An Epitaph

Enough: and leave the rest to Fame.
‘Tis to commend her but to name.
Courtship, which living she declin’d,
When dead to offer were unkind…

Where never any could speak ill,
Who would officious Praises spill?
Nor can the truest Wit or Friend,
Without Detracting, her commend.
To say she liv’d a Virgin chast,
In this Age loose and all unlac’t;
Nor was, when Vice is so allow’d,
Of Virtue or asham’d, or proud;
That her Soul was on Heaven so bent

No Minute but it came and went;

That ready her last Debt to pay
She summ’d her Life up ev’ry day;
Modest as Morn; as Mid-day bright;
Gentle as Ev’ning; cool as Night;
‘Tis true: but all so weakly said;
‘Twere more Significant, She’s Dead.

 

The Garden

 

How vainly men themselves amaze

To win the palm, the oak, or bays ; 

And their uncessant labors see

Crowned from some single herb or tree,

Whose short and narrow-vergèd shade

Does prudently their toils upbraid ;

While all the flowers and trees do close

To weave the garlands of repose.Fair Quiet, have I found thee here,

And Innocence, thy sister dear!

Mistaken long, I sought you then

In busy companies of men :

Your sacred plants, if here below,

Only among the plants will grow ;

Society is all but rude,

To this delicious solitude.No white nor red was ever seen

So amorous as this lovely green ;

Fond lovers, cruel as their flame,

Cut in these trees their mistress’ name.

Little, alas, they know or heed,

How far these beauties hers exceed!

Fair trees! wheresoe’er your barks I wound

No name shall but your own be found.When we have run our passion’s heat,

Love hither makes his best retreat :

The gods who mortal beauty chase,

Still in a tree did end their race.

Apollo hunted Daphne so,

Only that she might laurel grow,

And Pan did after Syrinx speed,

Not as a nymph, but for a reed.What wondrous life is this I lead!

Ripe apples drop about my head ;

The luscious clusters of the vine

Upon my mouth do crush their wine ;

The nectarine and curious peach

Into my hands themselves do reach ;

Stumbling on melons as I pass,

Insnared with flowers, I fall on grass.

Meanwhile the mind, from pleasure less,
Withdraws into its happiness :
The mind, that ocean where each kind
Does straight its own resemblance find ;
Yet it creates, transcending these,
Far other worlds, and other seas ;
Annihilating all that’s made
To a green thought in a green shade.

Here at the fountain’s sliding foot,
Or at some fruit-tree’s mossy root,
Casting the body’s vest aside,
My soul into the boughs does glide :
There like a bird it sits and sings,
Then whets and combs its silver wings ;
And, till prepared for longer flight,
Waves in its plumes the various light.

Such was that happy garden-state,
While man there walked without a mate :
After a place so pure and sweet,
What other help could yet be meet!
But ’twas beyond a mortal’s share
To wander solitary there :
Two paradises ’twere in one
To live in Paradise alone.

How well the skillful gard’ner drew
Of flowers and herbs this dial new ;
Where from above the milder sun
Does through a fragrant zodiac run ;
And, as it works, th’ industrious bee
Computes its time as well as we.
How could such sweet and wholesome hours
Be reckoned but with herbs and flowers!