University of Virginia Library

To my Ingenious Friend Mr. Hawkshaw, on the Advance of the Poetry.

When yet the World was young and Nature new,
E'er many Days had sprung from early Dew;
When Beauty dawn'd, and did first Mankind warm,
And Love it self was but an Infant Charm:
We boast our Art, co-eval with the Stars,
The Birds first taught it to the wondring Spheres.
This the first Essay, Man at last was taught,
He adds a Soul, and dresses it in Thought.
From thence 'twas handed down by rolling Years,
Th'allay of Grief and Enemy to Cares;
Homer the Ancient'st, freshest Lawrel wore,
The first Refiner of the Noble Ore;
Thence many Bards commenc'd, and had their Reign,
From Latin Virgil to our English Ben.
But when great Cowley did the Age allure,
We fear'd a Zenith, and the Muse Mature;
But, Sir, We see, 'tis you are born t'improve,
The Pitch of Fancy, and th'Extent of Love.
To you the Lover will his Altars rear,
Thank you in Incense for his soft'ned Fair,
And make you half his Adoration share.
Methinks I see the stubborn Celia glow,
And blush, and wonder, what you mean to do;
She fears each Line, yet still reads on and sighs,
She starts! and feels a coming Passion rise,
And sparkles happy Omens from her Eyes.
Smooth as the Stroaks of softest Titian thows
Each Verse, when how Adonis look'd, he shows.
With such a Style the Noble Ovid strove,
To charm the Heiress of the World to Love.
The Royal Beauty slights an Emp'rour's Frown,
T' admit a Lawrel she contemns a Crown,
And does a Poet before Monarchs own.
With such soft Verse he won the mighty fair,
From Rival Scepters Verse, the Prize does bear:
'Twas great, nor could Augustus this exceed,
Not Actium conquest was a Nobler deed.
H'enjoys the Princess, and from Rome retreats,
And with a Muse like theirs he charms the rugged Gates.