Now should a failure of the mulberry crop Send famine to the threshold of thy door, Do not despair: but, climbing to the top Of the tall elm, or kindred sycamore,
Young budding germs with searching eye expion Practise a pious fraud upon thy flock,
With false supplies and counterfeited store; Thus for a while their little stomachs mock, Until thou canst provide of leaves a genuine stock XXVII.
But ne'er a simple village maiden ask
To climb on trees,*-for her was never mear The rude exposure of such uncouth task; Lest while she tries the perilous ascent, On pure and hospitable thoughts intent, A wicked faun, that lurks behind some bush, Peep out with upward eye-rude, insolent! Oh, vile and desperate hardihood! But, hush! Nor let such matters move the bashful Muse to blush XXVIII.
The maiden's ministry it is to keep
Incessant vigil o'er the silkworm fold, Supply fresh fodder to the nibbling sheep, Cleanse and remove the remnants of the old, Guard against influence of damp or cold,
And ever and anon collect them all
In close divan: and ere their food is doled, Wash out with wine each stable and each stall, Lest foul disease the flock through feculence befall.
Changes will oft come o'er their outward form, And each transition needs thy anxious cares : Four times they cast their skin. The spinner-work Four soft successive suits of velvet wears; Nature each pliant envelope prepares.
But how can they, in previous clothing pent, Get riddance of that shaggy robe of theirs ?
They keep a three-days' fast. When by that Lent Grown lean, they doff with ease their old accoutrement. The good bishop's gallantry is herein displayed to advantage Nec robora dura
Ascendat permitte in sylvis innuba virgo; Ast operum patiens anus, et cui durior annis Sit cutis (ingratæ facilis jactura senectæ !), Munere fungatur tali. Ne fortè quis alta Egressus sylvâ satyrorum è gente procaci Suspiciat, teneræque pudor notet ora puella.
Now are the last important days at hand- The liquid gold within its living mine Brightens. Nor nourishment they now demand. Nor care for life; impatient to resign
The wealth with which diaphanous they shine! Eager they look around-imploring look,
For branch or bush, their tissue to entwine; Some rudimental threads they seek to hook, And dearly love to find some hospitable nook. XXXI.
Anticipate their wishes, gentle maid!
Hie to their help; the fleeting moment catch. Quick be the shelves with wicker-work o'er-laid; Let osier, broom, and furze, their workshop thatch, With fond solicitude and blithe despatch. So may they quickly, mid the thicket dense,
Find out a spot their purposes to match; So may they soon their industry commence, And of the round cocoon plan the circumference.
Their hour is come. See how the yellow flood Swells in yon creeping cylinder! how teems Exuberant the tide of amber blood!
How the recondite gold transparent gleams, And how pellucid the bright fluid seems! Proud of such pregnancy, and duly skill'd In Dædalean craft, each insect deems The glorious purposes of life fulfilled, If into shining silk his substance be distill'd!
Say, hast thou ever mark'd the clustering grap Swoll'n to maturity with ripe prodúce, When the imprison'd pulp pants to escape, And longs to joy "emancipated" juice In the full freedom of the bowl profuse? So doth the silk that swells their skinny coat Loathe its confinement, panting to get loose: Such longing for relief their looks denote-
Soon in their web they'll find a "bane and antidote."
See! round and round, in many a mirthful mazo, The wily workman weaves his golden gauze ; And while his throat the twisted thread purveys, New lines with labyrinthine labour draws, Plying his pair of operative jaws.
From morn to noon, from noon to silent eve, He toileth without interval or pause,
His monumental trophy to achieve,
And his sepulchral sheet of silk resplendent weave!
Approach, and view thy artisans at work; At thy wee spinners take a parting glance; For soon each puny labourer will lurk Under his silken canopy's expanse― Tasteful alcove! boudoir of elegance! There will the weary worm in peace repose, And languid lethargy his limbs entrance; There his career of usefulness will close;
Who would not live the life and die the death of those !+ XXXVI.
Mostly they spin their solitary shroud Single, apart, like ancient anchoret ; Yet oft a loving pair will, if allow'd, In the same sepulchre of silk well met, Nestle like ROMEO and JULIET.
From such communing be they not debarred, Mindful of her who hallow'd Paraclet; Even in their silken cenotaph 'twere hard To part a HELOISE from her loved ABELARD.
The task is done, the work is now complete, A stilly silence reigns throughout the room! Sleep on, blest beings! be your slumbers sweet. And calmly rest within your golden tomb- Rest, till restored to renovated bloom. Bursting the trammels of that dark sojourn, Forth ye shall issue, and rejoiced, resume, A glorified appearance, and return
To life a winged thing from monumental urn. XXXVIII.
Fain would I pause, and of my tuneful text Reserve the remnant for a fitter time: Another song remains. The summit next Of double-peak'd Parnassus when I climb, Grant me, ye gods! the radiant wings of rhyme !
Query, without paws?-P. Devil.
+ Mille legunt releguntque vias, atque orbibus orbee Agglomerant, donec cœco se carcere condant Sponte suâ. Tanta est edendi gloria fili! Quin et nonnullæ paribus communia curis Associant opera, et nebulâ clauduntur eâdem.
Thus may I bear me up th' adventurous road That winds aloft-an argument sublime! But of didactic poems 'tis the mode,
No canto should conclude without an episode. XXXIX.
VENUS it was who first invented SILK- LINEN had long, by CERES patronised, Supplied Olympus: ladies of that ilk
No better sort of clothing had devised- Linen alone their garde de robe comprised. Hence at her cambric loom the "suitors" found
PENELOPE, whom hath immortalised
The blind man eloquent: nor less renown'd
Were "Troy's proud dames," whose robes of linen "swept the
Thus the first female fashion was for flax; A linen tunic was the garb that graced Exclusively the primitive " Almack's."
Simplicity's costume! too soon effaced By vain inventions of more modern taste. Then was the reign of modesty and sense.
Fair ones were not, I ween, more prude and chaste, Girt in hoop-petticoats' circumference
Or stays-Honi soi the rogue qui mal y pense.
WOOL, by MINERVA manufactured, met
With blithe encouragement and brisk demand; Her loom by constant buyers was beset,
"Orders from foreign houses" kept her hand Busy supplying many a distant land.
She was of woollen stuffs the sole provider, Till some were introduced by contraband:
A female called ARACHNÉ thus defied her,
Pat soon gave up the trade, being turned into a spider.
Thus a complete monopoly in wool,
"Almost amounting to a prohibition," Enabled her to satisfy in full
The darling object of her life's ambition, And gratify her spitefui disposition. VENUS she had determined should not be Suffer'd to purchase stuffs on no condition; While every naked Naiad nymph was free To buy her serge, moreen, and woollen drapperie.
Tantùm nuda Venus morebat muneris expers Egregiam ob formam textrici invisa Minerva.
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