The practis'd languifh, where well-feign'd defire Wou'd own its melting in a mutual fire; Gay fmiles to comfort: April fhow'rs to move: And all the nature, all the art of love. Gold-fcepter'd Juno next exalts the Fair; Her touch endows her with imperious air, Self-valuing fancy, highly-crefted pride, Strong fov'reign will, and fome defire to chide: For which, an eloquence, that aims to vex, With native tropes of anger, arms the fex. Minerva, fkilful Goddess, train'd the maid To twirl the spindle by the twisting thread, To fix the loom, inftruct the reeds to part, Cross the long weft, and close the web with art, An useful gift; but what profuse expence, What world of fafhions, took its rife from hence ! Young Hermes next, a close contriving God, Her brows encircled with his ferpent rod : Then plots and fair excufes fill'd her brain, The views of breaking am'rous vows for gain. The A finer flax than what they wrought before, Thro' time's deep cave, the Sifter Fates explore, Then fix the loom, their fingers nimbly weave, And thus their toil prophetic fongs deceive.. Flow from the rock, my flax! and fwiftly flow, They want the care of man, their want they know, And make a fervant where they meet a friend. A loitering race the painful bee fupports, From From fun to fun, from bank to bank he flies, With honey loads his bag, with wax his thighs; Fond to relieve, or refolute to share : Thus fung the Sifters, while the Gods admire With wafting airs the winds obfequious blow, And land the fhining vengeance fafe below. The prefent treach'rous, but the bearer more, 'Twas 'Twas fraught with pangs; for Jove ordain'd above, That gold fhould aid, and pangs attend on love. Her gay descent the man perceiv'd afar, Wond'ring he run to catch the falling star; But fo furpriz'd, as none but he can tell, Who lov'd fo quickly, and who lov'd fo well. O'er all his veins the wand'ring paffion burns, He calls her Nymph, and ev'ry Nymph by turns. Her form to lovely Venus he prefers, Or fwears that Venus' must be fuch as hers, She, proud to rule, yet strangely fram'd to tease, Neglects his offers while her airs fhe plays, Shoots fcornful glances from the bended frown, In brifk diforder trips it up and down, Then hums a careless tune to lay the ftorm, And fits, and blufhes, fmiles, and yields, in form. “Now take what Jove defign'd, she foftly cry'd, "This box thy portion, and myself thy bride :" Fir'd with the prospect of the double charms, He snatch'd the box, and bride, with eager arms. Un Unhappy man! to whom fo bright fhe fhone, The fatal gift, her tempting felf, unknown! The winds were filent, all the waves afleep, And heav'n was trac'd upon the flatt'ring deep; But whilft he looks unmindful of a storm, And thinks the water wears a ftable form, What dreadful din around his ears fhall rife! What frowns confuse his picture of the skies! At first the creature man was fram'd alone, No bending age his fprightly form decay'd, When woman came, thofe ills the box confin'd Burst furious out, and poison'd all the wind, From |