[Nereides:] TO Mr. CONGREVE. William Diaper Alexander Huber Editor Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford
Broad Street Oxford OX1 3BG UK
Eighteenth-Century Poetry Archive
Taylor Institution Library St Giles' Oxford OX1 3NA UK info@eighteenthcenturypoetry.org https://www.eighteenthcenturypoetry.org/
Oxford This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. T126092 Diaper, William, d. 1717. Nereides: or Sea-Eclogues. London Printed by J. H. for E. Sanger, at the Post-House, at the Middle-Temple-Gate in Fleetstreet 1712 pp. iii-vi. x, 69 p.

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[ Nereides : ] TO Mr. CONGREVE . As Merchants whose sunk Trade , and ebbing Stocks Fear every Storm , and dread the lurking Rocks , Above her real Worth their Bark ensure , Then careless hug themselves , and sleep secure ; They hear of Wrecks , and fear no inward Pain , But seeming Losses bring a real Gain . So , would your Smiles protect the fearful Muse , The vulgar Praise I would with Scorn refuse . By you approv'd , condemn'd by all beside , I'd court my Fate , and swell with careless Pride . Since novel Treats our modern Gusts persue , I hop'd at least to please by something new . The Muse long sought the Woods , and mossy Caves , Despis'd the Seas , and fear'd the rowling Waves , The flowry Meadows , and the whispering Trees Have oft been sung , and will hereafter please . Cool shady Grots , and gently rising Hills , And the soft Murmurs of complaining Rills , In antient Verse describ'd their Sweets convey , And still succeeding Bards repeat the grateful Lay . But the vast unseen Mansions of the Deep , Where secret Groves with liquid Amber weep , Where blushing Sprigs of knotty Coral spread And gild the Azure with a brighter red , Were still untouch'd — Beside the Muse has no envenom'd Rage , No Party-wars her Innocence engage , Nor partial Falshoods stain the guilty Page . She loves no pompous Sound , or lofty Strain , Or soars to Sense obscure with awkward Pain , But would plain Songs in artless Verse contrive , And humbly modest only asks to Dive . Joys free , and undisturb'd , and endless Loves The Triton seeks , and ev'ry Nymph approves . But should the harmless Pen have no Regard , Your Name ( like sacred Spells that charm when heard From blasting Tongues secures the tender Bard , The beauteous Nymphs to your Protection throng , And beg , you would not scorn the humble Song : As Indian Travellers Wild Beasts affright By kindled Fires , and skreen themselves with Light . So Critick-wits , like other Brutes of Prey , From a surrounding Brightness slink away . Men dare not censure ( even when they ought ) If Virgil will approve what Mævius wrote .