And as too much profperity
Often makes way for luxury,

Till we by turn of fortune taught
Have wifdom by experience bought;

So when the hoary afhes grow

Around Love's coals it is time to blow;
And then its craftinefs is fhown

To raise your cares to hide its own,

And have you by a rival croft,

Only in hopes you may n't be loft.

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1405

Sometimes they fay that you are faulty,

And that they know where you were naughty;

And then perhaps your eyes they 'd tear,

Or elfe dilacerate your hair,

1410

Not with their own but friends' confent.
This Vulcan was a fmith they tell us
That first invented tongs and bellows;
For breath and fingers did their works,
(We'd fingers long before we 'd forks)

1425

Which made his hands, both hard and brawny,
When wash'd of colour orange-tawny.

His whole complexion was a fallow,

Where black had not destroy'd the yellow.

One foot was clump'd, which was the stronger,

1430

T'other fpiny, tho' much longer;

So both to the proportion come

Of the forefinger and the thumb.

In fhort, the whole of him was nafty,

1435

For fometimes fhe her knee is crimping,
To imitate th' old man in limping:
Sometimes his dirty paws fhe fcorns,
Whilft her fair fingers fhew his horns.
But Mars, the bully of the place, is
The chiefeft fpark in her good graces.
At first they're fhy, at last grow bolder,
And conjugal affection colder.

They car'd not what was faid or done,

Till Impudence defy'd the Sun.

Vulcan was told of this. Quoth he,
"Is there fuch roguery? I'll fee."
He then an iron net prepar'd,
Which he to the bed's tefter rear'd,

1445

1450

Which when a pulley gave a fnap
Would fall and make a cuckold's trap.
All those he plac'd in the best room,

Then feign'd that he must go from home;
For he at Lemnos forges had,

And none but he to mind the trade.

Love was too eager to beware

Of falling into any fnare.

'They went to bed, and so were caught,

And then they of repentance thought.

The show being ready to begin

Vulcan would call his neighbours in.

Jove fhould be there, that does make bold

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1466

1465

With Juno, that notorious scold;

Neptune, first bargeman on the water ;
Thetis, the oysterwoman's daughter;
Pluto, that chimney-fweeping floven;

1470

With Proferpine hot from her oven;
And Mercury, that is sharp and cunning

In stealing customs and in running;

And Dy the midwife, tho' a virgin;

1475

And Æfculapius the furgeon;
Apollo, who might be physician,
Or ferve them else for a musician;
The piper Pan to play her up;
And Bacchus with his chirping cup;
And Hercules should bring his club in
To give the rogue a lufty drubbing;
Volume I,

P

1480

And all the Cupids should be by

To fee their mother's infamy.

One Momus cry'd, "You're hugely pleas'd; 1485 I hope your mind will foon be eas'd;

"For when fo publickly you find it

'

People you know will little mind it : They love to tell what no one knows, "And they themselves only fuppofe. "Not ev'ry hufband can afford "To be a cuckold on record; "Nor fhould he be a cuckold styl'd' "That once or fo has been beguil'd, "Unless he makes it demonftration, "Then puts it in fome proclamation, "With gen'ral voice of all the nation."

1490

1495

The company were come, when Vulcan hopping, And for his key in left fide-pocket gropping,

"Cries, "It is but op'ning of that door

"To prove myself a cuckold, her a whore."

They all defir'd his leave that they might go; They were not curious of fo vile a fhow: Perfons concern'd might one another fee,

1500

And they'd believe fince witneffes were three: 1505
And they, thus prov'd to be fuch foolish elves,
Might hear,try, judge, and e'en condemn,themselves.
Difcretion covers that which it would blame,
Until fome fecret blush and hidden fhame

Have cur'd the fault without the noife of Fame.

The work is done: and now let Ovid have 1511 Some gratitude attending on his grave:

Th' afpiring palm, the verdant laurel, ftrow,
And sweets of myrtle wreaths around it throw.
In phyfick's art as Podalirius skill'd,

Neftor in court, Achilles in the field,

1515

As Ajax had in fingle combat force,

And as Automedon best rul'd the horse,

As Calchas vers'd in prophecies from Jove,
So Ovid has the mastership of Love.

1520

The poet's honour will be much the less

Than that which by his means you may poffefs
In choice of Beauty's lafting happiness:
But when the Amazonian quits the field,
Let this be wrote on the triumphant shield, 1525
That the by Ovid's Art was brought to yield.
When Ovid's thoughts in British style you fee,
Which may n't so founding as the Roman be,
Yet then admittance grant : it is fame to me.

WHO

PART XI.

I who the art of war to Danaans gave
Will make Penthefilea's force as brave,
That both becoming glorious to the fight
With equal arms may hold a dubious fight.

1530