On the Marriage of the Earl of A— with the Countess of S— John Pomfret 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. N21233 Pomfret, John, 1667-1702. Poems upon Several Occasions. By the Reverend Mr. John Pomfret [poems only]. The Sixth Edition, Corrected. With some Account Of his Life and Writings. To which are added, His Remains. London printed for D. Brown without Temple Bar, J. Walthoe in the Temple Cloysters, A. Bettesworth, and E. Taylor, in Pater-Noster-Row, and J. Hooke in Fleetstreet 1724 pp. 82-86. [12], 132, vi, 17p.

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On the Marriage of the Earl of A— with the Countess of S— Triumphant Beauty never looks so Gay , As on the Morning of a Nuptial Day . Love then within a larger Circle moves , New Graces adds , and ev'ry Charm improves ; While Hymen does his sacred Rites prepare , The buisy Nymphs attend the trembling Fair ; Whose Veins are swell'd with an unusual Heat , And eager Pulses with strange Motions beat ; Alternate Passions various Thoughts impart , And painful Joys distend her throbbing Heart : Her Fears are great , and her Desires are strong , The Minutes fly too fast — yet stay too long : Now she is ready , — the next Moment not : All things are done — then something is forgot : She fears , — yet wishes the strange Work were done : Delays , — yet is impatient to be gone . Disorders thus from ev'ry Thought arise , What Love perswades , I know not what denies . Achates' Choice does his firm Judgment prove , And shows at once he can be wise and love ; Because it from no spurious Passion came , But was the Product of a noble Flame : Bold without Rudeness , without blazing bright , Pure as fixt Stars , and uncorrupt as Light ; By just Degrees it to Perfection grew , An early Ripeness , but a lasting too . So the bright Sun ascending to his Noon , Moves not too slowly , nor is there too soon . But tho' Achates was unkindly driv'n From his own Land , he's banish'd into Heaven ; For sure the Raptures of Cosmelia's Love Are next , if only next , to those above : Thus Pow'r Divine does with his Foes engage , Rewards his Vertues , and defeats their Rage ; For first it did to fair Cosmelia give All that a Human Creature could receive : Whate'er can raise our Wonder or Delight , Transport the Soul , or gratify the Sight , Then in the full Perfection of her Charms , Lodg'd the bright Virgin in Achates' Arms . What Angels are , is in Cosmelia seen , Their Awful Glories , and their God-like Mien ; For in her Aspect all the Graces meet , All that is Noble , Beautiful , or Sweet ; There ev'ry Charm in lofty Triumph sits , Scorns poor Defect , and to no Fault submits ; There Symmetry , Complexion , Air , unite , Sublimely Noble , and Amazing Bright . So , newly finish'd by the Hand Divine Before her Fall , did the first Woman shine : But Eve in one great Point she does excel ; Cosmelia never err'd at all , She fell . From her , Temptation in Despair withdrew , Nor more assaults , whom it could ne'er subdue . Virtue confirm'd , and regularly brought To full Maturity by serious Thought , Her Actions with a watchful Eye surveys , Each Passion guides , and ev'ry Motion sways : Not the least Failure in her Conduct lies , So gaily modest , and so freely wise . Her Judgment sure , impartial , and refin'd , With Wit that's clear , and penetrating join'd , O'er all the Efforts of her Mind presides , And to the noblest End her Labours guides : She knows the best , and does the best pursue , And treads the Maze of Life without a Clew ; That the weak only and the wav'ring lack , When they're mistaken , to conduct 'em back : She does amidst ten Thousand Ways prefer The right , as if not capable to err . Her Fancy strong , vivacious , and sublime , Seldom betrays her Converse to a Crime ; And tho' it moves with a luxuriant Heat , 'Tis ne'er precipitous , but always great : For each Expression , ev'ry teeming Thought , Is to the scanning of her Judgment brought ; Which wisely separates the finest Gold , And casts the Image in a beauteous Mold . No trifling Words debase her Eloquence , But all's Pathetick , all is Sterling Sense , Refin'd from drossy Chat , and idle Noise , With which the Female Conversation cloys ; So well she knows what's understood by few , To time her Thoughts , and to express 'em too ; That what she speaks does to the Soul transmit The fair Ideas of delightful Wit . Illustrious Born , and as Illustrious Bred , By great Example to wise Actions led ; Much to the Fame her Lineal Heroes bore She owes , but to her own high Genius more ; And , by a noble Emulation mov'd , Excell'd their Vertues , and her own Improv'd , Till they arriv'd to that Celestial Height , Scarce Angels Greater be , or Saints so bright . But if Cosmelia could yet Lovelier be , Of Nobler Birth , or more a Deity , Achates merits Her , tho' none but He , Whose Gen'rous Soul abhors a base Disguise , Resolv'd in Action , and in Council Wise Too well confirm'd and fortified within , For Threats to force , or Flattery to win . Unmov'd , amidst the Hurricane he stood , He dare be Guiltless , and he will be Good . Since the first Pair in Paradise were join'd , Two Hearts were ne'er so Happily combin'd . Achates , Life to fair Cosmelia gives , In fair Cosmelia , Great Achates lives : Each , is to other , the Divinest Bliss ; He , is her Heaven , and She , is more than His , Oh , may the kindest Influence Above Protect their Persons , and Indulge their Love .