THE
graces next would act their part,
And fhew'd but little of their art ;
Their work was half already done,

The child with native beauty shone;

The outward form no help requir'd:

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Each breathing on her thrice, infpir'd
That gentle, foft, engaging air,

Which in old times adorn'd the fair:
And faid, 66

66

Vanessa be the name

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By which thou shalt be known to fame ;

Vanella, by the gods inroll'd:

"Her name on earth-shall not be told.”

BUT ftill the work was not complete ;

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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 fon:
But it shall ne'er be faid, a child
So hopeful has by me been spoil'd;
I have enough befides to spare,

And give him wholly to your care.

WISDOM's above fufpecting wiles:
The queen of learning gravely fmiles,
Down from Olympus comes with joy,
Miftakes Vanessa for a boy;
Then fows within her tender mind

Seeds long unknown to womankind ;
For manly bofoms chiefly fit,

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The feeds of knowledge, judgment, wit..

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Her foul was fuddenly endu'd

With justice, truth, and fortitude;

With honour, which no breath can stain,
Which malice muft attack in vain ;
With open heart and bounteous hand.
But Pallas here was at a ftand;
She knew in our degen'rate days
Bare virtue could not live on praise ;·
That meat must be with money bought:
She therefore, upon fecond thought,
Infus'd, yet as it were by stealth,
Some fmall regard for state and wealth;
Of which, as fhe grew up, there staid
A tincture in the prudent maid:
She manag'd her eftate with care,

Yet lik'd three footmen to her chair.
But, left he should neglect his ftudies
Like a young heir, the thrifty goddefs
(For fear young mafter fhould be fpoil'd)
Would use him like a younger child;

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"And, after long computing, found

"Twould come to juft five thousand pound.

THE queen of love was pleas'd, and proud,

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To ftudy bright Vaneffa's looks;
As the advanc'd, that womankind
Would by her model form their mind,
And all their conduct would be try'd
By her, as an unerring guide;
Offending daughters oft would hear
Vaneffa's praise rung in their ear:
Mifs Betty, when the does a fault,
Lets fall her knife, or fpills the falt,

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Will thus be by her mother chid,

" "Tis what Vanessa never did.”

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Thus by the nymphs and swains ador'd,

My pow'r shall be again reftor'd,

And happy lovers bless my reign
So Venus hop'd, but hop'd in vain.
FOR when in time the martial maid

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Found out the trick that Venus play'd,

She shakes her helm, fhe knits her brows,

And fir'd with indignation vows,

To-morrow, ere the fetting fun,

She'd all undo that she had done.

BUT in the poets we may find,
A wholesome law, time out of mind,
Had been confirm'd by fate's decree,
That gods, of whatsoe'er degree,
Refume not what themselves have giv❜n,
Or any brother-god in heav'n;

Which keeps the peace among the gods,
Or they must always be at odds:
And Pallas, if the broke the laws,
Muft yield her foe the ftronger caufe ;
A fhame to one so much ador'd
For wisdom at Jove's council-board.
Befides, the fear'd the queen of love
Would meet with better friends above.
And tho' fhe muft with grief reflect,
To fee a mortal virgin deck'd
With graces hitherto unknown'

To female breafts, except her own;
Yet she would act as best became
A goddess of unspotted fame.
She knew, by augury divine,
Venus would fail in her defign:
She study'd well the point, and found
Her foe's conclufions were not found,

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The queen of love, whom thus fhe greets;

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(For gods, we are by Homer told,

Can in celestial language fcold).
Perfidious goddess ! but in vain

You form'd this project in your brain,
A project for thy talents fit,

With much deceit and little wit.

Thou haft, as thou fhalt quickly fee,

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Nor faw the play-house twice a year;

Yet, not incurious, was inclin'd

To know the converse of mankind.

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FIRST iffu'd from perfumers fhops

A croud of fashionable fops:

They ask'd her, how the lik'd the play!
Then told the tattle of the day;

A duel fought last night at two,
About a lady -you know who ;
Mention'd a new Italian, come

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Either from Muscovy or Rome;

Gave hints of who and who's together;
Then fell to talking of the weather;
Laft night was fo extremely fine,

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When they grew pert, to pull them down.

At laft she spitefully was bent

Τα try their wisdom's full extent;

And faid, the valu'd nothing less

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Than titles, figure, fhape, and drefs;

That merit fhould be chiefly plac'd

In judgment, knowledge, wit, and tafte;

And thefe, fhe offer'd to difpute,

Alone distinguish'd man from brute:

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That prefent times have no pretence

To virtue, in the noble fenfe
By Greeks and Romans understood,
To perish for our country's good.

She nam'd the antient heroes round,

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Explain'd for what they were renown'd;