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

  • [Illustration]
  • POEMS On Several OCCASIONS.

    Written by Philomela.

    LONDON: Printed for Iohn Dunton at the Raven in Iewen-street. 1696.

  • [Page]

    Preface TO THE READER.

    THE occasion of this Preface is, to give the World some account of the Author of these Poems, as far as I'm permitted to do it: An Employment I the more willingly chuse, because our Sex has some Excuse for a little Vanity, when they have so good Reason for't, and such a Champion among themselves, as not many of the other can[Page] boast of. We are not unwilling to allow Mankind the Brutal Advantages of Strength, they are Superior to ours in Force, they have Custom of their side, and have Ruled, and are like to do so, and may freely do it without Disturbance or Envy; at least they should have none from us, if they cou'd but keep quiet among themselves. But when they wou'd Monopolize Sence too, when neither that, nor Learning, nor so much as Wit must be allow'd us, but all over-rul'd by the Tyranny of the Prouder Sex; nay, when some of 'em won't let us say our Souls are our own, but wou'd perswade us we are no more Reasonable Creatures then themselves, or their Fellow-Animals; we then[Page] must ask their Pardons if we are not yet so Compleatly possive as to bear all without so much as a murmur: We complain, and we think with reason, that our Fundamental Constitutions are destroyed; that here's a plain and an open design to render us meer Slaves, perfect Turkish Wives, without Properties, or Sense, or Souls; and are forc'd to Protest against it, and appeal to all the World, whether these are not notorious Violations on the Liberties of Free-born English Women? This makes the Meekest Worm amongst us all, ready to turn agen when we are thus trampled on; But alas! What can we do to Right our selves? stingless and harmless as we are, we can only Kiss the[Page] Foot that hurts us. However, sometimes it pleases Heaven to raise up some Brighter. Genius then ordinary to Succour a Distressed People —; an Epaminondas in Thebes; a Timoleon for Corinth; (for you must know we Read Plutarch now 'tis Translated) and a Nassaw for all the World: Nor is our Defenceless Sex forgotten — we have not only Bunduca's and Zenobia's, but Sappho's, and Behn's and Schurman's, and Orinda's, who have humbled. the most haughty of our Antagonists, and made 'em do Homage to our Wit, as well as our Beauty. 'Tis true, their Mischievous and Envious sex have made it their utmost endeavours to deal with us, as Hannibal[Page] was serv'd at Capua, and to Corrupt that Virtue which they can no otherwise overcome: and sometimes they prevail'd: But, if some Angels fell, others remain'd in their Innocence and Perfection, if there were not also some addition made to their Happiness and Glory, by their continuing stedfast. Angels Love, but they love Virtuously and Reasonably, and neither err in the Object, nor the Manner: And if all our Poetesses had done the same, I wonder what our Enemies cou'd have found out to have objected against us: However, here they are silenc'd; and I dare be bold to say, that whoever does not come extreamly prejudic'd[Page] to these Poems, will find in 'em that vivacity of Thought, that purity of Language, that softness and delicacy in the Love-part, that strength and Majesty of Numbers almost every where, especially on Heroical Subjects, and that clear and unaffected Love to Virtue; that heighth of Piety and warmth of Devotion in the Canticles, and other Religious Pieces; which they will hardly find exceeded in the best Authors on those Different Kinds of Writing, much less equall'd by any single Writer.

    And now I have nothing more, I think, lies upon my Hands, but to assure the[Page] Reader, that they were actually Writ by a young Lady, (all, but some of the Answers, as is well-known to some Persons of Quality and Worth) whose NAME had been prefix'd, had not her own Modesty absolutely forbidden it.

    The way of Thinking and Writing is all along the same, only varying with the Subject; and the Whole so very agreeable a mixture, that unless Philaret and my Self, who have the Honour to be her Friends, and who perswaded her to Publish this First Volume, are very partial, 'tis more than probable, they will meet with so favourable a Reception with the[Page] Pious and Ingenious Reader, that we may e're long prevail with Her to oblige the World with a Second Part, no way inferior to the former.

    Elizabeth Iohnson.
  • To The AUTHOR Of these POEMS, Known only by Report, and by Her WORKS.

