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 shou'd 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 six 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.