From hence, as from a hill, I view below the crowded world, a mighty wood in show, where several wanderers travel day and night, by different paths, and none are in the right.

CORINNA.
Corinna, in the bloom of youth

was coy to every lover,
regardless of the tenderest truth,

no soft complaint could move her.
Mankind was her's, all at her feet

lay prostrate and adoring;
the witty, handsome, rich and great,

in vain alike imploring.
But now grown old, she would repair

her loss of time, and pleasure;
with willing eyes, and wanton air,

inviting every gazer.
But love's a summer flower, that dies

with the first weather's changing,
the lover, like the swallow, flies

from sun to sun still ranging. Myra, let this example move

your foolish heart to reason; youth is the proper time for love,

and age is virtue's season.

MEDITATION ON DEATH. Enough, enough, my soul, of worldly noise,

of aëry pomps, and fleeting joys; what does this busy world provide at best,

but brittle goods that break like glass, but poison'd sweets, a troubled feast, and pleasures like the winds, that in a moment pass? thy thoughts to nobler meditations give, and study how to die, not how to live. How frail is beauty? Ah! how vain,

and how short-liv'd those glories are, that vex our nights and days with pain,

and break our hearts with care! in dust we no distinction see, such Helen is, such, Myra, thou must be. How short is life? why will vain courtiers toil, and crowd a vainer monarch, for a smile? what is that monarch, but a mortal man, his crown a pageant, and his life a span? with all his guards and his dominions, he must sicken too, and die as well as we. Those boasted names of conquerors and kings are swallow'd, and become forgotten things: one destin'd period men in common have, the great, the base, the coward, and the brave, all food alike for worms, companions in the grave. The prince and parasite together lie, no fortune can exalt, but death will climb as high.

TO MYRA.
Since truth and constancy are vain,
since neither love nor sense of pain,
nor force of reason can persuade,
then let example be obey'd.

In courts and cities, could
how well the wanton fools agree;

were all the curtains drawn, you'd find not one, perhaps, but who is kind.

Minerva, naked from above, with Venus and the wife of Jove, exposing ev'ry beauty bare, descending to the Trojan heir; yet this was she whom poets name goddess of chastity and fame.

Penelope, her lord away, gave am'rous audiences all day; now round the bowl the suitors sit, with wine, provoking mirth and wit, then down they take the stubborn bow, their strength, it seems, she needs must know. Thus twenty cheerful winters past, she's yet immortaliz'd for chaste.

Smile Myra, then, reward my flame, and be much secure of fame; by all those matchless beauties fir'd, by my own matchless love inspird ; so will I sing, such wonders write, that when th' astonish'd world shall cite a nymph of spotless worth and fame, Myra shall be th' immortal name.