A Troubled _Minde_, ore-charged with _Desires_, Betweene great _Hopes_, and no lesse _Feares_ opprest, And payned inwardly with secret _Fires_, Was thus, by some, in former times exprest. A _Smoking Heart_, they placed just betwixt A _Fastned Anchor_, and a _Bended Bow_; To which a _Barbed-Arrow_ seemed fixt, And, ready from the _Strayned-String_ to goe. The _Smoke_ doth _Sighes_, the _Anchor_ doth declare That _Hope_, which keepes us from Despairing quite; The _Bowe_ and _Arrow_, signifie that _Feare_, Which doth, perpetually, the Soule affright. And, by this _Emblem_, it appeares to me That they which are with strong _Desires_ opprest, (Though good or bad the Object of them be) In seeking _Pleasures_, finde no small unrest: For, they are not by _Feares_, alone, disturbed, But, as the _Wiseman_ saith, ev’n _Hope-Delayd Torments the Heart_; and, when _Desire_ is curbed, The Soule becommeth sad, and ill-apayd. A _Groundlesse-Hope_, makes entrance for _Despaire_, And with Deceiving-showes the Heart betrayes: A _Causelesse-Feare_, doth _Reasons_ force impaire, And, terrifies the Soule, in doubtfull wayes. Yet, quite neglect them not; For, _Hope_ repells That _Griefe_ sometimes, which would our Hearts oppresse. And, _Feare_ is otherwhile the _Sentinell_ Which rouzeth us from dang’rous _Carelesnesse_. Thus, _Both_ are good: but, _Both_ are Plagues to such, Who either _Fondly feare_, or _Hope too much_. _Those =Fooles= whom =Beauties= Flame doth blinde, Feele =Death=, where =Life= they thought to finde._ [Illustration: COSI VIVO PIACER CONDVCE A MORTE ILLVSTR. XL. _Book. 1._]