A ftrange Appearance all in taintless White;
His Form gave Rev'rence, and his Face Delight:
Goodness and Greatness in his Eyes were feen
Gentle his Look, and affable his Mien.
A kindly Notice of me thus he took;
"What mean thefe flowing Eyes, this ghaftly Look?
"These trembling Joints, this loose difhevel'd Hair,
"And this cold Dew, the Drops of deep Despair?
With Grief and Wonder firft my Spirits faint,
But thus at last I vented my Complaint.
Behold a Wretch whom cruel Fate has found,
And in the Depth of all Misfortune drown'd.
There shines a Nymph, to whom an envy'd Swain
Is ty'd in HYMEN's ceremonious Chain,
But cloy'd with Charms of fuch a Marriage-Bed,
And fed with Manna, yet he longs for Bread;
And will, moft Husband-like, not only range
For Love perhaps of nothing else but Change;
But to inferiour Beauty proftate lies,
And courts her Love, in fcorn of FLAVIA's Eyes.
All this I knew, (the Form divine reply'd)
And did but ask to have thy Temper try'd,
Which prove fincere. Of both I know the Mind,
She is too fcrupulous, and thou too kind::
But fince thy fatal Love's for ever fix'd,
Whatever Time or Abfence come betwixt;
Since thy fond Heart ev'n her Disdain prefers
To others Love, I'll fomething foften hers;
Elfe in the Search of Virtue fhe may ftray,
Well-meaning Mortals fhould not lofe their Way.
She now indeed fins on the fafer Side,
For Hearts too loose are never to be ty'd;
But no Extremes are either good or wife;
And in the midft alone true Virtue lies.
When Marriage-Vows unite an equal Pair,
'Tis a meer Contract, made by humane Care,
By which they both are for Convenience ty'd;
The Bridegroom yet more strictly than the Bride;
For Circumftances alter ev'ry Ill,
And Woman meets with moft Temptation ftill;
She a forfaken Bed muft often bear,
While he can never fail to find her there,
And therefore lefs excus'd to range clfewhere.
Yet this fhe ought to fuffer and submit:
But when no longer for each other fit,
If Ufage bafe fhall juft Refentment move,
Or what is worse, Affronts of wand'ring Love;
No Obligation after that remains,
'Tis mean, not juft, to wear a Rival's Chains.
Yet Decency requires the wonted Cares
Of Int'reft, Children, and remote Affairs;
But in her Love, that dear Concern of Life,
She all the while may be another's Wife :
Heav'n that beholds her wrong'd and widow'd Bed,
Permits a Lover in her Husband's ftead.
I flung me at his Feet, his Robes would kifs,
And cry'd, Ev'n our bafe World is juft in this;
Amidft our Cenfures, Love we gently blame';
And Loye fometimes preferves a Female Fame.
What Tie lefs ftrong can Woman's Will restrain?
When Honour, Checks,and Confcience plead in vain ;
When Parents Threats, and Friends Perfuafions fail,
When Int'reft and Ambition fcarce prevail,
To bound that Sex when nothing else can move;
They'll live referv'd to please the Man they love!
The Spirit then reply'd to all I faid,
She may be kind, but not till thou art dead,
Bewail thy Memory, bemoan thy Fate,
Then fhe will love, when 'tis alas too late :
Of all thy Pains she will no Pity have,
"Till fad Defpair has fent thee to the Grave.
Amaz'd, I wak'd in haste,
All trembling at my Doom;
Dreams oft repeat Adventures past,
And tell our Ills to come.
Tranflated by the Earl of MULGRAVE, and Mr. DRYDEN.
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