    NO — 'tis in vain — attempt not to persuade!
    They were not, cou'd not be by Woman made:
    Each Thought so strong, so finish'd every Line,
    All o'r we see so rich a Genius shine;
    O more then Man, we Cry, O Workmanship Divine!
    Courtly the Stile as Wallers, clear, and neat,
    Not Cowley's Sence more Beautiful, or great:
    [Page]
    Numerous the verse, as Drydens flowing strain;
    Smooth as the Thames, yet Copious as the Main.
    But when the Author Royal Mary mourns,
    Or in soft Fires for gay Orestes burns
    Agen, our sexes Pride is undeceiv'd:
    A Soul so Soft in Man yet never liv'd.
    In vain, alas in vain our Fate we shun;
    We Read, and Sigh, and Love, and are undon:
    Circaean charms, and Female Arts we prove,
    Transported all to some New World of Love.
    "Now our Ears tingle, and each thick-drawn - Breath
    " Comes hard, as in the Agonys of Death:
    "Back to the panting Heart the purple Rivers flow,
    " Our Swimming Eyes, to see, our Feet unlearn to goe:
    [Page]
    "In every trembling Nerve a short-liv'd Palsy reigns,
    " Strange Feavers boyl our Blood, yet shudder thro' our Veins,
    Tyrannous Charmer hold! our Sence, our Souls restore!
    Monopolize not Love, nor make the World adore!
    Can Heavenly minds be angry! can she frown?
    What Thunders has one eager Thought pull'd down?
    Diana thus by the bold Hunter found,
    Instead of Darts, shot angry Blushes round.
    O Goddess Spare — all white as Cyprias Dove
    Is thy untarnisht Soul, and Loves as Angels Love;
    Honour and Virtue each wild-wish repel,
    And doubly sink 'em to their Native Hell.
    Saints may by thee their holiest Thoughts refine,
    And Vestal-Virgin's dress their Souls by thine,
    [Page]
    Sure none but you such Passion, cou'd, restrain;
    None ever Lov'd like you, and Lov'd in vain.
    What Age can equal, what Historian find
    Such Tenderness, with so much Duty joyn'd?
    Sappho and Behn reform'd, in thee revive,
    In thee we see the Chast Orinda live.
    Thy works express thy Soul we read thee there,
    Not thine own Pencil draws more like, or fair.
    As Flowers steal unobserv'd from Natures Bed,
    And silent sweets around profusely shed,
    So you in Secret shades unknown unseen
    Commence at once a Muse, and Heroine.
    Yet you're in vain unknown, in vain wou'd shrow'd
    That Sun, which shines too bright t' endure a cloud.
    [Page]
    Prepare then for that Fame which you despise!
    But when you're seen still hide, O hide your Eyes!
    Love Vertue, and adorn't still let us see
    Such Wit and Beauty joyn'd with Piety.
    Let Heaven and Heaven's Vicegerent always share
    Your noblest Thoughts, and your most Dutious care.
    WILLIAM's a Name, you're Fated to Record;
    No Pen but yours can match the Heroes Sword.
    If yon ASSOCIATE too, you'll guard Him (more
    Then all the Loyal Myriads gon before.
    Let harden'd Traitors know what 'tis to' abuse
    The Patience of a King and of a Muse.
    Let 'em no more a Monarch's Justice dare,
    Draw off his side, at once, and END THE WAR!
    [Page]
    These just, tho' poor Acknowledgments I send,
    From distant Shades, to Heav'ns and Cesars Friend:
    Those but debase, who weakly strive to raise,
    You'll ne're grow vain with —'s humble praise.
  • THE Contents.THE Contents.

    [Page][Page]

    TO the Author of these Poems, known only by Report, and by her Works.

