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Earl of Rochester.

IX.

Nature’s Support, without whole AidShe can no Human Being give,

Itself now wants the Art to live ;

Faintnesi its flacken’d Nerves invade :

In vain th’ enraged Youth eflay’dTo call his fleeting Vigour back ;

No Motion ’twill from Motion take;

B’ Excess of Love is Love betray’d ;

In vain he toils, in vain commands,

Th’ Insensible fell weeping in his Hands.

X.

In this so am’rous cruel Strife,

Where Love and Fate were too severe,

The poor Lysander, in Despair,

Renounc’d his Reason with his Life.

Now all the brisk and active Fire,

That Ihould the nobler Part inflame,

TJnactive, frigid, dull became,

And left no Spark for new Desire ;

Not all her naked Charms could move,

Or calm that Rage which had debauch’d his Love,

XI.

Chloris returning from the Trance,

Which Love and soft Desire had bred,Hertim’rous Hand Ihe gently laid.

Or guided by Design or Chance,

Upon that fabulous Priapui,

That potent God (as Poets feign.)

But never did young Shepherdess(Gath’ringof Fern upon the Plain)

More nimbly draw her Fingers back,

Finding, beneath the verdant Leaves, a Snake,

H

XII.