Love, Death, and Reputation

Reputation, Love, and Death, (The Last all Bones, the First all Breath, The Midd'st compos'd of Restless Fire) From each other wou'd Retire; Thro' the World resolv'd to stray; Every One a several Way; Exercising, as they went, Each such Power, as Fate had lent; Which, if it united were, Wretched Mortals cou'd not bear: But as parting Friends do show, To what Place they mean to go, Correspondence to engage, Nominate their utmost Stage; Death declar'd he wou'd be found Near the fatal Trumpet's sound; Or where Pestilences reign, And Quacks the greater Plagues maintain; Shaking still his sandy Glass, And mowing Human Flesh, like Grass. Love, as next his Leave he took, Cast on both so sweet a Look, As their Tempers near disarm'd, One relax'd, and t'other warm'd; Shades for his Retreat he chose, Rural Plains, and soft Repose; Where no Dowry e'er was paid, Where no Jointure e'er was made; No Ill Tongue the Nymph perplex'd, Where no Forms the Shepherd vex'd; Where Himself shou'd be the Care, Of the Fond and of the Fair: Where that was, they soon should know, Au Revoir! then turn'd to Go. Reputation made a Pause, Suiting her severer Laws; Second Thoughts, and Third she us'd, Weighing Consequences mus'd; When, at length to both she cry'd: You Two safely may Divide, To th' Antipodes may fall, And re-ascend th' encompast Ball; Certain still to meet agen In the Breasts of tortur'd Men; Who by One (too far) betray'd, Call in t'other to their Aid: Whilst I Tender, Coy, and Nice, Rais'd and ruin'd in a Trice, Either fix with those I grace, Or abandoning the Place, No Return my Nature bears, From green Youth, or hoary Hairs; If thro' Guilt, or Chance, I sever, I once Parting, Part for ever.