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A RIDDLE.

UPON a bed of humble clay,

In all her garments loose,
A proftitute my mother lay,
To every comer's use.

Till one gallant, in heat of love,
His own peculiar made her;

And to a region far above,

And fofter beds, convey'd her.

But, in his abfence, to his place
His rougher rival came;
And, with a cold constrain'd embrace,
Begat me on the dame.

I then appear'd to public view.
A creature wondrous bright;

But fhortly perishable too,

Inconftant, nice, and light.

On feathers not together fast
I wildly flew about,

And from my father's country pafs'd
To find my mother out.

Where her gallant, of her beguil'd,
With me enamour'd grew,

And I, that was my mother's child,
Brought forth
my mother-too.

PASTORALS,

EPISTLES, ODES,

AND OTHER

ORIGINAL POEMS,

WITH TRANSLATIONS FROM

PINDAR, ANACREON, AND SAPPHO.

BY AMBROSE PHILIPS, ESQUIRE.

hic cæftus artemque repono." VIRG.

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