15 This was the cause, the poets sung, Thy mother from the sea was sprung; But they were mad to make thee young. 16 Her father, not her son, art thou: From our desires our actions grow; And from the cause th'effect must flow. 17 Love is as old as place or time; 'Twas he the fatal tree did climb, Grandsire of father Adam's crime. 18 Well may'st thou keep this world in awe; Religion, wisdom, honour, law, The tyrant in his triumph draw. 19 'Tis he commands the powers above; Phoebus resigns his darts, and Jove His thunder to the god of Love. 20 To him doth his feign'd mother yield; Nor Mars (her champion's) flaming shield Guards him, when Cupid takes the field. 21 He clips Hope's wings, whose airy bliss Much higher than fruition is, But less than nothing if it miss. 22 When matches Love alone projects, The cause transcending the effects, That wild fire's quench'd in cold neglects; 23 Whilst those conjunctions prove the best, Where Love's of blindness dispossess'd By perspectives of interest. 24 Though Sol'mon with a thousand wives, To get a wise successor strives, But one (and he a fool) survives. 25 Old Rome of children took no care; They with their friends their beds did share, Secure t'adopt a hopeful heir. 26 Love drowsy days and stormy nights Makes; and breaks friendship, whose delights Feed, but not glut our appetites. 27 Well-chosen friendship, the most noble Of virtues, all our joys makes double, And into halves divides our trouble. 28 But when th'unlucky knot we tie, Care, av'rice, fear, and jealousy Make friendship languish till it die. 29 The wolf, the lion, and the bear, When they their prey in pieces tear, To quarrel with themselves forbear; 30 Yet tim'rous deer, and harmless sheep, When love into their veins doth creep, That law of Nature cease to keep. 31 Who, then, can blame the am'rous boy, Who, the fair Helen to enjoy, To quench his own, set fire on Troy? 32 Such is the world's prepost'rous fate, Amongst all creatures, mortal hate Love (though immortal) doth create. 33 But love may beasts excuse, for they Their actions not by reason sway, But their brute appetites obey. 34 But man's that savage beast, whose mind From reason to self-love declined, Delights to prey upon his kind. [1] 'Whom he bears': his father and son. ON MR ABRAHAM COWLEY, HIS DEATH, AND BURIAL AMONGST THE ANCIENT POETS.