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Although the seas so calmly glide, as dangers none

appear,

And doubt of storms in sky is none, King Phoebus shines so clear,

Yet when the boisterous winds break out, and raging waves do swell,

The seely bark now heaves to heaven, now sinks again to hell.

Thus change in every thing we see,
And nothing constant seems to be.

Who floweth most in worldly wealth, of wealth is most unsure,

And he that chiefly tastes of joy, doth sometimes woe endure;

Who vaunteth most of number'd friends, forego them all he must;

The fairest flesh and liveliest blood is turn'd at length to dust.

Experience gives a certain ground

That certain here is nothing found.

Then trust to that which aye remains, the bliss of heaven above,

Which time, nor fate, nor wind, nor storm is able

to remove :

Trust to that sure celestial Rock, that rests in glorious

throne ;

That hath been, is, and must be still, our anchorhold alone.

The world is but a vanity,

In heaven seek we our surety.

SIR WALTER RALEIGH.

ELEGY.

BELIEVED TO BE ON SIR WALTER RALEIGH.

WILL not weep-for 'twere as great a

sin

To shed a tear for thee, as to have been

An actor in thy death. Thy life and age

Was but a various scene on Fortune's stage;
With whom thou tug'st and strov'st, even out of
breath

In thy long toil-ne'er master'd till thy death-
And then, despite of brains and cruel wit,
Thou didst at once subdue malice and it.

I dare not then so blast thy memory
As say I do lament or pity thee.
Were I to choose a subject to bestow
My pity on, he should be one as low

L

In spirit as desert: that durst not die,
But rather was content by slavery
To purchase life: or I would pity those

Thy most industrious and friendly foes;

Who, when they thought to make thee scandal's story,

Lent thee a swifter flight to heaven and glory.

Who thought, by cutting off some wither'd days (Which thou couldst spare them), to eclipse thy praise,

Yet gave it brighter foil; made thy aged frame Appear more white and fair, than foul their shame, And did promote an execution

Which (but for them) nature and age had done.

Such worthless things as these were only born To live on pity's alms; too mean for scorn. Thou diedst an envious wonder, whose high fate The world must still admire, scarce imitate.

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LIFE AND DEATH.

AN EMBLEM.

WILL not blame those grievèd hearts that shed

Becoming tears for their departed

friends,

Nor those who sigh out passions for the dead,
Since on good natures this disease attends.
When sorrow is conceived, it must have vent
(In sighs or moisture), or the heart will break,-
And much they aggravate our discontent,

Who, out of season, reason seem to speak.
Yet, since our frailty may require we should
Remembrances admit, to keep us from
Excess in grief, this emblem here behold,
And take such hope as may our tears become.

The Corn, although awhile it lies in earth

(And seemeth lost), consumes not quite away; But from that womb receives a second birth, And with additions rises from the clay.

Much more shall man revive, whose worth is more ; For death, who from our dross will us refine, Unto that other life becomes the door,

Where we in immortality shall shine : When once our glass is run, we presently

Give up our souls to death; so death must give Our bodies back again, that we thereby

The light of life eternal may receive.
The venom'd sting of death is ta'en away,
And now the grave, that was a place of fear,
Is made a bed of rest, wherein we may

Lie down in hope, and bide in safety there. When we are born, to deathward straight we run, And by our death our life is new begun.

GEORGE WITHER.

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