A POEM, &c.
87
With Alga who the sacred Altar strows?
To all the Sea-Gods Charles an Offering owes:
A Bull to thee, Portunus, shall be slain,
A Lamb to you the Tempests of the Main:
For those loud Storms that did against him rore,
Have cast his shipwrack'd Vessel on the Shore.
Yet as wise Artists mix their Colours so,
That by degrees they from each other go,
Black steals unheeded from the neighb'ring white
Without offending the well couz'ned sight:
So on us stole our blessed change; while we
Th' effect did feel, but scarce the manner see.
Frosts that constrain the ground, and birth deny
To Flow'rs, that in its womb expecting lie,
Do seldom their usurping Pow'r withdraw,
But raging Floods persue their hasty Thaw:
Our Thaw was mild, the Cold not chas'd away,
But lost in kindly heat of lengthned day.
Heav'n would no bargain for its Blessings drive,
But what we could not pay for, freely give.
The Prince of Peace would, like himself, confer
A Gift unhop'd without the price of war.
To all the Sea-Gods Charles an Offering owes:
A Bull to thee, Portunus, shall be slain,
A Lamb to you the Tempests of the Main:
For those loud Storms that did against him rore,
Have cast his shipwrack'd Vessel on the Shore.
Yet as wise Artists mix their Colours so,
That by degrees they from each other go,
Black steals unheeded from the neighb'ring white
Without offending the well couz'ned sight:
So on us stole our blessed change; while we
Th' effect did feel, but scarce the manner see.
Frosts that constrain the ground, and birth deny
To Flow'rs, that in its womb expecting lie,
Do seldom their usurping Pow'r withdraw,
But raging Floods persue their hasty Thaw:
Our Thaw was mild, the Cold not chas'd away,
But lost in kindly heat of lengthned day.
Heav'n would no bargain for its Blessings drive,
But what we could not pay for, freely give.
The Prince of Peace would, like himself, confer
A Gift unhop'd without the price of war.
Yet
