The Works of Abraham Cowley/Volume 2/Destiny
For other versions of this work, see Destiny.
DESTINY.
"Hoc quoque Fatale est sic ipsum expendere Fatum."
Manil.
Manil.
Strange and unnatural! let's stay and see
This pageant of a prodigy.
Lo, of themselves th' enliven'd Chess-men move!
Lo, the unbred, ill-organ'd pieces prove
As full of art and industry,
Of courage and of policy,
As we ourselves, who think there's nothing wise but we!
Here a proud Pawn I admire,
That, still advancing higher,
At top of all became
Another thing and name;
Here I'm amaz'd at th' actions of a Knight,
That does bold wonders in the fight;
Here I the losing party blame,
For those false Moves that break the Game,
That to their Grave, the Bag, the conquer'd Pieces bring,
And, above all, th' ill-conduct of the Mated King.
This pageant of a prodigy.
Lo, of themselves th' enliven'd Chess-men move!
Lo, the unbred, ill-organ'd pieces prove
As full of art and industry,
Of courage and of policy,
As we ourselves, who think there's nothing wise but we!
Here a proud Pawn I admire,
That, still advancing higher,
At top of all became
Another thing and name;
Here I'm amaz'd at th' actions of a Knight,
That does bold wonders in the fight;
Here I the losing party blame,
For those false Moves that break the Game,
That to their Grave, the Bag, the conquer'd Pieces bring,
And, above all, th' ill-conduct of the Mated King.
"Whate'er these seem, whate'er philosophy
"And sense or reason tell," said I,
"These things have life, election, liberty;
"’Tis their own wisdom moulds their state,
"Their faults and virtues make their fate.
"They do, they do," said I; but straight
Lo! from my enlighten'd eyes the mists and shadows fell,
That hinder spirits from being visible;
And lo! I saw two angels play'd the Mate.
With man, alas! no otherwise it proves;
An unseen hand makes all their Moves;
And some are great, and some are small,
Some climb to good, some from good-fortune fall;
Some wise-men, and some fools, we call;
Figures, alas! of speech, for Destiny plays us all.
Me from the womb the midwife Muse did take:
She cut my navel, wash'd me, and mine head
With her own hands she fashioned;
She did a covenant with me make,
And circumcis'd my tender soul, and thus she spake:
"Thou of my church shalt be;
"Hate and renounce," said she,
"Wealth, honour, pleasures, all the world, for me.
"Thou neither great at court, nor in the war,
"Nor at th' exchange, shalt be, nor at the wrangling bar:
"Content thyself with the small barren praise,
"That neglected verse docs raise."
She spake, and all my years to come
Took their unlucky doom.
Their several ways of life let others choose,
Their several pleasures let them use,
But I was born for Love, and for a Muse.
"And sense or reason tell," said I,
"These things have life, election, liberty;
"’Tis their own wisdom moulds their state,
"Their faults and virtues make their fate.
"They do, they do," said I; but straight
Lo! from my enlighten'd eyes the mists and shadows fell,
That hinder spirits from being visible;
And lo! I saw two angels play'd the Mate.
With man, alas! no otherwise it proves;
An unseen hand makes all their Moves;
And some are great, and some are small,
Some climb to good, some from good-fortune fall;
Some wise-men, and some fools, we call;
Figures, alas! of speech, for Destiny plays us all.
Me from the womb the midwife Muse did take:
She cut my navel, wash'd me, and mine head
With her own hands she fashioned;
She did a covenant with me make,
And circumcis'd my tender soul, and thus she spake:
"Thou of my church shalt be;
"Hate and renounce," said she,
"Wealth, honour, pleasures, all the world, for me.
"Thou neither great at court, nor in the war,
"Nor at th' exchange, shalt be, nor at the wrangling bar:
"Content thyself with the small barren praise,
"That neglected verse docs raise."
She spake, and all my years to come
Took their unlucky doom.
Their several ways of life let others choose,
Their several pleasures let them use,
But I was born for Love, and for a Muse.
With Fate what boots it to contend?
Such I began, such am, and so must end.
The star that did my being frame
Was but a lambent flame,
And some small light it did dispense,
But neither heat nor influence.
No matter, Cowley! let proud Fortune see,
That thou canst her despise no less than she does thee.
Let all her gifts the portion be
Of Folly, Lust, and Flattery,
Fraud, Extortion, Calumny,
Murder, Infidelity,
Rebellion and Hypocrisy;
Do thou not grieve, nor blush to be,
As all th' inspired tuneful men,
And all thy great forefathers, were, from Homer down to Ben.
Such I began, such am, and so must end.
The star that did my being frame
Was but a lambent flame,
And some small light it did dispense,
But neither heat nor influence.
No matter, Cowley! let proud Fortune see,
That thou canst her despise no less than she does thee.
Let all her gifts the portion be
Of Folly, Lust, and Flattery,
Fraud, Extortion, Calumny,
Murder, Infidelity,
Rebellion and Hypocrisy;
Do thou not grieve, nor blush to be,
As all th' inspired tuneful men,
And all thy great forefathers, were, from Homer down to Ben.