Examen Poeticum Author:John Dryden Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: AGAINST Immoderate G R / E F: x / -j, T O A Young LADY Weeping. AN ODE In Imitation of CA SI MIR E. /"Ou'd mournful Sighs, or Floods of Tea... more »rs prc- The Ills, unhappy Men lament: " Could all the Anguifli of my Mind Remove my Cares or make but Fortune kindj Soon I'd the grateful Tribute pay, And weep my troubl'd Thoughts away To Wealth and Pleafure ev'ry Sigh prefer, And more than Gems eftcem each falling Tear. A II. Buc But fincc infulting Cares are moft inclin'd To triumph o'er th- afflifted Mind; ., '. . . V ' '. -X ;. ; : ' ; A . Since Sighs can yield us no Relief, And Tears, like fruitful Show'rs, but nourifli Grief Then ceafe, Fair Mourner, to complain, Nor lavifli fuch bright Streams in vain: But ftill with chearful Thoughts thy Cares beguile, And tempt thy better Fortunes with a Smile Hi-- . ;... Y s.v The gen'rous Mind is by its SufPrings known, Which no Affliaion tramples down: But when opprefs'd wifl upward move, Spurnd own its Clog of Cares, and foar above. Thus the young Royal Eaglet tries On the Sun-beams his tender Eyes: And if he flirinks not at th'offenfivc Light, He's then for Empire fit, and takes his foaring Flight. IV. Tho Cares aflault thy Breaft on ev'ry fide, Yet bravely ftcm th'impetuous Tide: - L ; - . !.- ,V,. -) , -. ' i! a-V No tributary Tears to Fortune pay, Nor add to any Lofs a nobler Day. , But with kind Hopes fupport thy Mind, And think thy better Lot behind: Amidft Afflictions let thy Soul be great, And (how thou dar'ft deferve a better State. V. Then, lovely Mourner, wipe thofc Tears away, And Cares that urge thcc to Decay:-. Like ravenous Age thy Charms they waftc, Wrinkle thy youthful Brow, and blooming Beauties But keep thy Looks, an J Mind ferene, ...« less