    Platonick Love
    Page 1
    Humane Love, by a Countrey Gentleman, in Answer to Platonick Love
    3
    To Mr. — on his Poem
    5
    To Mrs. Mary Friend, knowing her but by Report
    7
    Paraphrase on John 3. 16. For God so loved the World, that he gave his only Begotten Son, &c.
    8
    The Expostulation
    12
    To my Lady Carteret
    14
    And though after my Skin, Worms destroy this Body, yet in my Flesh shall I see God, Iob 19. 26.
    15
    To Sir Charles Sedley
    16
    To the Honourable Mrs. E. Stretchy
    17
    A Pindarick Poem on Habbakuk
    18
    The Athenians to the Compiler of the Pindarick now Recited
    21
    A Poetical Question concerning the Jacobites, sent to the Athenians
    27
    The Athenians Answer
    28
    Upon King William's passing the Boyn, &c.
    30
    The Vanity of the World, in a Poem to the Athenians
    33
    The Athenians Answer
    35
    The Rapture
    ibid.
    A Paraphrase on the CANTICLES, Chap. I.
    36
    Chap. II.
    39
    Chap. III.
    42
    Chap. IV.
    44
    Chap. V.
    47
    Chap. VI.
    52
    The Fable of Phaeron Paraphrased from Ovid's Metamorphosis
    56
    The Wish, in a Poem to the Athenians, 2d Alphabet
    1
    The Athenians Answer
    3
    To one that perswades me to leave the Muses
    6
    A Poem occasion'd by the Report of the Queen's Death
    9
    Paraphrase on John 21. 17.
    10
    Paraphrase on Cant. 5,6, &c.
    13
    A Pindarick to the Athenian Society
    15
    Paraphrase on Revel. Chap. 1. from v. 13. to v. 18.
    19
    To a very Young Gentleman at a Dancing-School
    22
    To the same Gentleman
    23
    A Pastoral
    24
    To Celinda
    27
    Thoughts on Death
    28
    The Female Passion
    30
    To Strephon
    31
    Paraphrase on Malachy 3, 14.
    32
    On Mrs. Rebekah
    34
    By Dispair
    35
    To Orestes
    37
    The Athenians Answer to the foregoing Poem
    39
    Paraphrase on Canticles, 7, 11
    40
    Paraphrase on Micah, 6. 6, 7.
    41
    The Reflection
    43
    A Song
    44
    To Madam S. — at the Court
    46
    The Vision. — To Theron
    49
    A Pastoral Elegy
    51
    Parthenia, an Elegy
    57
    The Reply to Mr. —
    59
    A Pastoral on the Queen
    62
    A Farewel to Love
    65
  • Platonick Love.
  • HUMANE LOVE:
  • To Mr. — — on his POEM.
  • TO Mrs. MARY FRIEND; Knowing her but by Report.
  • PARAPHRASE
  • THE Expostulation.
  • To my Lady CARTERET.
  • And, though after my Skin, Worms destroy this Body, yet in my Flesh shall I see God, Job 19. 26.
  • TO Sir CHAREES SEDLEY.
  • To the Honourable Mrs. E— Stretchy.
  • A Pindarick POEM on HABBAKUK.
  • The ATHENIANS
  • A Poetical Question concerning the Jacobites, sent to the Athenians.
  • The Athenians Answer.
  • Upon King William's passing the Boyn, &c.
  • The Vanity of the World, In a Poem to the Athenians.
  • The Athenians Answer.
  • The RAPTURE.
  • A Paraphrase on the CANTICLES.
  • THE FABLE of PHAETON Paraphrased From OVID's METAMORPHOSIS.
  • THE WISH, IN A POEM TO THE ATHENIANS.
  • The Athenians Answer.
  • To one that perswades me to leave the Muses.
  • A POEM Occasioned by the report of the Queens Death.
  • Pharaphrase on John 21. 17.
  • Paraphrase on Cant. 5. 6. &c.
  • A Pindarick, to the Athenian Society.
  • Paraphrase on Revel. chap. 1. from v. 13. to v. 18.
  • To a very Young Gentleman at a Dancing-School.
  • To the same Gentleman.
  • A PASTORAL.
  • TO CELINDA.
  • Thoughts on Death.
  • THE Female Passion,
  • TO STREPHON.
  • Paraphrase on Malachy 3. 14.
  • On Mrs. Rebecka.
  • By Dispair.
  • TO ORESTES.
  • The Athenians Answer, to the Foregoing Poem.
  • Paraphrase on Canticles, 7. 11.
  • Paraphrase on Micha. 6. 6, 7.
  • The Reflection.
  • A SONG.
  • To Madam S— at the Court.
  • The Vision. To Theron.
  • A Pastoral Elegy.
  • Parthenea, an ELEGY.
  • The Reply to Mr. —
  • A Pastoral on the QUEEN.
  • A Farewel to LOVE.
  • FINIS.
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