Antient and Modern Poets.

EPILOGUE to CATO.

On the DEATH of Mrs. MORICE,

ANACREONTICK, From Herbert.

The MASTIFF:

THE December's Day: .

ANACREONTICK, On parting with a little Child.

On the DEATH of the Right Hon. Henrietta Countess of Orrery.

On Philip, the Father of Alexander.

To Kitty, a Poetical Young Lady.

On the Statue of Alexander.

On XERXES.

THE ILIAD in a Nutshell:

NECK or NOTHING:

A PINDARICK ODE, TO THE Right Hon. the Earl of Oxford.

From a Hint in the Minor Poets.

An ODE to James Oglethorpe, Esq.

An EPITAPH.

On the Death of A Friend, a Dissenter from the Ch. of England.

On some blasphemous Discourses on our Saviour's Miracles.

TO A FRIEND, On his being chosen Member of Parliament.

EPIGRAM.

Slander answer'd.

A defence of Slander answer'd.

Upon my Hairs falling.

A Character.

ON Mr. PETER BLUNDELL.

Epilogue to one of Terence's Plays, acted at the first Annual Meeting of Westminster Scholars.

Epilogue spoken at the Westminster-Meeting in the Year. 1732–3.

On the Siege of Saguntum.

On Forms of Prayer.

Upon altering the PSALMS, to apply them to a Christian State.

On HUMILITY.

On the Passion of Our Saviour.

Ode upon Christ's Crucifixion.

An Hymn on Easter-Day.

An Hymn for Sunday.

AN Hymn to GOD the FATHER.

An Hymn to God the Son.

An Hymn to God the Holy-Ghost.

An Hymn to the TRINITY, Three Persons and One God.

A Paraphrase on the Eighth Psalm.

Hezekiah's Thanksgiving for his Recovery from Sickness: Isaiah 38.

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211

To Kitty, a Poetical Young Lady.

I

Dear Kitty! now my Counsel take,
Now is the dang'rous Season;
If not, admit the Rhime to make
Atonement for the Reason.

II

Take heed, lest Affluence beguile,
Lest Pride should over-pow'r ye,
Now kinder Fortune seems to smile,
With Prospect of a Dowry.

III

If e'er in other Sphere you move,
And higher Life appear in,
Take heed the Station does not prove
The worse for Kitty's wearing.

IV

If from Simplicity You range,
If Shew and Form controll Ye,
Your Charms to Ugliness you'll change,
Your Prudence into Folly.

V

For Affectation looks so foul,
When Man or Maid it seizes;
That neither then the noblest Soul,
Nor fairest Body, pleases.

212

VI

Whoe'er to play the Coxcomb's Part
By niggard Nature's driv'n,
May Pardon find; but Fools by Art
Can never be forgiv'n.

VII

Remember You, for Others will,
That Woman is a Creature,
Of Flatt'ry vain, expos'd to Ill,
And doubly frail by Nature.

VIII

Should she for Art and Learning glow,
Applause and Glory wooing,
On lofty Verse her Time bestow,
As You may now be doing;

IX

Yet still, to rule her House aright
Would better far become her,
Than to surpass the noblest Flight
In Milton or in Homer.

X

What tho' her Youth may Hearts engage,
Her Bloom will quickly leave her;
The certain Spoil of coming Age,
If 'scaping from a Fever.

XI

What tho' her Wit should never fail?
How few will long endure her?
The Ship that Ballast wants, by Sail
Is overset the surer.

213

XII

Who jests alike on Friends and Foes,
With Raillery all retorting;
Her Folly she in Earnest shows,
And only Wit in Sporting.

XIII

'Tis hard to govern witty Spleen;
Time, Person, Place, be chosen:
'Tis more one Satire to keep in,
Than 'tis to make a Thousand.

XIV

Suppose a Damsel, unconfin'd
By Decency or Duty,
Exulting in her haughty Mind,
With Riches, Wit, and Beauty:

XV

Her Treasure, more than Miser's Eye
By South-Sea aim'd at getting,
Enough all forfeit Land to buy,
Nay all the Land of Britain:

XVI

A Cleveland for her Beauty nam'd,
Than Dorchester more witty;
For Learning more than Elstob fam'd,
For Poetry, than Kitty:

XVII

If she does nought but swell and brag,
Her Talents have undone her;
The Wise will fly her like the Plague,
The Tokens are upon her.

214

XVIII

What's Beauty, Wealth, and Wit beside?
Nor God nor Man will love her;
For tho' she were an Angel, Pride
Will make a Devil of her.