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rown'd again。
i。e。 distil。
Lovelace was by no means peculiar in the fondness which he has shown in this poem and elsewhere for figures drawn from the language of alchemy。
〃Retire into thy grove of eglantine； Where I will all those ravished sweets distill Through Love's alembic； and with chemic skill From the mix'd mass one sovereign balm derive。〃 Carew's POEMS （1640）； ed。 1772； p。 77。
〃I will try From the warm limbeck of my eye； In such a method to distil Tears on thy marble nature〃 Shirley's POEMS （Works by Dyce； vi。 407）。
〃Nature's Confectioner； the BEE； Whose suckers are moist ALCHYMIE； The still of his refining Mould； Minting the garden into gold。〃 Cleveland's POEMS； ed。 1669； p。 4。
〃Fisher is here with purple wing； Who brings me to the Spring…head； where Crystall is Lymbeckt all the year。〃 Lord Westmoreland's OTIA SACRA； 1648； p。 137；
WEAK。 The word was once not very uncommon in writings。 Bacon； Spenser； &c。 use it； but it is now； I believe； confined to Somersetshire and the bordering counties。
〃LUKE。 A south wind Shall sooner soften marble； and the rain； That slides down gently from his flaggy wings； O'erflow the Alps。〃 Massinger's CITY MADAM； 1658。
FEMALE GLORY。
Mongst the worlds wonders； there doth yet remain One greater than the rest； that's all those o're again； And her own self beside： A Lady； whose soft breast Is with vast honours soul and virtues life possest。 Fair as original light first from the chaos shot； When day in virgin…beams triumph'd； and night was not； And as that breath infus'd in the new…breather good； When ill unknown was dumb； and bad not understood； Chearful； as that aspect at this world's finishing； When cherubims clapp'd wings； and th' sons of Heaven did sing； Chast as th' Arabian bird； who all the ayr denyes； And ev'n in flames expires； when with her selfe she lyes。 Oh！ she's as kind as drops of new faln April showers； That on each gentle breast spring fresh perfuming flowers； She's constant； gen'rous； fixt； she's calm； she is the all We can of vertue； honour； faith； or glory call； And she is （whom I thus transmit to endless fame） Mistresse oth' world and me； and LAURA is her name。
The Phoenix。
A DIALOGUE。 LUTE AND VOICE。
L。 Sing； Laura； sing； whilst silent are the sphears； And all the eyes of Heaven are turn'd to ears。
V。 Touch thy dead wood； and make each living tree Unchain its feet； take arms； and follow thee。
CHORUS。 L。 Sing。 V。 Touch。 0 Touch。 L。 0 Sing。 BOTH。 It is the souls； souls sole offering。
V。 Touch the divinity of thy chords； and make Each heart string tremble； and each sinew shake。
L。 Whilst with your voyce you rarifie the air； None but an host of angels hover here。
CHORUS。 SING； TOUCH； &c。
V。 Touch thy soft lute； and in each gentle thread The lyon and the panther captive lead。
L。 Sing； and in heav'n inthrone deposed love； Whilst angels dance； and fiends in order move。
DOUBLE CHORUS。 What sacred charm may this then be In harmonie； That thus can make the angels wild； The devils mild； And teach low hell to heav'n to swell； And the high heav'n to stoop to hell？
Original and Singer read REACH。
A MOCK CHARON。
DIALOGUE。
CHA。 W。
W。 Charon！ thou slave！ thou fooll！ thou cavaleer！ CHA。 A slave！ a fool！ what traitor's voice I hear？ W。 Come bring thy boat。 CH。 No； sir。 W。 No！ sirrah； why？ CHA。 The blest will disagree； and fiends will mutiny At thy； at thy ＇un＇numbred treachery。 W。 Villain； I have a pass which who disdains； I will sequester the Elizian plains。 CHA。 Woes me； ye gentle shades！ where shall I dwell？ He's come！ It is not safe to be in hell。
CHORUS。 Thus man； his honor lost； falls on these shelves； Furies and fiends are still true to themselves。
CHA。 You must； lost fool； come in。 W。 Oh； let me in！ But now I fear thy boat will sink with my ore…weighty sin。 Where； courteous Charon； am I now？ CHA。 Vile rant！ At the gates of thy supreme Judge Rhadamant。
DOUBLE CHORUS OF DIVELS。 Welcome to rape； to theft； to perjurie； To all the ills thou wert； we canot hope to be； Oh； pitty us condemned！ Oh； cease to wooe； And softly； softly breath； least you infect us too。
