Virgin celestial! to the Poet's Vows
Thine Ear incline, consenting ---

Health! Good Supreme! Offspring of Heaven! divine,
Inestimable Prize! whose Loss, nor Power,
Distinguisht Rank, nor Riches, can supply:
Thee vainly wishing for, on downy Couch,
(Now Couch of Thorns) in agonizing Pain,
The tortur'd Great Man lies: -- one Smile from Thee,
Not Mines of Gold, not India's Wealth can buy.

But, kindly humble! to the lab'ring Hind
(Whose daily Task perform'd, on some clean Straw,
Rushes, or Flocks, in balmy Slumbers lyes)
Thou givest all thy Blessings: Him, secure
From Pains and Aches, guardest: When the Morn
With rosy Blushes calls him, fresh and strong
He hastens to the Field, Thou to the Field
Attend'st Him through the Labours of the Day.

Thou, not in Palaces, where dainty Cates
Are variously compounded, to stir up
Cloy'd Appetite; not where the jovial Bowl
Moves briskly round, in smiling Circles round
Swift Time unheeded moves; where am'rous Play,
And wanton Dalliance fill the lustful Hours;
But, Thou residest in some lowly Cot,
Where humble Food, the Rasher from the Coals,
Sav'ry Repast! on homely Lunchion cut,
Affords delicious Banquet; not Ragoût,
Or Fricassy, or Second--Course to cloy
The Stomach fill'd before; but from the Churn,
Butter, or Cheese, compleats the wholsom Meal.
Salubrious Draughts from the chrystaline Spring
Are quaff'd delightsome: or when some great Day,
High Festival! uncommon Mirth demands,
Champaign, nor Burgundy, but much more worth
Than Burgund or Champaign, nectareous Juice!
Cyder yclep'd, sung by celestial Bard
In Lines immortal. -- O celestial Bard!
Might but these Lines immortal be like Thine!

Lovely Hygeia! on whose ruddy Cheek
A Bloom eternal glows, surpassing That
With which Aurora paints the Crimson Morn:
Vouchsafe thy Presence! nor yet leave behind
Thy fair Companions, sprightly Exercise,
Smiling Good--Nature, hearty Chearfulness,
Chast Temperance, and ever blest Content.

Disease (thine Opposite) her sable Wings
Expands, wide over--shadowing; all beneath,
Distressful Sorrow, Heart--tormenting Care,
Horror, and Pain, shrill Shrieks, and moanful Groans,
Blend dreadfully promiscuous: a dire Train
Attends her Steps, unwearied. -- Monster huge!

Whole Nations over--striding, stalks along
Contagion, first: her baleful Eyes around
Rolling tremendous, wheresoe'er she comes
Sad Desolation reigns, her every Breath
Lays Regions waste, ten thousand dying Groans
From her each Step resound: grim Death and She
March Hand in Hand, with Slaughter unsuffic'd.

Next, in the Train, swift Febris urges on,
Impetuous; her Eye--balls glowing red.
As from some Furnace, her scorcht Throat emits
Unsufferable Heat, along her Veins
The hissing Torrent boils: Not Oceans drunk
Her Thirst can slake, or qnench her inward Fire.

Close by her Side, stalks on in sullen State,
Her Face with Scars unseemly furrow'd o'er,
Bright Beauty's Foe, malignant: wildly deaf
To Lover's Sighs, and blooming Virgins Tears.

Stretcht far behind, innumerable Bands
Dreadful move on, sworn Foes to Human Race,
Marshal'd by Chiefs of terrible Renown.

Hydrops unweildy, dragging on with Toil
A Bulk enormous: Jaundice yellow--ey'd
Slothful, reluctant moving: racking Stone,
With Pain excessive, unsupportable,
Loud shrieking: solemn, with a lordly Port,
Gout pitiless Tormenter of the Great:
And Rheumatism full of aking Woe.

Unbrac'd her Nerves, or to support or guide
Her shaking Limbs unable, totters on
Palsy half--dead. -- Dissolving all away,
Moist Diabetes, each an Urinal
Incessant using leads her dripping Train.

Lepra obscene, o'erspread with running Sores,
Emitting baleful Stench: nor less obscene,
That Monster horrible, begot long since
By Lust on wanton Dalliance, shameful Birth!

Ten thousand Forms assuming, Proteus Spleen
Her motly Troop conducts, with hideous Yell
Their Shape each Moment changing, Monsters dire!
Centaurs, Chimeras, Gorgons, Fairies, Sprights,
Inflicting curst Variety of Woe.

Close at her Heels comes raving Lunacy,
Foaming at Mouth; her Eye--balls wildly stare.
Her Teeth she grinds, and stamping shakes the Ground;
Her Arms around she flings, and to the Skies
Bellows loud Threats and Execrations dire.

Consumption, last, a meager Skeleton,
Tall, haggard, pale; deep in their Sockets sunk
Her Eye--balls dimly roll, extinct their Fire.
Slowly she moves her feeble Coarse along,
Whilst ratling Coughs eternal heave her Breast,
Her Entrails piece--meal rending: moanful Sighs
Fly round her numberless, her Arms she folds
Inly complaining, melancholy Grief,
Afflicting Anguish, Hell--begot Despair,
Brood in her Heart, and grind her very Soul.

These, and ten thousand more, Mankind's curst Foes!
Hourly intent their vital Thread to cut
By Guile, or open Violence, circle round
Unthinking Mortals; watch their every Step,
Insidious, and rush upon the Prey.

But, Thou! O Health divine! whose sacred Look
Makes Death reluctant fly, before whose Face
Her grim Attendants recreant scud away!
Be Thou the Poet's Guard! Fortune adverse
Hath prov'd unkind, but be Thou not unkind,
Nor adverse prove! conduct Him through Life's Course
With thy safe--guiding Arm! grant Him serene
And quiet Days, no Sickness discompose
His thoughtful Soul; nor fancied Ills nor real
Suspend his humble Strains, design'd to chace
Heart--gnawing Care, and lighten human Woe!