With all war’s rage he may abroad o’ercome,20
But love ’s a gentler victory at home:
Securely here he on that face relies,
Lays by his arms, and conquers with your eyes,
And all the glorious actions of his life
Thinks well rewarded, bleſs’d with ſuch a wife.25
TO THE IMMORTAL MEMORY OF
MR. EDMUND WALLER,
UPON HIS DEATH.
Alike partaking of celeſtial fire,
Poets and heroes to renown aſpire,
Till, crown’d with honour and immortal name,
By wit or valour led to equal fame,
They mingle with the gods who breath’d the noble flame.5
To high exploits the praiſes that belong
Live but as nouriſh’d by the poet’s ſong.
A tree of life is ſacred poetry;
Sweet is the fruit, and tempting to the eye:
Many there arc who nibble without leave,10
But none who are not born to taſte ſurvive.
Waller ſhall never die, of life ſecure
As long as Fame or aged Time endure:
Waller! the Muſe’s darling, free to taſte
Os all their ſtores, the maſter of the feaſt;15
