Who loves the golden mean, doth safely want
A cobwebb'd cot and wrongs entail'd upon't;
He richly needs a pallace for to breed
Vipers and moths, that on their feeder feed;
The toy that we (too true) a mistress call,
Whose looking-glass and feather weighs up all;
And cloaths which larks would play with in the sun,
That mock him in the night, when 's course is run.
To rear an edifice by art so high,
That envy should not reach it with her eye,
Nay, with a thought come neer it. Wouldst thou know,
How such a structure should be raisd, build low.
The blust'ring winds invisible rough stroak
More often shakes the stubborn'st, prop'rest oak;
And in proud turrets we behold withal,
'Tis the imperial top declines to fall:
Nor does Heav'n's lightning strike the humble vales,
But high-aspiring mounts batters and scales.
A breast of proof defies all shocks of Fate,
Fears in the best, hopes in worser state;
Heaven forbid that, as of old, time ever
Flourish'd in spring so contrary, now never.
That mighty breath, which blew foul Winter hither,
Can eas'ly puffe it to a fairer weather.
Why dost despair then, Frank? Aeolus has
A Zephyrus as well as Boreas.
'Tis a false sequel, soloecisme 'gainst those
Precepts by fortune giv'n us, to suppose
That, 'cause it is now ill, 't will ere be so;
Apollo doth not always bend his bow;
But oft, uncrowned of his beams divine,
With his soft harp awakes the sleeping Nine.
In strictest things magnanimous appear,
Greater in hope, howere thy fate, then<86.3> fear:
Draw all your sails in quickly, though no storm
Threaten your ruine with a sad alarm;
For tell me how they differ, tell me, pray,
A cloudy tempest and a too fair day?
<86.1> One of the younger brothers of the poet. In the
year of the Restoration he filled the office of Recorder of
Canterbury, and in that capacity delivered the address of the
city to Charles II. on his passage through the place. This
speech was printed in 1660, 4to, three leaves. The following
extracts from the CALENDARS OF STATE PAPERS (Domestic Series,
1660-1, page 139), throw a little additional light on the
history of this person:--
"1660, July 1.--Petition of Fras. Lovelace, Recorder of Canterbury,
to the King, for the stewardship of the liberties of St. Augustine,
near Canterbury, for himself and his son Goldwell. Has suffered
sequestration, imprisonment, and loss of office, for his loyalty.
WITH A NOTE OF THE REQUESTED GRANT FOR FRAS. LOVELACE.
"Grant to Fras. Lovelace, of the office of chief steward of the
Liberties of the late monastery of St. Augustine, near Canterbury."
<86.2> Unless the poet is advising his brother, before the latter
ventures on a long sea voyage, to look in the crystal, or beryl,
so popular at that time, in order to read his fortune, I must
confess my ignorance of the meaning of "glassy-epithete."
See, for an account of the beryl, Aubrey's MISCELLANIES,
edit. 1857, p. 154.
<86.3> Than.
PARIS'S SECOND JUDGEMENT,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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