THE GARDEN cxiii 



And wealthy Hiram & Princely Dy : 

 Though Ophirs Starry Stones met every where her Eye; 

 Though she her self and her gay Host were drest 

 With all the shining Glories of the East ; 

 When lavish Art her costly work had done, 

 The honour and the Prize of Bravery 

 Was by the Garden from the Palace won ; 

 And every Rose and Lilly there did stand 



Better attir'd by Natures hand : 

 The case thus judg'd against the King we see, 

 By one that would not be so Rich, though Wiser far than he. 



8. 



Nor does this happy place only dispense 

 Such various Pleasures to the Sense, 



Here Health it self does live, 

 That Salt of Life which does to all a relish give, 



Its standing Pleasure, and intrinsick Wealth, 

 The Bodies Virtue, and the Souls good Fortune, Health. 

 The Tree of Life, when it in Eden stood, 

 Did its Immortal Head to Heaven rear ; 

 It lasted a tall Cedar till the Flood ; 

 Now a small thorny Shrub it does appear ; 



Nor will it thrive too every where : 



It always here is freshest seen ; 



'Tis only here an Ever-green. 



If through the strong and beauteous Fence 



Of Temperance and Innocence, 

 And wholesome Labours, and a quiet Mind, 



Diseases Passage find, 



They must not think here to assail 

 A Land unarmed, or without a Guard ; 

 They must fight for it, and dispute it hard, 



Before they can prevail : 



Scarce any Plant is growing here 

 Which against Death some Weapon does not bear. 



Let Cities boast, that they provide 



For Life the Ornaments of Pride ; 



15 



