FRAGMENT. Anne Finch (née Kingsmill), countess of Winchilsea Alexander Huber Editor Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford
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Eighteenth-Century Poetry Archive
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Oxford This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. T94539 pp. 274-5 K076314.000 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. 280-282. [8],390p. ; 8⁰.

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FRAGMENT . SO here confin'd , and but to female Clay , ARDELIA's Soul mistook the rightful Way : Whilst the soft Breeze of Pleasure's tempting Air Made her believe , Felicity was there ; And basking in the warmth of early Time , To vain Amusements dedicate her Prime . Ambition next allur'd her tow'ring Eye ; For Paradice she heard was plac'd on high , Then thought , the Court with all its glorious Show Was sure above the rest , and Paradice below . There plac'd too soon the flaming Sword appear'd , Remov'd those Pow'rs , whom justly she rever'd , Adher'd too in their Wreck , and in their Ruin shar'd . Now by the Wheels inevitable Round , With them thrown prostrate to the humble Ground , No more she takes ( instructed by that Fall ) For fix'd , or worth her thought , this rolling Ball : Tow'rds a more certain Station she aspires , Unshaken by Revolts , and owns no less Desires . But all in vain are Pray'rs , extatick Thoughts , Recover'd Moments , and retracted Faults , Retirement , which the World Moroseness calls , Abandon'd Pleasures in Monastick Wye Colledge in Kent , formerly a Priory . Walls : These , but at distance , towards that purpose tend , The lowly Means to an exalted End ; Which He must perfect , who allots her Stay , And That , accomplish'd , will direct the way . Pity her restless Cares , and weary Strife , And point some Issue to escaping Life ; Which so dismiss'd , no Pen or Human Speech Th' ineffable Recess can ever teach : Th' Expanse , the Light , the Harmony , the Throng , The Bride's Attendance , and the Bridal Song , The numerous Mansions , and th' immortal Tree , No Eye , unpurg'd by Death , must ever see , Or Waves which through that wond'rous City roll . Rest then content , my too impatient Soul ; Observe but here the easie Precepts given , Then wait with chearful hope , till Heaven be known in Heaven .