The Works of the English Poets: Cowley

And for all this can give no reason why :
This is an holy-fifter, verily.

THE FORCE OF

LOVE.

PRESERVED FROM AN OLD MANUSCRIPT.

HROW an apple up a hill,

THROW

Down the apple tumbles still;

Roll it down, it never stops

Till within the vale it drops:
So are all things prone to Love,
All below, and all above.

Down the mountain flows the stream,
Up afcends the lambent flame;
Smoke and vapour mount the skies;
All preserve their unities;

Nought below, and nought above,
Seems averfe, but prone to Love.

Stop the meteor in its flight,
Or the orient rays of light;
Bid Dan Phoebus not to fhine
Bid the planets not incline;
"Tis as vain, below, above,
To impede the course of Love.
Salamanders live in fire,
Eagles to the skies afpire,
Diamonds in their quarries lie,
Rivers do the fea supply:
Thus appears, below, above,
A propenfity to Love.

Metals

Metals grow within the mine,
Luscious grapes upon the vine;
Still the needle marks the pole ;
Parts are equal to whole:
'Tis a truth as clear, that Love
Quickens all, below, above.

Man is born to live and die,
Snakes to creep, and birds to fly;
Fishes in the waters swim,

Doves are mild, and lions grim :
Nature thus, below, above,
Pushes all things on to Love.

Does the cedar love the mountain?
Or the thirsty deer the fountain?
Does the fhepherd love his crook?
Or the willow court the brook?
Thus by Nature all things move,
Like a running stream, to Love.
Is the valiant hero bold?
Does the mifer doat on gold?
Seek the birds in spring to pair?
Breathes the rofe-bud fcented air?

Should you this deny, you'll prove

Nature is averse to Love.

As the wencher loves a lafs,
As the toper loves his glass,
As the friar loves his cowl,
Or the millar loves the toll,
So do all, below, above,
Fly precipitate to Love,

A a 2

When

When young maidens courtship shun,'
When the moon out-fhines the fun,
When the tigers lambs beget,
When the fnow is black as jet,
When the planets cease to move,
Then fhali Nature cease to Love.

E P I GR A M,

ON THE POWER OF LOVE.

BY MR. ABRAHAM COWLEY.

N. B. This is delivered down by tradition as a production of that celebrated poet; and was spoken at the Westminster-School election, on the following subject:

"Nullis amor eft medicabilis herbis."

OVID.

OL Daphne fees, and feeing her admires,
Which adds new flames to his celeftial fires:

Had any remedy for Love been known,
The god of Phyfic, fure, had cur'd his own.

CON