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I.
Forbear
this liquid fire, Fly,
It is more fatal then the dry,
That singly, but embracing, wounds;
And this at once
both burns and drowns.
II.
The salamander,
that in heat
And flames doth cool his monstrous
sweat,
Whose fan a glowing cake is said,
Of this
red furnace is afraid.
III.
Viewing the ruby-christal
shine,
Thou tak'st it for heaven-christalline;
Anon thou wilt be taught to groan:
'Tis an ascended
Acheron.
IV.
A snow-ball heart in it let fall,
And take it out a fire-ball;
Ali icy breast in it
betray'd
Breaks a destructive wild granade.
V.
'Tis this makes Venus altars shine,
This kindles
frosty Hymen's pine;
When the boy grows old in his
desires,
This flambeau doth new light his fires.
VI.
Though the cold hermit over wail,
Whose
sighs do freeze, and tears drop hail,
Once having
pass'd this, will ne'r
Another flaming purging fear.
VII.
The vestal drinking this doth burn
Now
more than in her fun'ral urn;
Her fires, that with
the sun kept race,
Are now extinguish'd by her face.
VIII.
The chymist, that himself doth still,
Let him but tast this limbecks bill,
And prove this
sublimated bowl,
He'll swear it will calcine a soul.
IX.
Noble, and brave! now thou dost know
The
false prepared decks below,
Dost thou the fatal
liquor sup,
One drop, alas! thy barque blowes up.
X.
What airy country hast to save,
Whose
plagues thou'lt bury in thy grave?
For even now thou
seem'st to us
On this gulphs brink a Curtius.
XI.
And now th' art faln (magnanimous Fly)
In,
where thine Ocean doth fry,
Like the Sun's son, who
blush'd the flood
To a complexion of blood.
XII.
Yet, see! my glad auricular
Redeems thee
(though dissolv'd) a star,
Flaggy thy wings, and
scorch'd thy thighs,
Thou ly'st a double sacrifice.
XIII.
And now my warming, cooling breath
Shall
a new life afford in death;
See! in the hospital of
my hand
Already cur'd, thou fierce do'st stand.
XIV.
Burnt insect! dost thou reaspire
The
moist-hot-glasse and liquid fire?
I see 'tis such a
pleasing pain,
Thou would'st be scorch'd and drown'd
again.
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