No More Learning

There, as in the calm horror all alone,
He wakes and muses of the uneasy throne,
Raise up a sudden shape with virgin's face,
Though ill agree her posture, hour or place ;.
Naked as born, and her round arms behind.
With her own tresses interwove and twined :
Her mouth locked up, a blind before her eyes,.
Yet from beneath her veil her blushes rise,
And silent tears her secret anguish speak.
Her heart throbs, and with very shame would

break.
The object strange in him no terror moved.
He wondered first, then pitied, then he loved :
And with kind hand does the coy vision press.
Whose beauty greater seemed by her distress i.
16



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:242 THE POEMS

Bat soon shrunk back, chilled with a touch so

cold,
And the airj picture vanished from his hold.
In his deep thoughts the wonder did increase.
And he divined 'twas England, or the peace.
Express him startling next, with listening ear,
As one that some unusual noise doth hear ;
With cannons, trumpets, drums, his door sur-
round.
But let some other Painter draw the sound.
Thrice he did rise, thrice the vain tumult fled,
But again thunders when he lies in bed.
Hid mind secure does the vain stroke repeat,
And finds the drums Lewis's march did beat
Shake then the room, and all his curtains tear,
And with blue streaks infect the taper clear.
While the pale ghost his eyes doth fixed admire
Of grandsire Harry, and of Charles his sire.
Hariy sits down, and in his open side
The grisly wound reveals of which he died ;
And ghostly Charles, turning his collar low,
The purple thread about his neck doth show ;
Then whispering to his son in words unheard,
Through the locked door both of them disappeared.
The wondrous night the pensive King revolves.
And rising straight, on Hyde^s disgrace resolves.
At his first step he Castiemain does find,
Bennet and Coventry as 'twas designed ;
And they not knowing, the same thing propose
Wliich his hid mind did in its depths inclose.



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OF MARVELL. 243

Through their feigned speech their secret hearts

he knew,
To her own husband Castlemain untrue ;
False to his master Bristol, Arlington ;
And Coventry falser than any one,
Who to his brother, brother would betray ;
Nor therefore trusts himself to such as they.
His father's ghost too whispered him one note.
That who does cut his purse will cut his throat ;
But he in wise anger does their crimes forbear,
As thieves reprieved from executioner,
While Hyde, provoked> his foaming tusk does

whet,
To prove them traitors, and himself the Pett.

Painter adjourn. How well our arts agree !
Poetic picture, painted poetry !
But this great work is for our monarch fit.
And henceforth Charles only to Charles shall sit ;
His master-hand the ancients shall outdo.
Himself the Painter, and the Poet too.



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244 THB P0KM8



TO THE KING.