 | The Poetical Works of Mr. William Pattison |  |
127
Laura's Picture.
When
Nature form'd the lovely Spartan Maid,
Amaz'd the charming Wonder she survey'd;
And thus delighted cry'd: At length in Greece,
With safety I may claim a finish'd Piece.
Yet soon she found, in spight of all her Boast,
Those Beautis but in human Frailties lost.
Amaz'd the charming Wonder she survey'd;
And thus delighted cry'd: At length in Greece,
With safety I may claim a finish'd Piece.
Yet soon she found, in spight of all her Boast,
Those Beautis but in human Frailties lost.
The Goddess griev'd at what she first essay'd,
But common Beauties for long Ages made;
'Till once beholding Britain's beauteous Isle,
Where ev'ry thing conspir'd to make her smile,
Her former Hopes reviv'd with secret Joy,
Awak'd her Pleasure to some new Employ:
Yet still she fear'd th' irreparable Cost
That once was in a fatal Beauty lost;
And nicely cautious, did at first impart
But half the Power of her wondrous Art:
On beauteous Rosamonda try'd her Charms;
And gave the Present to great Henry's Arms:
Then exercis'd her nice creating Care,
To make one virtuous too as well as fair;
In Sacharissa shew'd her justest Art,
The sweetest Face, and the severest Heart.
But fearing yet again to be betray'd,
For she ne'er knew the Woman's Heart she made,
Waller the tunefull'st of the tuneful Swains,
With all the softest, and the gentlest Strains,
By cunning Nature was inspir'd, to prove
The Nymph superior to the Power of Love.
Confirm'd at length, the Goddess now design'd
To make One perfect Wonder of the Kind,
And all her Charms at once in Laura join'd.
But common Beauties for long Ages made;
'Till once beholding Britain's beauteous Isle,
Where ev'ry thing conspir'd to make her smile,
128
Awak'd her Pleasure to some new Employ:
Yet still she fear'd th' irreparable Cost
That once was in a fatal Beauty lost;
And nicely cautious, did at first impart
But half the Power of her wondrous Art:
On beauteous Rosamonda try'd her Charms;
And gave the Present to great Henry's Arms:
Then exercis'd her nice creating Care,
To make one virtuous too as well as fair;
In Sacharissa shew'd her justest Art,
The sweetest Face, and the severest Heart.
But fearing yet again to be betray'd,
For she ne'er knew the Woman's Heart she made,
Waller the tunefull'st of the tuneful Swains,
With all the softest, and the gentlest Strains,
By cunning Nature was inspir'd, to prove
The Nymph superior to the Power of Love.
129
To make One perfect Wonder of the Kind,
And all her Charms at once in Laura join'd.
| The Poetical Works of Mr. William Pattison | |