To the noble Palaemon, on his incomparable Discourse of Friendship.

WE had been still undone, wrapt in disguise,
Secure, not happy; cunning, and not wise;
War had been our design, Interest our trade;
We had not dwelt in safety, but in shade,
Hadst thou not hung out Light more welcome far
Then wand'ring Sea-men think the Northern-star;
To shew, lest we our happiness should miss,
'Tis plac'd in Friendship, Mens and Angels bliss.
Friendship, which had a scorn or mark been made,
And still had been derided or betray'd,
At which the great Physician still had laugh'd,
The Souldier stormed, and the Gallant scoff'd;
Or worn not as a Passion, but a Plot,
At first pretended, or at least forgot;
Hadst thou not been our great Deliverer,
At first discover'd, and then rescu'd her,
And raising what rude Malice had flung down,
Unveil'd her Face, and then restor'd her Crown:
By such august an action to convince,
'Tis greater to support then be a Prince.
Oh for a Voice which big as Thunder were,
That all Mankind thy conq'ring truths might hear!
Sure the Litigious as amaz'd would stand,
As Fairy Knights touch'd with Cabina's Wand,
Drawn by thy fofter, and yet stronger Charms,
* * * * * * * * * *
And what more honour can on thee be hurl'd,
Then to protect a Vertue, save a World?
But while great Friendship thou hast copied out,
Thou'st drawn thy self so well, that we may doubt
Which most appears, thy Candour or thy Art,
Or we owe more unto thy Brain or Heart.
But this we know without thine own consent,
Thou 'st rais'd thy self a glorious Monument;
And that so lasting that all Fate forbids,
And will out-live Egyptian Pyramids.
Temples and Statues Time will eat away,
And Tombs (like their Inhabitants) decay;
But there Palaemon lives, and so he must
When Marbles crumble to forgotten dust.