That Mortals here difdain to love,
She ne'er could fhew her Face above.
For Gods, their Betters, are too wife
To value that, which Men defpife.
And then, said she, my Son and I
Must strole in Air 'twixt Earth and Sky;
Or elfe, fhut out from Heav'n and Earth,
Fly to the Sea, my Place of Birth;
There live with daggl'd Mermaids pent,
And keep on Fifh perpetual Lent.

But fince the Cafe appear'd fo nice,
She thought it beft to take Advice.
The Muses, by their King's Permiffion,
Tho' Foes to Love, attend the Seffion,
And on the Right Hand took their Places
In Order; on the Left, the Graces;
To whom the might her Doubts propose
On all Emergencies that rofe.

The Mujes oft were feen to frown ;
The Graces half afham'd look down;
And 'twas obferv'd, there were but few
Of either Sex among the Crew,
Whom he or her Affeffois knew.
The Goddess foon began to fee,
Things were not ripe for a Decree;
And faid he must confult her Books,
The Lover's Ilita's, Bracton's, Cokes.
First to a dapper Clerk fhe beckon`d,
To turn to Ovid, Bock the fecond;
She then referr'd them to a place
In Virgil (vide Dido's Cafe ; )

}

As

As for Tibullus's Reports,

They never pafs'd for Law in Courts:
For Cowley's Briefs, and Pleas of Waller,
Still their Authority is smaller.

There was on both Sides much to say:
She'd hear the Cause another Day;
And so she did; and then a Third;
She heard it

there she kept her Word;

But with Rejoinders and Replies,

Long Biils, and Answers, stuff'd with Lies,
Demur, Imparlance, and Effoign,

The Parties ne'er could Iffue join:
For Sixteen Years the Cause was spun ;
And then stood, where it first begun.
Now, gentle Clio, fing or fay,
What Venus meant by this Delay.
The Goddess, much perplex'd in Mind
To fee her Empire thus declin'd,
When first this grand Debate arofe
Above her Wifdom to compofe,
Conceiv'd a Project in her Head
To work her Ends; which, if it fped,
Wou'd fhew the Merits of the Cause
Far better, than confulting Laws.
In a glad Hour Lucina's Aid
Produc'd on Earth a wond'rous Maid,
On whom the Queen of Love was bent
To try a new Experiment.

She threw her Law-books on the Shelf,
And thus debated with herself.

Since Men alledge, they ne'er can find
Thofe Beauties in a Female Mind,

B 3

Which

Which raife a Flame that will endure
For ever, uncorrupt and pure;
If 'tis with Reason they complain,
This Instant shall reftore my Reign.
I'll fearch, where ev'ry Virtue dwells,
From Courts inclufive down to Cells;
What Preachers talk, or Sages write,
Thefe I will gather and unite,
And represent them to Mankind
Collected in that Infant's Mind.

This faid,fhe plucks in Heav'n's high Bow'rs A Sprig of Amaranthine Flow'rs,

In Nectar thrice infufes Bays,

Three Times refin'd in Titan's Rays:
Then calls the Graces to her aid,

And fprinkles thrice the new-born Maid;
From whence the tender Skin affumes
A Sweetness above all Perfumes;
From whence a Cleanlinefs remains,
Incapable of outward Stains;

From whence that Decency of Mind,
So lovely in a Female Kind,

Where not one careless Thought intrudes,
Lefs modeft than the Speech of Prudes;
Where never Blush was call'd in Aid,
The fpurious Virtue in a Maid,
A Virtue but at fecond-hand;
They blush, because they understand.
The Graces next would act their Part,
And fhew but little of their Art;
Their Work was half already done,
The Child with native Beauty fhone,

The

The outward Form no Help requir'd:
Each breathing on her thrice, infpir'd
That gentle, loft, engaging Air,
Which in old Times adorn'd the Fair;
And faid, "Vanessa be the Name,

By which thou shalt be known to Fame, "Vanessa, by the Gods enroll'd :

"Her Name on Earth --- fhall not be told,"
But still the Work was not compleat,
When Venus thought on a Deceit :
Drawn by her Doves, away fhe flies,
And finds out Pallas in the Skies :
Dear Pallas, I have been this morn
To fee a lovely Infant born:
A Boy in yonder Ifle below,
So like my own without his Bow,
By Beauty could your Heart be won,
You'd fwear, it is Apollo's Son:
But it fall ne'er be faid, a Child
So hopeful has by me been fpoil'd;
I have enough befides to fpare,
And give him wholly to your Care.
Wildom's above fufpecting Wiles:
The Queen of Learning gravely fmiles;
Down from Olympus comes with Joy,
Mistakes Vanessa for a Boy;

Then fows within her tender Mind

Seeds long unknown to Womankind,

For manly Bofoms chiefly fit ;

The Seeds of Knowledge, Judgment, Wit: Her Soul was fuddenly endu'd

With Justice, Truth and Fortitude ;

With Honour, which no Breath can stain,
Which Malice must attack in vain ;
With open Heart, and bounteous Hand.
But Pallas here was at a Stand;
She knew, in our degen'rate Days
Bare Virtue could not live on Praise;
That Meat must be with Money bought s
She therefore, upon fecond Thought,
Infus'd, yet as it were by Stealth,

Some fmall Regard for State and Wealth ;
Of which, as she grew up, there stay'd
A Tincture in the prudent Maid :
She manag'd her Estate with Care,
Yet lik'd three Footmen to her Chair.
But left he should neglect his Studies,
Like a young Heir, the thrifty Goddess
(For fear young Mafter should be spoil'd,)
Wou'd ufe him like a younger Child;
And, after long computing, found
'Twou'd come to juft Five Thousand Pound.
The Queen of Love was pleas'd, and proud,
To fee Vanessa thus endow`d;

She doubted not, but fuch a Dame
Thro' ev'ry Breaft would dart a Flame;
That ev'ry rich and lordly Swain

With Pride wou'd drag about her Chain ;
That Scholars wou'd forfake their Books
To study bright Vanessa's Looks :
As the advanc'd, that Womankind
Wou'd by her Model form their Mind,
And all their Conduct wou'd be try'd
By her, as an unerring Guide :

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