Chopt off their nervous Thighs, and next prepar'd
Tinvolve the Lean in Cauls, and mend with Lard.
Sweetbreads and Collops were with Skewers prick'd
About the Sides, imbibing what they deck'd.
The Priest with holy Hands was feen to tine
The cloven Wood, and pour the ruddy Wine.
The first Libations to the Gods they pour,
And then with Songs indulge the Genial Hour.
Holy Debauch! 'till Day to Night they bring
With Songs and Peans to the Bowyer King.
With perfect Hecatombs the God they grac'd,
Whofe offer'd Entrails in the Main were caft.
Black Bulls, and bearded Goats on Altars lie,
And Clouds of fav'ry Stench involve the Sky.
(Dryd. Hom. A chofen Ewe of two Years old they pay To Ceres, Bacchus, and the God of Day: The beauteous Queen before her Altar ftands, And holds the golden Goblet in her Hands: A milk-white Heifer fhe with Flow'rs adorns, And pours the ruddy Wine betwixt her Horns, And while the Priefts with Pray'r the Gods invoke, She feeds their Altars with Sabean Smoke. With hourly Care the Sacrifice renews,
And anxiously the panting Entrails views.
He pour'd to Bacchus on the hallow'd Ground, Two Bowls of fparkling Wine, of Milk two more, And two from offer'd Bulls of purple Gore : With Rofes then the Sepulchre he strow'd. Five Sheep according to the Rites, he flew, As many Swine, and Steers of fable Hue: New gen'rous Wine he from the Goblets pour'd, And call'd his Father's Ghost, from Hell restor❜d. The glad Attendants in long Order come; Off'ring their Gifts at great Anchifes Tomb : Some add more Oxen, fome divide the Spoil, Some place the Chargers on the graffy Soil, (Virg. Some blow the Fires, and offer'd Intrails broil, Dryd.
Sev'n Bullocks, yet unyok'd, for Phoebus chufe,
And for Diana fev'n unfported Ewes,
Thick Clouds of rolling Smoke involve the Skies, And fat of Entrails on the Altar fries.
SAILING.
The Wind fuffic'd the Sail ;
The bellying Canvas ftrutted with the Gale.
The Waves indignant roar with furly Pride,
And prefs against the Sides, and beaten off divide.
They cut the foamy Way.
Dryd. Hom. Ent'ring with chearful Shouts the watry Reign, And ploughing frothy Furrows on the Main,
They stretch their Canvas, and they ply their Oars, All Hands aloft, for Crete, for Crete, they cry, And swiftly thro' the foamy Billows fly.
Now Seas and Skies their Profpect only bound,
An empty Space above, a floating Field around.
There rofe a gentle Breeze,
That curl'd the Smoothness of the glaffy Seas:
The rifing Winds a ruffling Gale afford,
And call the merry Mariners aboard.
They flip their Haulfers.
Fresh Gales arife; with equal Strokes they vie,
And brush the Buxom Seas, and o'er the Billows fly.
Stand to your Tackle, Mates, and ftretch your Oars,
Contract your fwelling Sails, and luff to Wind.
Now shift your Sails.
Tack to the Larboard, and ftand off to Sea:
Veer Starboard Sea and Land.
They fkud amain, and make the Port affign'd.
Their Anchors dropt, his Crew the Veffel moor; They turn their Heads to Sea; their Sterns to Shore.
Born with th' invifible and creeping Wind,
Draw the huge Bottom thro' the furrow'd Seas;
Breafting the lofty Surge.
Shak. Hen. 5.
Sure he who first the Paffage try'd
In harden'd Oak his Heart did hide :
And Ribs of Iron arm'd his Side:
Or his at leaft, in hollow Wood
Who tempted firft the briny Flood:
Nor fear'd the Winds contending Roar,
Nor Billows, beating on the Shore.
