An Invective Against Gold by Anne Killigrew

An Invective Against Gold, Anne Killigrew was a 17th-century English poet who lived a tragically short life, cut short by smallpox. Her poetry was much admired by contemporaries such as John Dryden although none were published until a year after her death in 1685. Dryden compared her work to that of the ancient Greek poet Sappho. He obviously thought a great deal about her, composing a moving elegy in 1686 which he titled To The Pious Memory of the Accomplish’d Young Lady Mrs. Anne Killigrew.

An Invective Against Gold by Anne Killigrew

An Invective Against Gold

OF all the Poisons that the fruitful Earth
E’er yet brought forth, or Monsters she gave Birth,
Nought to Mankind has e’er so fatal been,
As thou, accursed Gold, their Care and Sin.Methinks I the Advent’rous Merchant see,
Ploughing the faithless Seas, in search of thee,
His dearest Wife and Children left behind,
(His real Wealth) while he, a Slave to th’ Wind,
Sometimes becalm’d, the Shore with longing Eyes

Wishes to see, and what he wishes, Spies:
For a rude Tempest wakes him from his Dream,
And Strands his Bark by a more sad Extream.
Thus, hopless Wretch, is his whole Life-time spent,
And though thrice Wreck’t, ‘s no Wiser than he went.Again, I see, the Heavenly Fair despis’d,
A Hagg like Hell, with Gold, more highly priz’d;

Mens Faith betray’d, their Prince and Country Sold,
Their God deny’d, all for the Idol Gold.Unhappy Wretch, who first found out the Oar,
What kind of Vengeance rests for thee in store?
If Nebats Son, that Israel led astray,
Meet a severe Reward at the last Day?
Some strange unheard-of Judgement thou wilt find,
Who thus hast caus’d to Sin all Humane Kind.