[Nereides:] Eclogue XIII. William Diaper Alexander Huber Editor Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford
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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. 58-64. x, 69 p.

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[ Nereides : ] Eclogue XIII . Muræna , Chromis . Mur . Who knows what Heav'ns Decree for Man design'd , Or what's the certain Doom of human kind ? Who knows his former , or his future State , And Secrets teeming in the Womb of Fate ? Th'Angelick Orders sure look down , and smile , While we still judge amiss , and still for nothing toil . He finds his own Defects , who thinks the most ; That Reason makes us wretched , which we boast , And Men are alway prudent to their Cost . The Earth-born Mortal , when he round him sees The flow'ry Pastures , and the budding Trees , Is fondly proud , admires his fancy'd home , And thinks that all were made for him alone ; That Heav'n to him ( as Lord ) this World entrusts , And gives a sov'reign Sway ; that all things must Obey his Will , and gratify his Lust . While he forgets the Ocean's watry Mass , Whose boundless Depths the scanty Earth surpass ; Where thousand different kinds of living Forms Lie hid in the Abyss , and brave the distant Storms . Chro . And thousands more as beautiful as these ( Unknown to us ) may sport in distant Seas . Who then would vainly strive with curious Pride To find what Heav'n has to our Search deny'd , When ign'rant of our home we cannot guess At half the Store , and Riches we possess ? Better would humbly we our selves contain Within our reach , and not indulge our Pain . When once the Soul shall quit this earthly Case , And fly unbodied in the endless Space , The Essences of things shall all appear , And naked Forms ( as in themselves they were ) Nature will then unlock her secret Store : The Vail of Sense shall hide her Face no more . Mean while enough we are allow'd to enjoy , T'improve our Reason , and our Thoughts employ . Loose not too much the Reins to wild Desire : Shrimps may not grow to Crabs , nor Orks to Whales aspire . We see enough to please our labouring Minds , How Nature sports her self in antick kinds . A thousand different Forms we hourly view , And thro' moist Paths the flying Shoals persue . Who can with all his painful Search declare What curious Art indents the branched Star , Or how in hardned Shell by shining Streams It imitates the Sun's diffusive Beams . The Shark with pointed Teeth is arm'd for Prey ; He breaks thro' all , and clears the liquid Way ; While the fond Sucking-fish ( a harmless Breed ) With fastned Lips supply their daily need , And with a Mouth unarm'd they clinging feed . No Lovesick Nymph's , or wanton Triton's Kiss Is half so lasting , or so close as his . The Urchins are by Nature fenc'd around ; None dares approach ; for with a Touch they wound , Wrapt up within themselves they guarded lie , And to their own Embrace for Safety fly . In vain the Fishers for the Glanis wait ; He leaves the Hook , and takes the easy Bait . So Ino , when by Love I would have won Siezes my Heart , but still secures her own . Fish vainly curious will each Year retire To fresher Streams , and novel Floods admire , Fools to exchange their Waves , and native Deep For noisy Brooks that o'er the Pebbles creep . They wisely are content , who don't esteem A tastless River , or a shallow Stream . When Fishers sing the Puffens to their Boats Unweening press to hear the ruder Notes ; Tho' proudly they escape th'inviting Bait , In softer Words they find a surer Fate . Who then will dare approach the Syrens Tongue , Or who untouch'd can hear Leucosia's Song ? Tho' Chromis scape the Fury of her Eyes , Her Voice o'ertakes him , and in vain he flies . The Sargus Emblem of unbounded Lust Is alway false ; and to his Bride unjust , And not content o'er all the Sea to range , And thus pollute himself with daily Change , Persues forbidden Love , and fondly dotes On Earth-born kinds , and courts the feeding Goats . But the kind Mullets are a constant Pair ; They ( each ) still fix to one , and seek no other Fair . The bearded Prawn's a lively Instance made Of mutual Kindness , and of friendly Aid . He the gay Pearl attends with studious Care , And in the common Prey commands a share . The Pearl is dull , tho' gawdy in his Shell , ( For Wit but seldom will with Beauty dwell ) But the sly Prawn can secret Signs convey , And with a Touch forewarns to seize the Prey , While the deceitful Rays , and spangled Sight To certain Death th'admiring Throng invite . ( Pleasures indulg'd repented are too late And they like us to Beauty owe their Fate ) . Mur . I see a Nymph , who in the liquid Maze Now sporting dives , and with a Dolphin plays , On whom I could unweary'd ever gaze : When she appears , I need no other Theme To make my daily Care , or nightly Dream . That fair one has enough t'engross the whole , To take up ev'ry Thought , and fill the Soul . Ah ! might these Arms entwine that world of Love , In vain Researches I'd no longer rove ; Thus pleas'd , I'd be content to know no more , Or to forget ev'n what I knew before . Happily ignorant I would despise The curious Learning of the vainly Wise .