CUPID

MISTAKEN.

I.

AS

S after noon, one fummer's day,
Venus flood bathing in a river;

Cupid a-fhooting went that way,

New ftrung his bow, new fill'd his quiver.
II.

With skill he chofe his sharpeft dart,
With all his might his bow he drew;
Swift to his beauteous parent's heart
The too-well-guided arrow flew.

III.

I faint! I die! the goddess cried :
O cruel, could'st thou find none other,
To wreck thy fpleen on? parricide !

Like Nero, thou haft flain thy mother.
IV.

Poor Cupid fobbing scarce could speak;
Indeed, Mamma, I did not know ye :
Alas! how eafy my mistake?

I took you for your likeness Cloe.

VENUS MISTAKEN.

I.

WHEN Cloe's picture was to Venus shown;

Surpriz'd, the goddess took it for her own. And what, faid fhe, does this bold painter mean? When was I bathing thus, and naked seen ?

7

II. Pleas'd

II.

Pleas'd Cupid heard, and check'd his mother's pride :
And who's blind now, Mamma? the urchin cried.
'Tis Cloe's eye, and cheek, and lip, and breast :
Friend Howard's genius fancied all the rest,

IF

A S O N G.

wine and mufick have the power
To eife the fickness of the foul;
Let Phoebus every string explore;

And Bacchus fill the sprightly bowl.
Let them their friendly aid employ,
To make my Cloe's abfence light;
And seek for pleasure, to destroy
The forrows of this live-long night.

But the to-morrow will return:

Venus, be thou to-morrow great;
Thy myrtles ftrow, thy odours burn;
And meet thy favourite nymph in state.
Kind goddefs, to no other powers

Let us to-morrow's bleffings own:
Thy darling loves fhall guide the hours;
And all the day be thine alone.

THE

IN Virgil's facred verfe we find,

That paffion can depress or raise The heavenly, as the human mind: Who dare deny what Virgil fays?

II.

But, if they fhould, what our great master

Has thus laid down, my tale fhall
Fair Venus wept the fad disaster
Of having loft her favourite Dove.

III.

prove:

In complaifance poor Cupid mourn'd;
His grief reliev'd his mother's pain;
He vow'd he 'd leave no ftone unturn'd,
But the fhould have her Dove again.
IV.

Though none, faid he, fhall yet be nam'd,
I know the felon well enough
But be the not, Mamma, condemn'd
Without a fair and legal proof.
V.

With that, his longeft dart he took,
As conftable would take his ftaff:

That gods defire like men to look,
Would make ev'n Heraclitus laugh.

VOL. I.

I

VI. Love's

VI.

Love's fubalterns, a duteous band,
Like watchmen, round their chief appear
Each had his lantern in his hand;

And Venus mafk'd brought up the rear.
VII.

Accouter'd thus, their eager ftep..
To Cloe's lodging they directed:
(At once I write, alas! and weep,
That Cloe is of theft fufpected).
VIII.

Late they fet out, had far to go:
St. Dunstan's as they pafs'd ftruck one.
Cloe, for reafons good, you know,
Lives at the fober end o' th' town.
IX.

With one great peal they rap the door,
Like footmen on a vifiting-day.

Folks at her house at such an hour.!

Lord! what will all the neighbours say?
X.

The door is open up they run:

Nor prayers, nor threats, divert their speed: Thieves thieves ! cries Sufan; we 're undone They'll kill my mistress in her bed.

XI.

In bed indeed the nymph had been
Three hours for, all hiftorians fay,

She commonly went up at ten,
Unless piquet was in the way.

XII. She

XII.

She wak'd, be fure, with strange surprize:

O Cupid, is this right or law, Thus to disturb the brightest eyes,

That ever flept, or ever faw?

XIII.

Have you obferv'd a fitting hare,
Listening, and fearful of the ftorm -
Of horns and hounds, clap back her ear,
Afraid to keep, or leave her form?

XIV.

Or have you mark'd a partridge quake,
Viewing the towering falcon nigh?
She cuddles low behind the brake:

Nor would fhe ftay: nor dares the fly.
XV.

Then have you feen the beauteous maid;
When gazing on her midnight foes,
She turn'd each way her frighted head,
Then funk it deep beneath the cloaths.
XVI.

Venus this while was in the chamber

Incognito for Sufan faid,

:

It smelt fo ftrong of myrrh and amber--
And Sufan is no lying maid.

XVII.

But, fince we have no prefent need
Of Venus for an episode :

With Cupid let us e'en proceed;
And thus to Cloe fpoke the god :

I 2

XVIII. Hold