This word is used here merely to denote a GALLANT； a FELLOW。 From being in its primitive sense a most honourable appellation； it became； during and after the civil war between Charles and the Parliament； a term of equivocal import。
Here equivalent to RANTER； and used for the sake of the metre。
THE TOAD AND SPYDER。
A DUELL。
Upon a day； when the Dog…star Unto the world proclaim'd a war； And poyson bark'd from black throat； And from his jaws infection shot； Under a deadly hen…bane shade With slime infernal mists are made； Met the two dreaded enemies； Having their weapons in their eyes。
First from his den rolls forth that load Of spite and hate； the speckl'd toad； And from his chaps a foam doth spawn； Such as the loathed three heads yawn； Defies his foe with a fell spit； To wade through death to meet with it； Then in his self the lymbeck turns； And his elixir'd poyson urns。 Arachne； once the fear oth' maid
Coelestial； thus unto her pray'd： Heaven's blew…ey'd daughter； thine own mother！ The Python…killing Sun's thy brother。 Oh！ thou； from gods that didst descend； With a poor virgin to contend； Shall seed of earth and hell ere be A rival in thy victorie？ Pallas assents： for now long time And pity had clean rins'd her crime； When straight she doth with active fire Her many legged foe inspire。 Have you not seen a charact lie A great cathedral in the sea； Under whose Babylonian walls A small thin frigot almshouse stalls？ So in his slime the toad doth float And th' spyder by； but seems his boat。 And now the naumachie begins； Close to the surface her self spins： Arachne； when her foe lets flye A broad…side of his breath too high； That's over…shot； the wisely…stout； Advised maid doth tack about； And now her pitchy barque doth sweat； Chaf'd in her own black fury wet； Lasie and cold before； she brings New fires to her contracted stings； And with discolour'd spumes doth blast The herbs that to their center hast。 Now to the neighb'ring henbane top Arachne hath her self wound up； And thence； from its dilated leaves； By her own cordage downwards weaves； And doth her town of foe attack； And storms the rampiers of his back； Which taken in her colours spread； March to th' citadel of's head。 Now as in witty torturing Spain； The brain is vext to vex the brain； Where hereticks bare heads are arm'd In a close helm； and in it charm'd An overgrown and meagre rat； That peece…meal nibbles himself fat； So on the toads blew…checquer'd scull The spider gluttons her self full。 And vomiting her Stygian seeds； Her poyson on his poyson feeds。 Thus the invenom'd toad； now grown Big with more poyson than his own； Doth gather all his pow'rs； and shakes His stormer in's disgorged lakes； And wounded now； apace crawls on To his next plantane surgeon； With whose rich balm no sooner drest； But purged is his sick swoln breast； And as a glorious combatant； That only rests awhile to pant； Then with repeated strength and scars； That smarting fire him new to wars； Deals blows that thick themselves prevent； As they would gain the time he spent。
So the disdaining angry toad； That calls but a thin useless load； His fatal feared self comes back With unknown venome fill'd to crack。 Th' amased spider； now untwin'd； Hath crept up； and her self new lin'd With fresh salt foams and mists； that blast The ambient air as they past。 And now me thinks a Sphynx's wing I pluck； and do not write； but sting； With their black blood my pale inks blent； Gall's but a faint ingredient。 The pol'tick toad doth now withdraw； Warn'd； higher in CAMPANIA。 There wisely doth； intrenched deep； His body in a body keep； And leaves a wide and open pass T' invite the foe up to his jaws； Which there within a foggy blind With fourscore fire…arms were lin'd。 The gen'rous active spider doubts More ambuscadoes than redoubts； So within shot she doth pickear； Now gall's the flank； and now the rear； As that the toad in's own dispite Must change the manner of his fight； Who； like a glorious general； With one home…charge lets fly at all。 Chaf'd with a fourfold ven'mous foam Of scorn； revenge； his foes and 's own； He seats him in his loathed chair； New…made him by each mornings air； With glowing eyes he doth survey Th' undaunted hoast he calls his prey； Then his dark spume he gred'ly laps； And sh