As when in Summer welcome Winds arife,
The watchful Shepherd to the Foreft Aies,
And fires the midmoft Plants: Contagion fpreads,
And catching Flames infeft the neighb'ring Heads.
Around the Foreft flies the furious Blaft,

And all the leafy Nation finks at laft,

And Vulcan rides in Triumph o'er the Wafte;
The Paftor pleas'd with his dire Victory,

}

Beholds the fatiate Flames in Sheets afcend the Sky.
For first the fmould'ring Flame the Trunk receives;
Afcending thence it crackles in the Leaves :
At length victorious to the Top afpires,
Involving all the Wood in fmoky Fires

But moft, when driv'n by Winds the flaming Storm,
Of the long Files deftroys the beauteous Form.
The Flame, unftop'd at firft, more Fury gains,
And Vuican rides at large with loofen'd Reins;
Triumphant to the painted Sterns he foars,
And feizes in his way the Banks and crackling Oars.
A Storm of Sparkles and of Flames arife.
Nor will the raging Fires their Fury cease,
But lurking in the Seams with feeming Peace
Work on their Way amid the fmould'ring Tow,
Sure in Destruction, but in Motion flow.
The filent Plague thro' the green Timber eats,
And vomits out a tardy Flame by Fits.
Down to the Keels, and upward to the Sails,
The Fire defcends, or mounts; but ftill prevails;
Not Buckets pour'd, nor Strength of human Hand
Can the victorious Element withstand,

Or ftop the fiery Pest.

FIRST AGE.

(Dryd. Virg.

The antique world, in his firft flowing youth, Found no defect in his Creator's grace;

But with glad thanks, and unreproved truth, The giftes of foveraigne Bounty did embrace : Like Angels life was then Man's happy case;

But

But later ages pride (like corne-fed Steed) Abus'd her plenty, and fat fwoln encrease, To all licentious luft, and gan exceed

The ineasure of her meane, and natural first need.

Then gan a curfed hand the quiet Wombe Of his great Grandmother with Steele to wound, And the hid treasures in her facred tombe With facriledge to dig. Therein he found Fountaines of Gold and Silver to abound, Of which the Matter of his huge defire And pompous pride eftfoones he did compound; Then Avarice gan through his veines to infpire His greedy flames, and kendle life-devouring fire. (Spen

FIRST STATE.

He milk'd the lowing Herd, he prefs'd the Cheefe,. Folded the Flock, and fpun the woolly Fleece. In Urns the Bees delicious Dews he lay'd, Whofe kindling Wax invented Day difplay'd; Wrefted their Iron Entrails from the Hills, Then with the Spoils his glowing Forges fills; And fhap'd with vig'rous Strokes the ruddy Bar, To rural Arms, unconfcious yet of War. He made the Plough-fhare in the Furrow shine, And learn'd to fow his Bread, and plant his Vine. Now verdant Food adorn'd the Garden Beds,

And fruitful Trees fhot up their branching Heads ; Rich Balm from Groves, and Herbs from graffy Plains. His Feaver footh'd, or heal'd his wounded Veins.

FISH.

The briny Fishes laft compleat the Round, Thin Humours there, and watry Parts abound Small Heads and puny Arms on them depend, And Shapes which in diftorted Postures bend;. Their Size to dwarfith Littleness confin'd, Seems an imperfect Model of Mankind.

FLAT

FLATTERY.

Tropart, fit Man for Braggadochio,

To ferve at Court to view of vaunting eye;
Vaine glorious man, when fluttering wind does blow,
In his light wings, is lifted up to Sky:

The Scorne of Knight-hood and true Chivalrie,

To think withour desert of gentle deed,

And noble worth, to be advanced hie;

Such Praife is fhame; but Honour, Vertues meed, Doth bear the faireft Flower in honourable Seed. (Spen. No Flattery, Boy! an honeft Man can't live by't. It is a little freaking Art, which Knaves Ufe to cajole, and foften Fools withall :

If thou haft Flattery in thy Nature, out with it; Or fend it to a Court, for there 'twill thrive. Otw. Orph. 'Tis next to Money currant there ;

To be feen daily in as many Forms

As there are forts of Vanities and Men.
The fuperftitious Statesman has his Sneer,

To fmooth a poor Man off, who cannot bribe him:
The grave dull Fellow of fmall Bus'nefs fooths
The Humourift, and will needs admire his Wit.
Who without Spleen could fee a hot-brain'd Atheist
Thanking a furly Doctor for his Sermon ?

