55

60

65

While Hymen soberly reply'd,
Yet with an air of conscious pride :

Just come from yonder wretched scene,
Where all is vénal, false, and mean,
(Looking on London as he spoke)
I marvel not at thy dull joke ;
Nor, in such cant, to hear thee vapour,
Thy quiver lin’d with South-sea paper;
Thine arrows feather’d, at the tail,
With India-bonds, for hearts on sale;
Their other ends too, as is meet,
Tip'd with gold points from Lombard-street.
But could'st thou for a moment quit
These airs of fashionable wit,
And re-assume thy nobler name-
Look that way, where I turn my flame
He said, and held his torch inclin'd,
Which, pointed fo, ftill brighter thin'da
Behold yon couple, arm in arm,
Whom I, eight years, have known to charm;
And, while they wear my willing chains,
A god dares swear that neither feigns.
This morn that bound their mutual vow,
That bleft them first, and blesses now,
They grateful hail! and, from the soul,
With thousands o'er both heads

may
Till, from life's banquet, either guest,
Embracing, may retire to rest.
Come then, all raillery laid aside,
Let this their day serenely glide :

70

75

roll;

85

:

90

a

95

With mine thy serious aim unite,
And both some proper guests invite ;
That not one minute's running sand
May find their pleasures at a stand.

At this severe and fad rebuke,
Enough to make a coxcomb puke ;
Poor Cupid, blushing, shrug'd and winc'd,
Not yet consenting, though convinc'd :
For 'tis your witling's greatest terror,
Ev’n when he feels, to own, his error.
Yet, with a look of arch grimace,
He took his penitential face :
Said, 'twas, perhaps, the fiuer play,
To give your grave good souls their way:
That, as true humour was grown scarce,
He chose to see a sober farce ;
For, of all cattle and all fowl,
Your folemn-looking ass and owl
Rais'd much more mirth, he durft aver it,
Than those jack-puddings, pug and parrot.

He said, and eastward spread his wing,
From London some few friends to bring.
His brother too, with sober cheer,
For the same end did westward steer :
But first, a penfive love forlorn,
Who three long weeping years has borne
His torch revers’d, and all around,
Where once it flam'd, with cypress bound,
Sent off, to call a neighbouring friend,
On whom the mournful train attend :

100

105

110

Aud

+

a

120

And bid him, this one day, at least,
For such a pair, at such a feast,
Strip off the fable veil, and wear

115 His once-gay look and happier air.

But Hymen, speeding forward ftill,
Observ'd a man on Richmond-hill,
Who now first tries a country life ;
Perhaps, to fit him for a wife.
But, though not much on this he reckon'd,
The passing god look'd in and beckon'd:
He knows him rich in social merit,
With independent taste and spirit;
Though he will laugh with men of whim, 125
For fear such men fhould laugh at him.

But lo, already on his way,
In due observance of the day,
A friend and favourite of the Nine,
Who can, but seldom cares to shine,
And one fole virtue would arrive ato
To keep his many virtues private.
Who tends, well pleas’d, yet as by stealth,
His lov'd companions ease and health :
Or in his garden, barring out
The noise of every neighbouring rout,
At pensive hour of eve and prime,
Marks how the various hand of time
Now feeds and rears, now starves and laughters,
His vegetable sons and daughters.

140 While

130

135

* A. Mitchell, Efq; Minister at the court of Prusia,

145

150

While these are on their way, behold!
Dan Cupid, from his London-fold,
First leeks and sends his new Lord Warden
Of all the nymphs in Covent-Garden :
Brave as the sword he wears in fight;
Sincere, and briefly in the right;
Whom never minister or king
Saw meanly cringing in their ring.

A second fee! of special note,
Plump Comus t in a colonel's coat;
Whoin we, this day, expect from far,
A jolly first-rate man of war;
On whom we boldly dare repose,
To meet our friends, or meet our foes.

Or comes a brother in his stead ?
Strong-body'd too, and strong of head :
Who, in whatever path he goes,
Still looks right on before his nose;
And holds it little less than treason,
To baulk his stomach or his reason.
True to his, mistress and his meat,
He eats to love, and loves to eat.

a

• The late General Skelton. He had just then pure chased a house in Henrietta-street.

+ The late Col. Caroline Scott; who, though extremely corpulent, was uncommonly active; and who, to much skill, fpirit, and bravery, as an officer, joined the greatest gentleness of manners as a companion and friend. He died a sacrifice to the public, in the service of the Eaft-India Company, at Bengal, in the year 1755.

165

17°

175

Last comes a virgin-pray admire her !
Cupid himself attends, to squire her :
A welcome guest! we much had mist her ;
For ʼtis our Kitty, or his sister.
But, Cupid, let no knave or fool
Snap up this lamb, to fhear her wool;
No teague of that unblushing band,
Just landed, or about to land;
Thieves from the womb, and train'd at nurse,
To steal an heiress or a purse.
No scraping, faving, fawcy cit,
Sworn foe of breeding, worth, and wit

i
No half-form'd infect of a Peer,
With neither land nor conscience clear ;
Who if he can, 'tis all he can do,
Just spell thc motto on his landau.
From all, from each of these defend her;
But thou and Hymen both befriend her,
With truth, taste, honour, in a mate,
And much good sense, and some estate.

But now, suppose th' assembly met,
And round the table cordial set;
While in fair order, to their wish,
Plain Neatness sends up every dish,
And Pleasure at the side-board stands,
A nectar'd goblet in his hands,
To
pour

libations, in due measure,
As Reason wills when joiu'd with Pleasure-
Let these white moments all be gay,
Without one cloud of dim allay :