[Page 13]

Paraphrase on Cant. 5. 6. &c.

1 OH! How his Pointed Language, like a Dart,
2 Sticks to the softest Fibres of my Heart,
3 Quite through my Soul the charming Accents slide,
4 That from his Life inspiring Portals glide;
5 And whilst I the inchanting sound admire,
6 My melting Vitals in a Trance expire.
7 Oh Son of Venus, Mourn thy baffled Arts,
8 For I defye the proudest of thy Darts:
9 Undazled now, I thy weak Taper View,
10 And find no fatal influence accrue;
11 Nor would fond Child thy feebler Lamp appear,
12 Should my bright Sun deign to approach more near;
13 Canst thou his Rival then pretend to prove?
14 Thou a false Idol, he the God of Love;
15 Lovely beyond Conception, he is all
16 Reason, or Fancy amiable call,
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17 All that the most exerted thoughts can reach,
18 When sublimated to its utmost streach.
19 Oh! altogether Charming, why in thee
20 Do the vain World no Form or Beauty see?
21 Why do they Idolize a dusty clod,
22 And yet refuse their Homage to a God?
23 Why from a beautious flowing Fountain turn,
24 For the Dead Puddle of a narrow Urn?
25 Oh Carnal Madness! sure we falsly call
26 So dull a thing as man is, rational;
27 Alas, my shining Love, what can there be
28 On Earth so splendid to out-glitter thee?
29 In whom the brightness of a God-head Shines,
30 With all its lovely and endearing Lines;
31 Thee with whose light Mortallity once blest,
32 Would throw off its dark Veil to be possest;
33 Then altogether Lovely, why in thee
34 Do the vain World no Form or Beauty see.

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About this text

Title (in Source Edition): Paraphrase on Cant. 5. 6. &c.
Author: Elizabeth Rowe (née Singer)
Themes: biblical history
Genres: heroic couplet; paraphrase

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Source edition

Rowe, Elizabeth Singer, 1674-1737. Poems on several occasions. Written by Philomela. London: Printed for John Dunton at the Raven in Jewen-street, 1696, pp. 13-14. [24],72,69,[11]p.; 8⁰ (ESTC R7317; OTA A57734)

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The text has been typographically modernized, but without any silent modernization of spelling, capitalization, or punctuation. The source of the text is given and all editorial interventions have been recorded in textual notes. Based on the electronic text originally produced by the TCP project, this ECPA text has been edited to conform to the recommendations found in Level 5 of the Best Practices for TEI in Libraries version 4.0.0.

Other works by Elizabeth Rowe (née Singer)