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Anne Kingsmill Finch - Love, Death, And Reputation
Work rating: Low

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.
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