Or a grave Counsellor meet a fmooth young Lord, Squeeze him by the Hand, and praife his good Com-(plexion? Otw. Orph.

FLIES.

How many Flies in hotteft Somers day
Do feize upon fome Beaft, whoes flesh is bare,
That all the Place with Swarmes doe overlay,
And with their little Stings right felly fare.

FLOOD.

As he that ftrives to ftop a fudein flood, And in ftrong Bankes his violence enclofe,

Forceth his fwell above his wonted mood,

Spen

And

And largely overflowe the fruitful Plaine,
That all the Country seems to be a maine,

And the rich furrowes flote, all quite fordonne :
The woful Husbandman doth loud complaine,
To fee his whole Yeares labour loft so soon,
For which to God he made fo many an idle boon.

Thus Deluges, defcending on the Plains, Sweep o'er the yellow Year, destroy the Pains Of lab'ring Oxen, and the Peafant's Gains; Unroot the Foreft Oaks, and bear away

(Spen

Flocks, Folds, and Trees, an undiftinguish'd Prey. The Shepherd climbs the Cliff, and fees from far The waftful Ravage of the watry War.

Not with fo fierce a Rage the foaming Flood Roars when he finds his rapid Courfe withstood; Bears down the Dams with unrefifted sway,

And sweeps the Cattle and the Cors away. Dryd, Virg. The fruitful Nile

Flow'd e'er the wonted Seafon, with a Torrent

So unexpected, and fo wondrous fierce,

That the wild Deluge overtook the Hafte

Ev'n of the Hinds that watch'd it. Men and Beasts
Were borne upon the Tops of Trees, that grew

On th' utmost Margin of the Water-mark :

Then with fo fwift an Ebb the Flood drove backward,
It flipp'd from underneath the scaly Herd :
Here monftrous Phoca panted on the Shore,
Forfaken Dolphins there, with their broad Tails,
Lay lashing the departing Waves; hard by 'em
Sea-Horfes flound'ring in the flimy Mud,

Tofs'd up their Heads, and dash'd the Ooze about 'em.
(Dryd. All for Love.

FLOWERS.

Like as a Flower, whoes filken Leaves tho' fmall, Long fhut up in the Bud from Heavens view,

At length breakes forth,and brode difplaies his fmiling

(hue. Spen.

Within the Chambers of the Globe they fpy The Beds, where fleeping Vegetables lye: 'Till the glad Summons of a genial Ray Unbind the Glebe, and call them out to Day. Hence Pancies trick themfelves in various Hue,. And hence Jonquils derive their fragrant Dew: Hence the Carnation, and the bashful Rofe, Their Virgin-blushes to the Morn difclofe. Hence the chafte Lilly rifes to the Light, Unveils her fnowy Breaft, and charms the Sight. Hence Arbors are with twining Greens array'd, T'oblige complaining Lovers with their Shade. Gar.

FOGS.

So frequent Fogs the Face of Titan Biroud, Veil'd with thick Air, or mantled in a Cloud: 'Till breaking thro' the Vapours of the Night, He fhoots his Beams Abroad, a Flood of Light. To Heav'n and Earth he vindicates his Sway, And abfolute Prerogative of Day.

Thick Damps and lazy Fogs arife,
And with their fluggish Treasures clog the Skies:
Some from dark Caverns, far remote from Day,
From each embowel'd Mount, and hollow Vault,
Crude Exhalations, and raw Vapours brought.
Some from deep Quagmires, Ponds, and fedgy Moors,
Drive the dull Reeds, and fhove the haizy Stores.
To their appointed Station all repair,

And with their heavy Wings encumber all the Air:
The pond'rous Night's impenetrable Steams,
Exclude the Sun, and choke his brightest Beams.

FOND...

So the foft Mother, tho' the Babe be dead,
Will have the Darling on her Bosom laid;

Will talk, and rave; and with the Nurses ftrive,
Fondling it still, as if it were alive;

Blac

Knows