The World

by Henry Vaughn (1621-1695)

1

I saw Eternity the other night
Like a great Ring of pure and endless light,
      All calm, as it was bright,
And round beneath it, Time is hours, days, years
      Driven by the spheres
Like a vast shadow mov'd, in which the world
      And all her train were hurl'd;
The doting lover in his quaintest strain
      Did there complain,
Near him, his lute, his fancy, and his flights,
      Wit's sour delights,
With gloves, and knots the silly snares of pleasure
      Yet his dear treasure
All scatter'd lay, while he his eyes did pour
      Upon a flower.

>2

The darksome statesman hung with weights and woe
Like a thick midnight fog mov'd there so slow
He did nor stay, nor go;
Condemning thoughts (like sad eclipses) scowl
      Upon his soul,
And clouds of crying witnesses without
Pursued him with one shout.
Yet digg'd the mole, and lest his ways be found
      Work'd under ground,
Where he did clutch his prey, but one did see
      That policy,
Churches and altars fed him, perjuries
      Were gnats and flies,
It rain'd about him blood and tears, but he
      Drank them as free.

3

The fearful miser on a heap of rust
Sat pining all his life there, did scarce trust
His own hands with the dust,
But would not place one piece above, but lives
      In fear of thieves.
Thousands there were as frantic as himself
And hugg'd each one his pelf,
The downright epicure plac'd heav'n in sense
      And scorn'd pretnece
While others slipt into a wide excess
      Said little less;
The weaker sort slight, trivial wares enslave
      Who think them brave,
And poor, despised Truth sat counting by
      Their victory.

4

Yet some, who all this while did weep and sing,
And sing, and weep, soar'd up into the Ring,
But most would use no wing.
O fools (said I,) thus to prefer dark night
      Before true light,
To live in grots, and caves, and hate the day
Because it shows the way,
The way which from the dead and dark abode
      Leads up to God,
A way where you might tread the Sun, and be
      More bright than he.
But as I did their madness so discuss
      One whisper'd thus,
"This Ring the Bridegroom did for none provide
      But for his bride."