| HOPE, whose weak Being ruin'd is, |
|
| Alike if it succeed, and if it miss ; |
|
| Whom Good or Ill does equally confound, |
|
| And both the Horns of Fates Dilemma wound. |
|
| Vain shadow!
which dost vanish quite, |
5 |
| Both at full Noon,
and perfect Night ! |
|
| The Stars have not a possibility |
|
| Of blessing Thee ; |
|
| If things then from their End we happy call, |
|
'Tis Hope is the most Hopeless thing of all.
|
10 |
|
| Hope,
thou bold Taster of Delight, |
|
| Who whilst thou shouldst but tast, devour'st it quite ! |
|
| Thou bringst us an Estate, yet leav'st us Poor, |
|
| By clogging it with Legacies before ! |
|
| The Joys which
we entire should wed, |
15 |
| Come deflowr'd
Virgins to our bed ; |
|
| Good fortunes without gain imported be, |
|
| Such mighty Custom's
paid to Thee. |
|
| For Joy, like Wine, kept close does better tast ; |
|
If it take air before, its spirits wast.
|
20 |
|
| Hope,
Fortunes cheating Lottery ! |
|
| Where for one prize an hundred blanks there be ; |
|
| Fond Archer, Hope, who tak'st thy aim so far, |
|
| That still or short, or wide thine arrows are ! |
|
| Thin, empty Cloud,
which th' eye deceives |
25 |
| With shapes that our
own Fancy gives ! |
|
| A Cloud, which gilt and painted now appears, |
|
| But must drop presently
in tears ! |
|
| When thy false beams o'er Reasons light prevail, |
|
By Ignes fatui for North-Stars we sail.
|
30 |
|
| Brother
of Fear, more gaily clad ! |
|
| The merr'ier Fool o' th' two, yet quite as Mad : |
|
| Sire of Repentance, Child of fond Desire ! |
|
| That blow'st the Chymicks, and the Lovers fire ! |
|
| Leading them still
insensibly'on |
35 |
| By the strange witchcraft
of Anon ! |
|
| By Thee the one does changing Nature through |
|
| Her endless Labyrinths
pursue, |
|
| And th' other chases Woman, whilst She goes |
|
| More ways and turns than hunted Nature knows. |
40 |
|
