lucasta-第30节
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The constellation so called。 In old drawings Cassiopeia is represented as a woman sitting in a chair with a branch in her hand; and hence the allusion here。 Dixon; in his CANIDIA; 1683; part i。 p。 35; makes his witches say:
〃We put on Berenice's hair; And sit in Cassiopeia's chair。〃
Randolph couples it with 〃Ariadne's Crowne〃 in the following passage:
〃Shine forth a constellation; full and bright; Bless the poor heavens with more majestick light; Who in requitall shall present you there ARIADNE'S CROWNE and CASSIOPEIA'S CHAYR。〃 POEMS; ed。 1640; p。 14。
William Habington published his poems under the name of CASTARA; a fictitious appellation signifying the daughter of Lord Powis。 This lady was eventually his wife。 The first edition of CASTARA appeared in 1634; the second in 1635; and the third in 1640。
Waller's SACHARISSA; i。e。 Lady Dorothy Sydney。
Lollia Paulina; who first married Memmius Regulus; and subsequently the Emperor Caligula; from both of whom she was divorced。 She inherited from her father enormous wealth。
THE DUELL。
I。 Love drunk; the other day; knockt at my brest; But I; alas! was not within。 My man; my ear; told me he came t' attest; That without cause h'd boxed him; And battered the windows of mine eyes; And took my heart for one of's nunneries。
II。 I wondred at the outrage safe return'd; And stormed at the base affront; And by a friend of mine; bold faith; that burn'd; I called him to a strict accompt。 He said that; by the law; the challeng'd might Take the advantage both of arms and fight。
III。 Two darts of equal length and points he sent; And nobly gave the choyce to me; Which I not weigh'd; young and indifferent; Now full of nought but victorie。 So we both met in one of's mother's groves; The time; at the first murm'ring of her doves。
IV。 I stript myself naked all o're; as he: For so I was best arm'd; when bare。 His first pass did my liver rase: yet I Made home a falsify too neer: For when my arm to its true distance came; I nothing touch'd but a fantastick flame。
V。 This; this is love we daily quarrel so; An idle Don…Quichoterie: We whip our selves with our own twisted wo; And wound the ayre for a fly。 The only way t' undo this enemy Is to laugh at the boy; and he will cry。
〃To falsify a thrust;〃 says Phillips (WORLD OF WORDS; ed。 1706; art。 FALSIFY); 〃is to make a feigned pass。〃 Lovelace here employs the word as a substantive rather awkwardly; but the meaning is; no doubt; the same。
CUPID FAR GONE。
I。 What; so beyond all madnesse is the elf; Now he hath got out of himself! His fatal enemy the Bee; Nor his deceiv'd artillerie; His shackles; nor the roses bough Ne'r half so netled him; as he is now。
II。 See! at's own mother he is offering; His finger now fits any ring; Old Cybele he would enjoy; And now the girl; and now the boy。 He proffers Jove a back caresse; And all his love in the antipodes。
III。 Jealous of his chast Psyche; raging he Quarrels with student Mercurie; And with a proud submissive breath Offers to change his darts with Death。 He strikes at the bright eye of day; And Juno tumbles in her milky way。
IV。 The dear sweet secrets of the gods he tells; And with loath'd hate lov'd heaven he swells; Now; like a fury; he belies Myriads of pure virginities; And swears; with this false frenzy hurl'd; There's not a vertuous she in all the world。
V。 Olympus he renownces; then descends; And makes a friendship with the fiends; Bids Charon be no more a slave; He Argos rigg'd with stars shall have; And triple Cerberus from below Must leash'd t' himself with him a hunting go。
This stanza was suppressed by Mr。 Singer。
Original reads THE。
A MOCK SONG。
I。 Now Whitehall's in the grave; And our head is our slave; The bright pearl in his close shell of oyster; Now the miter is lost; The proud Praelates; too; crost; And all Rome's confin'd to a cloister。 He; that Tarquin was styl'd; Our white land's exil'd; Yea; undefil'd; Not a court ape's left to confute us; Then let your voyces rise high; As your colours did flye; And flour'shing cry: Long live the brave Oliver…Brutus。
II。 Now the sun is unarm'd; And the moon by us charm'd; All the stars dissolv'd to a jelly; Now the thighs of the Crown And the arms are lopp'd down; And the body is all but a belly。 Let the Commons go on; The town is our own; We'l rule alone: For the Knights have yielded their spent…gorge; And an order is tane With HONY SOIT profane; Shout forth amain: For our Dragon hath vanquish'd the St。 George。
Cromwell。
A FLY CAUGHT IN A COBWEB。
Small type of great ones; that do hum Within this whole world's narrow room; That with a busie hollow noise Catch at the people's vainer voice; And with spread sails play with their breath; Whose very hails new christen death。 Poor Fly; caught in an airy net; Thy wings have fetter'd now thy feet; Where; like a Lyon in a toyl; Howere thou keep'st a noble coyl; And beat'st thy gen'rous breast; that o're The plains thy fatal buzzes rore; Till thy all…bellyd foe (round elf) Hath quarter'd thee within himself。
Was it not better once to play I' th' light of a majestick ray; Where; though too neer and bold; the fire Might sindge thy upper down attire; And thou i' th' storm to loose an eye。 A wing; or a self…trapping thigh: Yet hadst thou fal'n like him; whose coil Made fishes in the sea to broyl; When now th'ast scap'd the noble flame; Trapp'd basely in a slimy frame; And free of air; thou art become Slave to the spawn of mud and lome?
