Lord John Wilmot

Tunbridge Wells

At five this morn, when Phoebus raised his headFrom Thetis’ lap, I raised myself from bed,And mounting steed, I trotted to the watersThe rendesvous of fools, buffoons, and praters,Cuckolds, whores, citizens, their wives and daughters.My squeamish stomach I with wine had bribedTo undertake the dose that was prescribed;But turning head, a sudden curséd viewThat innocent…

To this moment a rebel I throw down my arms,

Make proud and secure by such forces as these,You may now play the tyrant as soon as you please.When Innocence, Beauty, and Wit do conspireTo betray, and engage, and inflame my Desire,Why should I decline what I cannot avoid?And let pleasing Hope by base Fear be destroyed?Her innocence cannot contrive to undo me,Her beauty’s inclined,…

Deare Friend.

With sawcy Censurers, that faults are found,With what of late wee (in Poetique Rage)Bestowing, threw away on the dull Age;But (howsoe’re Envy, their Spleen may raise,To Robb my Brow, of the deserved Bays)Their thanks at least I merit since through me,They are Partakers of your Poetry;And this is all, I’ll say in my defence,T’obtaine one…

Nothing, thou elder brother even to shade,

And (well fixed) art alone of ending not afraid.Ere time and place were, time and place were not,When primitive Nothing Something straight begot,Then all proceeded from the great united–What?Something, the general attribute of all,Severed from thee, its sole original,Into thy boundless self must undistinguished fall.Yet Something did thy mighty power command,And from thy fruitful emptiness’s…