Nor Hyades, portending Rain,
Nor all the Tyrants of the Main,
What Form of Death could bim affright
Who unconcern'd with ftedfaft Sight,
Could view the Surges Mountain-steep,
And Monsters rouling in the Deep.
Could thro' the Ranks of Ruin go,
With Storms above, and Rocks below.
In vain did Nature's wife Command
Divide the Waters from the Land,
If daring Ships, and Men profane
Invade th' inviolable Main:
Th' eternal Fences over-leap,
And pafs at Will the boundless Deep.
No Toil, no Hardships can restrain
Ambitious Man inur'd to Pain :
The more confin'd, the more he tries,
And at forbidden Quarry flies.
So fares à Sailor on the ftormy Main,
When Clouds conceal Boötes' golden Wain,
When not a Star its friendly Luftre keeps,
Nor trembling Cynthia glimmers on the Deeps;
He dreads the Rocks, and Shoals, and Seas, and Skies, While Thunder roars, and Lightning round him flies.
Salmoneus fuff'ring cruel Pains I found,
For emulating Jove; the ratling Sound
Of mimick Thunder; and the glitt'ring Blaze
Of pointed Lightning, and their forked Rays :
Thro' Elis and the Grecean Towns he flew,
Th' audacious Wretch four fiery Courfers drew:
He wav'd a Torch aloft, and madly vain,
Sought godlike Worthip from a fervile Train:
Ambitious Fool! with horny Hoofs to pafs
O'er hollow Arches of refounding Brafs :
To rival Thunder in its rapid Course,
And imitate inimitable Force.&
Bnt he, the King of Heav'n, obfcure on High,
Bar'd his right, Arm, and lanching from the Sky,
His writhen Bolt, not thaking empty Smoak,
Down to the deep Abyfs the flaming Felon ftrook.
(Dryd. Virg.
Satire must interfere, whose pointed Rage
May lafh the Madness of a vicious Age;
Satire, the Mufe that never fails to hit ;
For if there's Scandal to be fure there's Wit.
But that fame fool, that most increast her paines, Was Scorne, who haveing in his hand a whip,
Her there with yirks, and still when the complains, The more he laughes, and does her clofely quip, To fee her fore lament, and bite her tender Lip. Spen
But who can Scorpio's foul Impreflion view,
The fordid Features, and the fickly Hue?
He fatally unfurls his poys'nous Folds,
And half the Firmament encompass'd holds;
Red Hair and little Eyes attend his Fates,
The Legs he lengthens, and the Feet dilates;
Such odious Forms the Monster's Birth betray,
Sprung from rude Principles of flimy Clay.
Some carve the Trunks, and breathing Shapes beftow,
Giving the Trees more Life than when they grow.
In midft a Table of rich Iv'ry stands,
By three fierce Tygers and three Lions born,
Which grin, and fearfully the Place adorn:
Widely they gape, and to the Eyes they roar,
As if they hunger'd for the Food they bore.
SCYLLA and CHARIB DIS.
In the Streights,
Where proud Pelorus opes a wider Way,
Far on the right, her Dogs foul Scylla hides;
Charybdis roaring, on the left prefides,
And in her greedy Whirlpool fucks the Tides:
Then fpouts them from below; with Fury driv'n,
The Waves mount up, and wash the Face of Heav'n:
But Scylla from her Den with open Jaws,
The finking Veffels in her Eddy draws,
Then dashes on the Rocks: a human Face,
And Virgin-Bosom hide her Tail's Difgrace.
Her Parts obfcene below the Waves defcend,
With Dogs inclos'd, and in a Dolphin end. Dryd. Virg.
Outrageous as a Sea, dark, wafteful, wild,
Up from the Bottom torn by furious Winds,
And furging Waves, as Mountains to assault
Heav'ns Height, and with the Centre mix the Pole.
(Milton.
The Sea it felf fmooths its rough Face a while,
Flatt'ring the greedy Merchant with a Smile;
But he whofe Shipwreck'd Bark it drank before,
Sees the Deceit, and knows it would have more. Cowl.
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