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Show i .34 TO EMS. For 'tis more honour that the World fhould know You made a noble Soul, than found it fa Lucafia. NOt to oblige Lucafia by my voice, T o boaft m y fate, or juftifie m y choice, Is this defign'd', but fity does engage M y Pen to refcue the declining Age. For fince 'tis grown in fafhion to be bad, And to be vain or angry, proud or mad, (While in their Vices only M e n agree) Is thought the only modern Gallantry; H o w would fome brave Examples check the crimes, And both reproach, and yet reform, the Times? Nor can Morality it felf reclaim Th' apoftate World like m y Lucafia s name : Lucafia, whofe rich Soul had it been known In that Time th' Antients calfd the Golden one, W hen Innocence and Greatnefs were the fame, And M e n no Battels knew but in a Game, Chufing what Nature, not what Art, prefers ; Poets were Judges, Kings Philofophers; Even then from her the Wife wrould Copies draw, And fhe to th' Infant World had giv'n a Law. That Souls were made of Number could not be A n Obfeivation, but a Prophecy. It meant Lucafia, whofe harmonious ftate The Spheres and Mufes only imitate. But as then Mufick is belt underftood, W h e n every Chord s examin'd and found good : So what in others Judgment is and Will, In her is the fame even Reafon ftill. And as fome Colour various feems, but yet 'Tis but our difference in confidering it: So fhe n o w light, and then does light difpence, But is one fhining Orb of Excellence : And P 0 EMS. 55 And that fo piercing when fhe Judgment takes, She doth not fearch, but Intuition makes: And her Difcoveries more eafie are .Than C<e/*r's*Conqueft in his fWzVj^ War. As bright and vigorous her beams are pure, \ And in their o w n rich candor fo fecure, That had flie liv'd where I egends were devifed, Rome had been juft, and fhe been canonized. Nay Innocence her felf lefs clear muft be, If Innocence be any thing but fhe. For Vcrtue s fo congenial to her mind, That Liquid things, or Friends, are lefs cosabin/A So that in her that Sage his wifh had feen, And Vertue's felf had perfonated been. N o w as diftilled Simples do agree, And in th Alembick lofe variety; So Vertue, though in pieces fcatter'd 'jtwas, Is by her Mind made one rich ufeful mate. Nor doth Difcretion put Religion down, Nor hafty Zeal ufurp the Judgment's crown. Wifdom and Friendfhip have one fingle Throne And make another Friendfhip of their own. Each fev'ral piece darts fuch fierce pleafing rayes, Poetick Lovers would but wrong in praife. All hath proportion, all hath comlinefs, And her Humility alone excefs. Her Modefty doth wrong a Worth fo great, Which Calumny her felf would noblier treat: While true to Friendfhip and to Natures truft, T o her own Merits only fhe's unjuft. But as Divinity w e belt declare By founds as broken as our Notions are', So to acknowledge fuch vaft Eminence, Imperfect Wonder is our Eloquence. N o Pen Lucafia s Glories can relate, But they admire belt who dare imitate. F 2 mjion |