Verses, written upon several occasions by Abraham Cowley.

ODE. Upon Dr. Harvey.

1

COy Nature, (which remain'd, though Aged grown, A Beauteous virgin still, injoyd by none, Nor seen unveil'd by any one) When Harveys violent passion she did see, Began to tremble, and to flee, Took Sanctuary like Daphne in a tree: There Daphnes lover stop't, and thought it much The very Leaves of her to touch, But Harvey our Apollo, stopt not so, Into the Bark, and root he after her did goe: No smallest Fibres of a Plant, For which the eiebeams Point doth sharpness want, His passage after her withstood. What should she do? through all the moving wood Of Lives indow'd with sense she tooke her flight, Harvey persues, and keeps her still in sight. But as the Deer long-hunted takes a flood, She leap't at last into the winding streams of blood; Of mans Meander all the Purple reaches made, Till at the heart she stayd, Where turning head, and at a Bay, Thus, by well-purged ears, was she o're-heard to say.

2.

Here sure shall I be safe (sayd shee) None will be able sure to see This my retreat, but only Hee Who made both it and mee. The heart of Man what Art can er'e reveal? A wall Impervious between Divides the very Parts within, And doth the Heart of man ev'n from its self conceal. She spoke, but e're she was aware, Harvey was with her there, And held this slippery Proteus in a chain, Till all her mighty Mysteries she descry'd, Which from his wit the attempt before to hide Was the first Thing that Nature did in vain.

3.

He the young Practise of New life did see, Whil'st to conceal its toylsome Poverty, It for a Living wrought, both hard, and privately. Before the Liver understood The noble Scarlet Dye of Blood, Before one drop was by it made, Or brought into it, to set up the Trade; Before the untaught Heart began to beat The tunefull March to vital Heat, From all the Souls that living Buildings rear, Whether implyd for earth, or sea, or air,

Whether it in the womb or egg be wrought, A strict account to him is hourly brought, How the Great Fabrick do's proceed, VVhat time and what materials it do's need, He so exactly do's the work survey, As if he hir'd the workers by the day.

4.

Thus Harvey sought for truth in truths own Book The creatures, which by God himself was writ; And wisely thought 'twas fit, Not to read Comments only upon it, But on th' original it self to look. Methinks in Arts great Circle others stand Lock't up together, Hand in Hand, Every one leads as he is led, The same bare path they tread, And Dance like Fairies a Fantastick round, But neither change their motion, nor their ground: Had Harvy to this Road confind his wit, His noble Circle of the Blood, had been untroden yet. Great Doctor! Th'art of Curing's cur'd by thee, VVe now thy Patient Physick see, From all inveterate diseases free, Purg'd of old errors by thy care, New dieted, put forth to clearer ayr, It now will strong, and healthfull prove, It self before Lethargick lay, and could not move.

5.

These Vsefull secrets to his Pen we owe, And thousands more 'twas ready to bestow; Of which a Barba'rous VVars unlearned Rage Has robb'd the Ruin'd Age; O cruell loss! as if the Golden Fleece, VVith so much cost, and labour bought, And from a farr by a Great Hero Brought, Had sunk eve'n in the Ports of Greece. O Cursed VVarre! who can forgive thee this? Houses and towns may rise again, And ten times easier it is To rebuild Pauls, than any work of his. That mighty task none but himself can doe, Nay scarse himself too now, For though his VVit the force of Age withstand, His Body alas! and Time it must command, And Nature now, so long by him surpass't, VVill sure have her revenge on him at last.