I.
DEA
EAR Howard, from the soft assaults of love,
, ,
Poers and Painters never are secure;
Can I untouch'd the fair-one's passions move;
Or thau draw beauty, and not feel its power
II.
To great Apelles when young
Ammon brought
The darling idol of his captive heart;
And the pleas'd nymph with kind attention fat,
To have her charms recorded by his art :
III.
The amorous master own'd her potent cyes;
Sigh'd when he look’d, and trembled as he drew;
Each flowing line confirm d his first surprize,
And, as the piece advanc'd, the passion grew.
IV.
While Philip's son, while Venus' son, was near,
What different tortures does his bosom feel!
Great was the Rival, and the God severe :
Nor could he hide his ffame, nor durst reveal.
V.
The prince, renown'd in bounty as in arms,
With pity saw the ill.conceal'd distress ;
Quirted his title to Campafpe's charms,
And gave the fair-ope to the friend's embrace.
VI. Thus
VI.
Thus the more beauteous Cloe sat to thee,
Good Howard, emulous of the Grecian art :
But happy thou, from Cupid's arrow free,
And Aames that pierc'd thy predecessor's heart!
VII.
Had thy poor breast receiv'd an equal pain ;
Had I been vefted with the monarch's power;
Thou must have figh’d, unlucky youth, in vain;
Nor from my bounty hadít thou found a cure.
VIII.
Though, to convince thee that the friend did feel
A kind concern for thy ill-fated care,
I would have footh'd the flame I could not heal;
Given thee the world ; though I with-held the fair.
B
ENEATH a myrtle's verdant hade
As Cloe half alleep was laid,
Cupid perch'd lightly on her breaft,
And in that heaven desir'd to rest :
Over her paps his wings he spread;
Between he found a downy bed,
And nestled-in his little head.
Still lay the God: the nymph, surpriz’d,.
Yet mistress of herself, devis'd,
How she the vagrant might inthrall,
And captive him, who captives all.
Her bodice half-way she unlac'd ;
About his arms fhe sily cast
The filken bond, and held him fast.
The god awak'd; and thrice in vain
He strove to break the cruel chain
And thrice in vain he shook his wing,
Incumber'd in the filken string.
Fluttering the God, and weeping, faid,
Pity poor Cupid, generous maid,
Who happen'd, being blind, to stray,
And on thy bosom lost his way;
Who stray'd, alas ! but knew too well,
He never there must hope to dwell:
Set an unhappy prisoner free,
Who ne'er intended harm to thee.
To me pertains not, she replies,
To know or care where Cupid flies ;
What are his haunts, or which his way;
Where he would dwell, or whither stray
Yer will I never set thee free;
For harm was meant, and harm to me.
Vain fears that vex thy virgin heart!
I'll give thee up my bow and dart;
Untangle but this cruel chain,
And freely let me fly again.
Agreed : secure my virgin heart :
Instant give up thy bow and dart :
The chain I'll in return untie;
And freely thou again fhalt ily.
Thus she the captive did deliver ;
The captive thus gave up his quiver.
The God disarm’d, e'er since that day,
Passes his life in harmless play ;
Flies round, or sits upon her breast,
A little, fluttering, idle guest.
E’er since that day, the beauteous maid
Governs the world in Cupid's stead;
Directs his arrow as she wills;
Gives grief, or pleasure; spares, or kills.
BEHIND her neck her.comely trefles tied,
Her ivory quiver graceful by her side, A-hunting Cloe went : she lost her way, And through the woods uncertain chanc'd to stray, Apollo, passing by, beheld the maid; And, fifter dear, bright Cynthia, turn, he said : The hunted hind lics close in yonder brake. Loud Cupid laugh’d, to see the God's mistake ; · And, laughing, cried, Learn better, great divine, To know thy kindred, and to honour mine. Rightly advis'd, far hence thy sister seek, Or on Meander's bank, or Latmus' peak. But in this nymph, my friend, my sister know: She draws my arrows, and she bends my bow : Fair Thames she haunts, and every neighbouring grove, Sacred to soft recess, and gentle love.
Go,
Go, with thy Cynthia, hurl the pointed spear
At the rough boar, or chase the flying deer :
I and my Cloe take a nobler aim :
At human hearts we fing, nor ever miss the game:
IN
N Heaven, one lroly-day, you read
In wise Anacreon, Ganymede
Drew heedless Cupid in, to throw
A main, to pass an hour, or so.
The little Trojan, by the way,
By Herines taught, play'd all the play,
The god unliappily engag d,
By nature rash, by play enrag’d,
Coinplain'd, and figh’d, and cried, and fretted ;
Lost every earthly thing he betted :
In ready money, all the store
Pick'd-up long since from Danaë's shower;
A snuff-box, fet with bleeding hearts,
Rubies, all pierc'd with dianıond darts ;
His nine-pins made of myrtle wood
('The tree in Ida's forest stood);
His bowl pure gold, the very
same
Which Paris gave the Cyprian dame;
Two table-books in shagreen covers,
Fillid with good verse from real lovers ;
Merchandise rare ! a billet-doux,
Its matter passionate, yet true ;
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