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Confcious he felt the fympathetic heat
Glow in his breast, and at his bofom beat.

"I know thee by myself, Oh nymph divine,
"I feel thy heart's warm paffion kindle mine,"
Young Leius cried-and clafp'd her to his arms,
Then from the town he bore her vanquish'd charms,
To Cambridge fafe convey'd his happy prize,
Ere the dread females fhould tumultuous rise,
Too well he prophefied the dire event,
Lo! to his chamber, with a fell intent,
Forth rush'd in hafte the Amazonian bands,
Rage in their looks, and broomsticks in their hands;
Firft fell the victim of their ire, the loom,
And next the chamber met its fated doom,
Him too they fought for, author of their woe,
Fatidic Phoebus fav'd him from the blow,
He, with a beam of his all-feeing light,
Had warn'd young Leius to a fudden flight,
Elfe had they torn him piecemeal in their rage,
As Thracian dames once ferv'd the * vocal Sage.
Maugre their fury, Leius perfeveres,

His labours flourish'd with his growing years;
Ten thousand looms the happy texture wove,
One reach'd the stars—a monument of love!

* Orpheus.

VOL. IX.

G

A

A thousand fhining needles, light array'd,
Near* Granby's hat, effulgent, are display'd;
Hence mariners the well-known term assume,
-how large the diftant veffels loom!

Who cry

Here, 'mid the heavens, the Loom shall ever shine,
A conftellation facred to the Nine!

And, when we see a star glide cross the skies,
Sage bards well know it is the fhuttle flies;
And when pale streamers gild the midnight air,
These are the threads-like Ariadne's hair.

* See Poet. Cal. Vol. 3. p. 103.

CANTO

CANTO V.

Efume we now the theme, hiftoric Maid,

we digestive pun thread,

Tho' every Mufe in episode delight,
Subject and episode are shade and light.
Ere the gay thimble claim'd its later birth,
Ere gold and luxury had ftain'd the earth,
Long had the taper finger felt the smart,

Sharp as the wound which thrills from Cupid's dart,
Whofe arrows dipt in honey, and in gall,
With fofter puncture Chloe's heart enthrall:
Various expedients were applied in vain,
To guard the fair-one from the stinging pain,
Thick leaves fubfidiary were often bound
On folded paper, to prevent the wound,
Until the blue-eyed Maid's indulgent care,
Full oft invok'd, took pity on the fair,
She, from the regions of eternal day,
To Paphos on a vifit wing'd her way.

The queen of beauty faw, with wondering eye, Wisdom, bright regent, and her chariot, nigh, When thus afide-" What caufe can Pallas move, "That Prude divine, to grace the court of Love? "Why this high honour from th' imperial dame, "Whofe cold virginity defies our flame?"

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rung the bell- -a thousand Cupids hear, A thousand Cupids at the porch appear, Vying they seem to wage a sportive war, Who first shall help the Goddefs from her car. "What favour can Minerva ask from Love?" Said Venus to the head-fprung child of Jove, "Since Wisdom folemnly difowns his fway, "And rarely deigns to trifle time away." "Oh! Goddess, you mistake, Minerva cried, "Apollo's felf the pleasing smart has tried, "Fair Daphne's name in capitals he wears, "The pofy of the ring which binds his hairs ; "A fprig of laurel in his bofom too, "For Love the power of Wisdom can fubdue; "But not for man Minerva fues your grace, "I beg a favour for the female race;

"A boon, which Cupid and his Loves may grant, "Your fon ne'er frown'd upon a woman's want. "The maids of induftry, whom I protect, "And next to wifdom's fons esteem my fect, "Have long implor'd me to remove a pain "From fingers wounded with a guiltlefs ftain, "Not reputation's wound, which few can bear, "Is half fo painful to my darling fair: "An implement there is, a female toy,

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Sharp as the arrow of your one-eyed boy, "With this the fifters of my art have led "Long-time, with pleafing teil, the ductile thread,

"But pleafing toils are mingled ftill with pain," "Such is the chequer'd lot of human gain"The useful toy, fallacious to its truft, "Oft at the head has thro' the finger burst, "Whence trickling ichor iffues from the wound, "Tho' guarded well with leaves, or paper round"This is the implement-behold the head! "From which the pureft virgin blood is shed ; "I had, myself, to Mulciber applied,

"But toys, like these, are more to Love allied; "Vulcan, on fight, would take it for a dart, "And, feen, refer me to young Cupid's art: "Therefore to Love I fupplicate alone, "And at his footftool beg the gracious boon, "That, corresponding to the needle's head, "A guard be form'd, which should the finger wed, "To fhield th' induftrious fair from future harm." To whom Love's Queen, with glowing friendship "Be thine to think how Venus to oblige, [warm, "Who highly honours Wisdom's fovereign liege, "Be her's to speak, and Venus shall attend "To every mandate of her lovely friend."

Scarce had the fpoke, when empty-quiver'd came The potent God of every softer flame, "Mama, he cried-I've emptied all my store, "And now am come to forge ten thousand more. "In Mecklenburg I've lodg'd a golden dart, "And left its fellow in Augufta's heart ; G 3

" And

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