Nor is't enough thy self do's dresse To thy swoln lord a num'rous messe; And by degrees thy thin veins bleed; And piecemeal dost his poyson feed; But now devour'd; art like to be A net spun for thy familie; And; straight expanded in the air; Hang'st for thy issue too a snare。 Strange witty death and cruel ill That; killing thee; thou thine dost kill! Like pies; in whose entombed ark All fowl crowd downward to a lark; Thou art thine en'mies' sepulcher; And in thee buriest; too; thine heir。
Yet Fates a glory have reserv'd For one so highly hath deserv'd。 As the rhinoceros doth dy Under his castle…enemy; As through the cranes trunk throat doth speed; The aspe doth on his feeder feed; Fall yet triumphant in thy woe; Bound with the entrails of thy foe。
The spider。
A FLY ABOUT A GLASSE OF BURNT CLARET。
I。 Forbear this liquid fire; Fly; It is more fatal then the dry; That singly; but embracing; wounds; And this at once both burns and drowns。
II。 The salamander; that in heat And flames doth cool his monstrous sweat; Whose fan a glowing cake is said; Of this red furnace is afraid。
III。 Viewing the ruby…christal shine; Thou tak'st it for heaven…christalline; Anon thou wilt be taught to groan: 'Tis an ascended Acheron。
IV。 A snow…ball heart in it let fall; And take it out a fire…ball; Ali icy breast in it betray'd Breaks a destructive wild granade。
V。 'Tis this makes Venus altars shine; This kindles frosty Hymen's pine; When the boy grows old in his desires; This flambeau doth new light his fires。
VI。 Though the cold hermit over wail; Whose sighs do freeze; and tears drop hail; Once having pass'd this; will ne'r Another flaming purging fear。
VII。 The vestal drinking this doth burn Now more than in her fun'ral urn; Her fires; that with the sun kept race; Are now extinguish'd by her face。
VIII。 The chymist; that himself doth still; Let him but tast this limbecks bill; And prove this sublimated bowl; He'll swear it will calcine a soul。
IX。 Noble; and brave! now thou dost know The false prepared decks below; Dost thou the fatal liquor sup; One drop; alas! thy barque blowes up。
X。 What airy country hast to save; Whose plagues thou'lt bury in thy grave? For even now thou seem'st to us On this gulphs brink a Curtius。
XI。 And now th' art faln (magnanimous Fly) In; where thine Ocean doth fry; Like the Sun's son; who blush'd the flood To a complexion of blood。
XII。 Yet; see! my glad auricular Redeems thee (though dissolv'd) a star; Flaggy thy wings; and scorch'd thy thighs; Thou ly'st a double sacrifice。
XIII。 And now my warming; cooling breath Shall a new life afford in death; See! in the hospital of my hand Already cur'd; thou fierce do'st stand。
XIV。 Burnt insect! dost thou reaspire The moist…hot…glasse and liquid fire? I see 'tis such a pleasing pain; Thou would'st be scorch'd and drown'd again。