| HOPE, whose weak Being ruin'd is, | |
| Alike if it succeed, and if it miss; | |
| Whom Good or Ill does equally confound, | |
| And both the Horns of Fates Dilemma wound. | |
| Vain shadow! which dost vanish quite, | 5 |
| Both at full Noon, and perfect Night! | |
| The Stars have not a possibility | |
| Of blessing Thee; | |
| If things then from their End we happy call, | |
| 'Tis Hope is the most Hopeless thing of all. | 10 |
| |
| Hope, thou bold Taster of Delight, | |
| Who whilst thou shouldst but tast, devour'st it quite! | |
| Thou bringst us an Estate, yet leav'st us Poor, | |
| By clogging it with Legacies before! | |
| The Joys which we entire should wed, | 15 |
| Come deflowr'd Virgins to our bed; | |
| Good fortunes without gain imported be, | |
| Such mighty Custom's paid to Thee. | |
| For Joy, like Wine, kept close does better tast; | |
| If it take air before, its spirits wast. | 20 |
| |
| Hope, Fortunes cheating Lottery! | |
| Where for one prize an hundred blanks there be; | |
| Fond Archer, Hope, who tak'st thy aim so far, | |
| That still or short, or wide thine arrows are! | |
| Thin, empty Cloud, which th'eye deceives | 25 |
| With shapes that our own Fancy gives! | |
| A Cloud, which gilt and painted now appears, | |
| But must drop presently in tears! | |
| When thy false beams o're Reasons light prevail, | |
| By Ignes fatui for North-Stars we sail. | 30 |
| |
| Brother of Fear, more gaily clad! | |
| The merr'ier Fool o'th' two, yet quite as Mad: | |
| Sire of Repentance, Child of fond Desire! | |
| That blow'st the Chymicks, and the Lovers fire! | |
| Leading them still insensibly'on | 35 |
| By the strange witchcraft of Anon! | |
| By Thee the one does changing Nature through | |
| Her endless Labyrinths pursue, | |
| And th' other chases Woman, whilst She goes | |
| More ways and turns than hunted Nature knows. | 40 |
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