The works of Mr. John Cleveland containing his poems, orations, epistles, collected into one volume, with the life of the author.

On an Ugly Woman.

AS Scriveners sometimes take Delight to see Their basest Writing, Nature has in thee Essay'd how much she can transgress at once Appelles Draughts; Durers Proportions; And for to make a Jest, and try a Wit, Has not (a Woman) in thy Forehead writ; But scribl'd so, and gone so far about, Indagine would never smell thee out; But might exclaim, here only Riddles be, And Heteroclites in Physiognomy: But as the mystick Hebrew backward lies, And Algebra's, guest 'by Absurdities,

So must we spell thee; for who would suppose That globous piece of Wanescot were a Nose, That crookt et-caetera's were Wrinkles, and Five Napiers Bones glew'd to a Wrist, and Hand; Egyptian Antiquaries might survey Here Hieroglyphicks, time hath worn away: And wonder at an English Face, more odd And antick, than was e'er a Memphian God; Eras'd with more strange Letters than might scare A raw and unexperienc'd Conjurer. And tawny Africk Blush, to see her fry Of Monsters in one Skin so kennel'd lie. Thou mayst without a Guard her Deserts pass, When Savages but look upon thy Face: Were but some Pict now living, he would soon Deem thee a Fragment of his Nation; And wiser Ethiopians infer From thee, that Sable's not the only Fair; Thou Privative of Beauty, whose one Eye Doth question Metaphysicks Verity; Whose many cross Aspects may prove anon Foulness more than a meer Negation. Blast one Place still, and never dare t'escape Abroad out of thy Mother Darkness Lap, Left that thou make the World afraid, and be Even hated by thy Nurse Deformity.