She turns the key; her cheeks like roses bloom,
And on the lock her fingers drop perfume.
Before his eyes, on agate columns rear'd,
On high a purple canopy appeared;
And under it in stately form was plac'd
A table with a thousand vafes grac❜d,
Laden with all the dainties that are found
In air, in feas, or on the fruitful ground.
Here the fair youth reclin'd with decent pride,
His wanton nymph was feated by his fide:
All that could pleaie the tafte the happy pair
Cull'd from the loaded board with curious care;
(But first the king had quaff'd the tempting ftream,
That through the bow'r display'd a filver gleam :)
O'er their enchanted heads a mantling vine
His curling tendrils wove with am'rous twine;
From the green ftalks the glowing clusters hung
Like rubies on a thread of emʼralds ftrung,
With these were other fruits of ev'ry hue,
The pale, the red, the golden, and the blue.
An hundred fmiling pages flood around,
Their fhining brows with wreaths of myrtle bound:
They, in tranfparent cups of agate, bore
Of sweetly sparkling wines a precious store;
The ftripling fip'd and revel'd, till the fun
Down heav'n's blue vault his daily courfe had run,
Then rofe, and, follow'd by the gentle maid,
* Op'd the fifth door: a ftream before them play'd.
The king impatient for the cooling draught
In a full cup the myftick nectar quaff'd ;
Then with a smile (he knew no higher blifs)
From her fweet lip he ftole a balmy kiss:
On the smooth bank of vi'lets they reclin'd;
And, whilft a chaplet for his brow fhe twin'd,
With his foft cheek her fofter cheek he prefs'd,
His pliant arms were folded round her breast.
She fmil'd, foft lightning darted from her eyes,
And from his fragrant seat she bade him rise;
Then, while a brighter blush her face o'erspread,
To the fixth gate her willing guest she led.
The golden lock she softly turn'd around,
The moving hinges gave a pleafing found:
The boy delighted ran with eager haste,
And to his lips the living fountain plac'd;
The magick water pierc'd his kindled brain,
And a strange venom shot from vein to vein.
Whatever charms he faw in other bow'rs,
Were here combin'd, fruits, mufick, odours, flow'rs,
A couch befides with fofteft filk o'erlaid,
And sweeter ftill a lovely yielding maid;
Who now more charming feem'd, and not fo coy,
And in her arms infolds the blushing boy:
They sport and wanton, till, with sleep oppress'd,
Like two fresh rofe-buds on one stalk, they rest.
When morning spread around her purple flame, To the sweet couch the five fair fifters came; They hail'd the bridegroom with a cheerful voice, And bade him make with speed a fecond choice. Hard task to choose when all alike were fair! Now this, now that engag'd his anxious care:
Then to the first that spoke his hand he lent;
The reft retir'd, and whisper'd as they went.
The prince enamour'd view'd his second bride;
They left the bow'r, and wander'd fide by fide,
With her he charm'd his ears, with her his fight,
With her he pass'd the day, with her the night.
Thus all by turns the sprightly ftranger led,
And all by turns partook his nuptial bed;
Hours, days, and months in pleasure flow'd away,
All laugh'd, all sweetly fung, and all were gay.
So had he wanton'd threefcore days and fev❜n, More bleft, he thought, than any son of heav'n :
Till on a morn, with fighs and ftreaming tears,
The train of nymphs before his bed appears;
And thus the youngest of the fifters speaks,
Whilst a sad show'r runs trickling down her cheeks:
"A custom which we cannot, dare not fail,
"(Such are the laws that in our ifle prevail)
"Compels us, prince, to leave thee here alone,
"Till thrice the fun his rifing front has shown:
"Our parents, whom, alas, we must obey,
"Expect us at a splendid feast to day;
"What joy to us can all their splendour give?
"With thee, with only thee, we wish to live.
"Yet may we hope, thefe gardens will afford
"Some pleafing folace to our abfent lord?
"Six golden keys, that ope yon blissful gates,
"Where joy, eternal joy, thy steps awaits,
"Accept: the fev'nth (but that you heard before)
"Leads to a gloomy dungeon, and no more,
|