The Works of Abraham Cowley/Volume 2/The Passions
THE PASSIONS.
From Hate, Fear, Hope, Anger, and Envy, free,And all the passions else that be,In vain I boast of liberty, In vain this state a freedom call;Since I have Love, and Love is all:Sot that I am, who think it fit to bragThat I have no disease besides the plague!
So in a zeal the sons of IsraelSometimes upon their idols fell,And they depos'd the powers of hell;Baal and Astarte down they threw,And Acharon and Moloch too:All this imperfect piety did no good,Whilst yet, alas! the calf of Bethel stood.
Fondly I boast, that I have drest my vineWith painful art, and that the wineIs of a taste rich and divine ;Since Love, by mixing poison there,Has made it worse than vinegar.Love ev'n the taste of nectar changes so,That Gods choose rather water here below.
Fear, Anger, Hope, all passions else that be,Drive this one tyrant out of me,And practise all your tyranny!The change of ills some good will do:Th' oppressed wretched Indians so,Being slaves by the great Spanish monarch made,Call in the States of Holland to their aid.