To his Valentine Hemiera, Madam A. R

WEll—Fortune! prostrate at thy feet
I'll do my Penance in a Sheet;
For want of sight I call'd thee blind,
All thy Revenge was to be kind.
Amongst the Lots upon thy Throne,
Thou Omnipresent sat'st alone.
I laid my trembling hand on all,
And as I took them, let them fall.
But confident in thee my Guide,
That which did shrinking from me slide,
I gently prest, and it comply'd.
With this encouragement I draw,
But when the happy Name I saw,
Ye Gods! with what amazement struck!
I kiss'd my Valentine and blest my Luck?
A. first was offer'd to my sight,
With a sweet relish to invite
My over-eager Appetite.
My Soul resolv'd on life or death,
Of an auspicious ALPHA full, took breath.
Then to suck Honey out of Love,
To the ripe Rose did next remove.
Her she rob'd of all her Red,
And on her fragrant sweetness fed.
My ravisht Soul her station took
Here, and durst no further look.
R was the Centre of my Heart:
R my only vital part:
R pleas'd and satisfy'd my tast:
As Roses beautiful, as Lillies chast.
Pythagoras may his y admire,
'Tis R that sets my Heart on fire:
R never yet came out of time;
R is my Reason and my Rhime.
R so sweetly runs along,
R the burden of my Song.
But since R at a distance only darts a Smile,
Which at a distance must recoil;
My Vow I first will send, before I bring
In person a Religious Offering.
Here this I absent lay before her Shrine,
Kisses by proxy to communicate my design,
Remember Easter, and Good Morrow, Valentine.