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And ftars, depriv'd of all malignant flames,
Here court the eye with more aufpicious beams :
In graceful order the just planets rise,

And here complete their circles in the skies;
Here's the full concert of revolving spheres,
And heaven in bright epitome appears.

With charms the ancients did invade the Moon,
And from her orb compell'd her struggling down;
But here 's fhe's taught a nobler change by you,
And moves with pride in this bright sphere below:
While your celestial bodies thus I view,
They give me bright ideas of the true ;

Inspir'd by them, my thoughts dare upward move,
And visit regions of the blest above.

Thus from your hand w' admire the globe in small, A copy fair as its original:

This labour 's to the whole creation just,
Second to none, and rival to the first.

The artful spring, like the diffusive soul,
Informs the machine, and directs the whole :
Like Nature's felf, it fills the fpacious throne,
And unconfin'd sways the fair orbs alone;
Th' unactive parts with awful filence wait,
And from its nod their birth of motion date:
Like Chaos, they obey the powerful call,
Move to its found, and into measures fall.

THE

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THE RAPE OF THE UTILLA.

Imitated from the Latin of FAMIANUS STRADA.

THE INTRODUCTORY ARGUMENT.

Theutilla, a fair young virgin, who, to avoid the addreffes of thofe many admirers her beauty drew about her, affumed the habit of a religious order, and wholly withdrew herfelf from the eye and converfe of the world: but the common report of her beauty had fo inflamed Amalis (a young perfon of quality) with love, that one night, in a debauch of wine, he commands his fervants to force her dormitory, and bear off, though by violence, the lovely votarefs; which having fuccefsfully performed, they bring Theutilla to their expecting lord's apartment, the scene of the enfuing Poem.

SOON

as the tyrant her bright form furvey'd,
He grew inflam'd with the fair captive maid:
A graceful forrow in her looks fhe bears,
Lovely with grief, and beautiful in tears;
Her mein and air refiftlefs charms impart,
Forcing an eafy paffage to his heart :

Long he devours her beauties with his eyes,

While through his glowing veins th' infection flies;

Swifter than lightning to his breaft it came,

Like that, a fair, but a destructive flame.

Yet

Yet fhe, though in her young and blooming state,
Poffeft a foul, beyond a virgin's, great;

No charms of youth her colder bofom move,
Chafte were her thoughts, and most averse to love:
And as fome timorous hind in toils betray'd,
Thus in his arms ftrove the refifting maid;
Thus did the combat with his ftrict embrace,
And fpurn'd the guilty caufe of her difgrace.
Revenge the courted, but despair'd to find
A ftrength and vigour equal to her mind;
While checks of fhame her willing hands reftrain,
Since all a virgin's force is her disdain :
Yet her refolves are nobly fix'd to die

Rather than violate her chastity,

Than break her vows to heaven, than blot her fame,
Or foil her beauties with a luftful flame.

The night from its meridian did decline,
An hour propitious to the black design :
When fleep and reft their peaceful laws maintain,
And o'er the globe b' infectious filence reign;
While death-like flumbers every bofom feize,
Unbend our minds, and weary'd bodies ease:
Now fond Amalis finds his drooping breast
Heavy with wine, with amorous cares oppreft;
Not all the joys expecting lovers feel

Can from his breast the drowsy charm repel;
In vain from wine his paffion feeks redress,

Whofe treacherous force the flame it rais'd betrays :
Weak and unnerv'd his ufelefs limbs became,
Bending beneath their ill-fupported frame ;

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Vanquish'd

Vanquish'd by that repose from which he flies,
Now flumbers close his unconfenting eyes.

But fad Theutilla's cares admit no reft,
Repofe is banish'd from her mournful breast ;
A faithful guard does injur'd virtue keep,
And from her weary limbs repulses sleep.
Oft the reflects with horror on the rape,
Oft tries each avenue for her escape;
Though ftill repulse upon repulse she bears,
And finds no passage but for fighs and tears :
Then, with the wildness of her foul let loofe,
And all the fury that her wrongs infuse;
She weeps, she raves, the rends her flowing hair,
Wild in her grief, and raging with despair,
At length her restless thoughts an utterance find,
And vent the anguish of her labouring mind :
Whilft all diffolv'd in calmer tears the faid,
"Shall I again be to his arms betray'd!
"Again the toil of loath'd embraces bear,
"And for fome blacker fcene of luft prepare !
"Firft may his bed my guiltlefs grave become,
"His marble roof my unpolluted tomb;

"Then, juft to honour, and unftain'd in fame,
"The urn that hides my duft conceals my fhame.
"Heaven gave me virtue, woman's frail defence,
"And beauty to molest that innocence :
"In vain I call my virtue to my aid,

"When thus by treacherous beauty I'm betray'd. "Yet to this hour my breaft no crime has known, "But, coldly chaste, with virgin brightness fhone, "As now unfully'd by a winter's fun.

"Not

"Not arts, nor ruder force of men prevail'd,

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My tears found pity, when my language fail'd. "Oft have these violated locks been torn,

"And injur'd face their favage fury borne ; "Oft have my bloody robes their crimes confeft, "And pointed daggers glitter'd at my breast; "Yet, free from guilt, I found fome happier charm "To vanquish lust, and wildest rage disarm. "But ah! the greatest labour 's yet behind; "No tears can soften this obdurate mind : "No prayers inexorable pity move,

“Or guard me from the worst of ruins, Love: "Though fleep and wine allow this kind reprieve, "Yet to the youth they'll strength and fury give ; "Then, wretched maid! then think what artifice, "What charm, fhall rescue from his nerv'd embrace! "When with fupplies of vigour next he storms, "And every dictate of his luft performs.

"But you, bleft Power, that own a virgin's name,' "Protect my virtue, and defend my fame, "From powerful luft, and the reproach of shame; "If I a strict religious life have led,

"Drunk the cold ftream, and made the earth my bed!
"If from the world a chafte reclufe I live,
"Redress my wrongs, and generous fuccour give;
"Allay this raging tempeft of my mind,

"A virgin fhould be to a virgin kind :
"Proftrate with tears from you I beg defence,
“Or take my life, or guard my innocence."
While thus th' afflicted beauty pray'd, the spy'd
A fatal dagger by Amalis' fide:

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