[Page 29]

Love, Death, and Reputation.

1 REputation, Love, and Death,
2 (The Last all Bones, the First all Breath,
3 The Midd'st compos'd of restless Fire)
4 From each other wou'd Retire;
5 Thro' the World resolv'd to stray,
6 Every One a several Way;
7 Exercising, as they went,
8 Each such Power, as Fate had lent;
9 Which, if it united were,
10 Wretched Mortals cou'd not bear:
11 But as parting Friends do show,
12 To what Place they mean to go,
13 Correspondence to engage,
14 Nominate their utmost Stage;
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15 Death declar'd, he wou'd be found
16 Near the fatal Trumpet's sound;
17 Or where Pestilences reign,
18 And Quacks the greater Plagues maintain;
19 Shaking still his sandy Glass,
20 And mowing Human Flesh, like Grass.
21 Love, as next his Leave he took,
22 Cast on both so sweet a Look,
23 As their Tempers near disarm'd,
24 One relax'd, and t'other warm'd;
25 Shades for his Retreat he chose,
26 Rural Plains, and soft Repose;
27 Where no Dowry e'er was paid,
28 Where no Jointure e'er was made;
29 No Ill Tongue the Nymph perplex'd,
30 Where no Forms the Shepherd vex'd;
31 Where Himself shou'd be the Care,
32 Of the Fond and of the Fair:
33 Where that was, they soon shou'd know,
34 Au Revoir! then turn'd to Go.
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35 Reputation made a Pause,
36 Suiting her severer Laws;
37 Second Thoughts, and Third she us'd,
38 Weighing Consequences mus'd;
39 When, at length to both she cry'd:
40 You Two safely may Divide,
41 To th' Antipodes may fall,
42 And re-ascend th' encompast Ball;
43 Certain still to meet agen
44 In the Breasts of tortur'd Men;
45 Who by One (too far) betray'd,
46 Call in t'other to their Aid:
47 Whilst I Tender, Coy, and Nice,
48 Rais'd and ruin'd in a Trice,
49 Either six with those I grace;
50 Or abandoning the Place,
51 No Return my Nature bears,
52 From green Youth, or hoary Hairs;
53 If thro' Guilt, or Chance, I sever,
54 I once Parting, Part for ever.

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Title (in Source Edition): Love, Death, and Reputation.
Author: Anne Finch (née Kingsmill), countess of Winchilsea
Themes: love; fame; death
Genres: fable
References: DMI 23854

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Winchilsea, Anne Kingsmill Finch, Countess of, 1661-1720. Miscellany poems, on several occasions: Written by the Right Honble Anne, Countess of Winchilsea. London: printed for J. B. and sold by Benj. Tooke, William Taylor, and James Round, 1713, pp. 29-31. [8],390p. ; 8⁰. (ESTC T94539; Foxon pp. 274-5; OTA K076314.000) (Page images digitized from a copy in the Bodleian Library [Buxton 100].)

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Other works by Anne Finch (née Kingsmill), countess of Winchilsea