Against Fruition.

STay here fond youth and ask no more, be wise,
Knowing too much long since lost Paradise;
The vertuous joyes thou hast, thou would'st should still
Last in their pride; and would'st not take it ill
If rudely from sweet dreams (and for a toy)
Tho'wert wak't? he wakes himself that does enjoy.

Fruition adds no new wealth, but destroyes,
And while it pleaseth much the palate, cloyes;
Who thinks he shall be happyer for that,
As reasonably might hope he might grow fat
By eating to a Surfet, this once past,
What relishes? even kisses loose their tast.

Urge not 'tis necessary, alas! we know
The homeliest thing which mankind does is so;
The World is of a vast extent we see,
And must be peopled; Children there must be;
So must bread too; but since there are enough
Born to the drudgery, what need we plough?

Women enjoy'd (what e're before t'have been)
Are like Romances read, or sights once seen:
Fruition's dull, and spoils the Play much more
Than if one read or knew the plot before;
'Tis expectation makes a blessing dear,
Heaven were not heaven, if we knew what it were.

And as in Prospects we are there pleas'd most
Where somthing keeps the eye from being lost,
And leaves us room to guesse, so here restraint
Holds up delight, that with excesse would faint.
They who know all the wealth they have, are poor,
Hee's onely rich that cannot tell his store.