Classic Poem

'Twas now the blooming season of the year,
And in disguise Europa 's Ravisher
(His brow arm'd with a Crescent, with such beams
Encompast, as the Sun unclowded streams
The sparkling glory of the Zodiak!) led
His numerous Heard, along the azure mead.
When he, whose right to beauty might remove
The Youth of Ida from the Cup of Jove ,
Shipwrackt, repuls'd, and absent, did complain
Of his hard Fate and Mistresses disdain.
With such sad sweetness, that the Winds, and Sea,
In sighs, and murmurs, kept him company.
And mov'd with such a charitable care,
As once Arion found, a Plank prepare:
A kind, small Piece of that tall Pine, which cou'd
Defie the Winds whilst on the Hill it stood;
Which Dolphin-like, the young Advent'rer saves,
From the vast dangers of unbounded Waves.
The greedy Sea, that swallowed him before,
Now casts him up again upon the shore;
Hard by a Rock, with reeds, and warm down crown'd;
Where Joves great Bird a Nest, he harbour found:
And, wrapt in Froth and Sedges, kist the Sand,
Then, hangs the Plank that wafted him to land,
Upon the Cliff, which with glad Pride, endu'd
The flattring trophy of his Gratitude.
Disrob'd, his Garments next (from the swoln threads
Wringing the Water) he a drying spreads:
Till all the briny drops they had suckt in
The Suns warm flame lick'd gently off agen:
By this time Night began t'ungild the skies,
Hils from the Sea, Seas from the Hils arise,
Confusedly unequal; when once more
Th'unhappy Youth, invested in the poor
Remains of his late shipwrack, through sharp briars,
And dusky shades up the high Rock aspires.
The steep ascent scarce to be reach'd by Aide
Of Wings, he climbs; less weary, then afraid.
At last he gains the top; so strong, and high,
As scaling dreaded not, nor Battery,
An equal Judge, the Difference to decide,
Twixt the mute Land, and ever-sounding tide.
His steps now more secur'd; a glimmering light
(The Pharos of some Cottage) takes his sight.
Dear Beams! not Leda 's sparkling Twins, saith he,
Yet the sole Star that guides my destinie!
May no unfriendly tree ecclipse thy Fire;
Against thee, no malicious Blast conspire.
As when the Huntsman, with fierce speed, makes plain
The rugged Mountain, eager to attain
The dark-skin'd Beast, on whose dark brow is plac'd
A bright Tiara , with rich Lustre grac'd:
A Gem (if Fame say true) whose glittr'ing Ray,
Spight of the aemulous Stars, turns night to day;
This stranger so measures with even Feet
Th'uneven Thickets, his Polestar to meet.
Barking to make th'approaching youth retire,
The Dog, a wakeful Guardian, calls him nigher.
And now the light he sees, whose dim beams broke
So far through the thick shades a sturdy Oak;
Which (like the Fly that in a Taper playes)
Resolv'd to ashes in a sportive Blaze.
Where he no sooner comes, but in free words,
Such as no aiery Complement affords,
He is bid welcome by a jovial Round
Of simple Goatheards, who bright Vulcan crown'd.
O happy ever open Mansion!
The sacred Fane of Pales! Floras Throne!
Thy builder drew no quaint Designe enchac't
With curious Works, rear'd to a height so vast,
As if Heavens Arch were but thy Cupula;
Rafters of Oak, thatch'd with a little straw,
Make thy poor Fabrick up; the Swain's defence
Instead of dreadful Steel is Innocence;
Who whistles home his Flock, injur'd by none:
Oh happy ever open Mansion!
Ambitious Dropsie shuns thy wholsom air,
As she who Vipers makes her onely fair.
Self-Love, that wanton Sphinx hath here no place;
A wild beasts shape, beneath a virgins face:
Who makes Narcissus now the Fountains fly,
And in the Woods keep Eccho company.
Nor profane Ceremony, who in gay
Salutes, squanders Times precious lands away.
At which the honest Countrey man doth laugh,
Carelessly leaning on his crooked staff;
Their art by his sincerity out gon:
O happy ever open Mansion.
To thy low threshold Flatt'ry not resorts,
The treacherous Syren of Imperial Courts:
Round whom, so many shipwrackt vessels ly,
Trophy's of her enchanting Harmony.
Here Falsehood harbours not, handmaid to Pride,
Whose guilded train she spreads her feet to hide.
Nor shines a Princes dazling favour here,
Which melts their Waxen Wings who fly too near,
Into the foming Ocean headlong thrown.
Oh happy! ever open Mansion!
The savage Mountains courteous sons, with plain
Civility, their strange guest entertain.
Such us'd the first possessors of the wood,
Whom th'Ash afforded covert, the Oak food.
To spread their Board, a clean course cloth they get;
And in a homely Pail, before him set
Milk which that day the rising Morning spied,
And blusht to see her white so far out-vied.
A Goat, had been two hundred females Spouse
Five year, nor spar'd the Grapes on Bacchus brows,
(How little then his vine-yards!) was renown'd
For numerous conquests; with Love always crown'd;
(By a young Rebel slain, whose yellow beard
Not fully grown, his horns as yet scarce hard,
Who by this death a thousand lives preserv'd,)
Powder'd, and died to Scarlet, in was serv'd.
Then, on soft skins distended on the ground,
They their tir'd limbs repose; sleeping more sound
Then Princes that on Tyrian purple ly,
Adorn'd with Millains rich embroidery.
Not with the busie fumes of Wine opprest;
Which with vain dreams disturb the rich mans rest:
Whilst some ambitious toil he seems to take
(Like Sisyphus ,) more cozen'd when awake.
Far from all noise they sleep securely here;
Nor to be rows'd by Drums, or Trumpets fear.
Onely Nights silence the fierce Dog deceaves,
Chiding the winde for sporting with the leaves.
Nor rose, till the wing'd Choristers oth'air,
Did to the Sun the Morns approach declare:
Who quits her fluid bed, and with new fire,
Reguilds their humble mansions verdant spire.