When fair Rebecca set me free, And Judith reign'd in her stead. One month, three days, and half an hour, Judith held the sov'reign power. Wondrous beautiful her face; But so weak and small her wit, And so Susanna took her place. But when Isabella came, Arm'd with a resistless flame And th' artillery of her eye, Whilst she proudly march'd about, She beat out Susan by the bye. But in her place I then obey'd Thousand worse passions then possest Bless me from such an anarchy ! Gentle Henrietta then, And a third Mary next began, Then Joan and Jane and Audria, And then a pretty Thomasine, And then another Catherine, And then a long ‘et cetera.' But should I now to you relate If I should tell the politic arts The letters, embassies, and spies, The frowns, and smiles, and flatteries, The quarrels, tears, and perjuries, Numberless, nameless mysteries; I more voluminous should grow (Chiefly if I, like them, should tell All change of weathers that befell) Than Holinshed or Stow. But I will briefer with them be, My present emperess doth claim, IN PRAISE OF HOPE. HOPE, of all ills that men endure The only cheap and universal cure! Thou captive's freedom, and thou sick man's health! To every taste a several meat ! Thou strong retreat, thou sure entailed estate, Thou pleasant, honest flatterer, for none Hope, thou first-fruits of happiness! Thou gentle dawning of a bright success! Thou good preparative, without which our joy Does work too strong, and whilst it cures, destroy; Who out of fortune's reach dost stand, And art a blessing still in hand! Whilst thee, her earnest-money, we retain, Whether she her bargain break, or else fulfil; Brother of Faith, 'twixt whom and thee In thee, or in possession! Only the future's thine, the present his! Hope, thou sad lover's only friend! Fruition more deceitful is Than thou canst be, when thou dost miss ; And that's a pleasant country, without doubt, [SIR JOHN DENHAM, the son of the Chief Baron of the Exchequer in Ireland, was born in Dublin, in 1615, and was educated at Oxford, where he is said to have been more attentive to cards than study: a propensity which prevented his making any progress in the law, when he entered Lincoln's Inn. To please his father, he wrote an essay, proving the pernicious tendency of gaming; nevertheless, he seriously injured his patrimony by this vice. He was a zealous adherent of Charles I., and being discovered in secret correspondence with Cowley, he fled, to save his |