Now all the malady appear'd:

Now all the doctor's doubts were clear'd;

Who feign'd occafion to depart
To mix his drugs, confult his art :.
He bid the father hope the beft,
The lover fet his heart at rest,
Then took his fee, and went away,
But promis'd to return next day.
Day came-the family environ

With anxious eagerness our Chiron.
But he repuls'd them rough, and cried,
"Ne'er can my remedy be tried.”
The father humbly question'd, why
They might not use the remedy?
Th' enrag'd physician nought would say,
But earnest feem'd to hafte away-
Th' afflicted fire more humble yet is,
Doubles his offers, pray'rs, intreaties
While he, as if at laft compell'd
To speak what better were with-held,
cried- "Your fon must perish-
My wife alone his life can cherish-
"On her th' adult'rer doats---and I
"My rival's hated fight would fly."
The fire was now alike diftreft,
To fave his boy, or hurt his guest:
Long ftruggled he 'twixt love and shame;
At laft parental love d'ercame.

In

anger

And

And now he begs without remorfe

His friend to grant this last resource :
Intreats him o'er and o'er t' apply
This hard, but only remedy.

"What, prostitute my wife !" exclaims
The doctor," pimp for lawless flames ?”---
Yet ftill the father teaz'd and prest ;--
"O grant a doating fire's request!
"The necessary cure permit,

"And make my happiness complete."

Thus did the doctor's art and care
The anxious parent's heart prepare:
And found him trying long and often
The term adultery to soften.

---He own'd," that custom fure enough,
"Had made it found a little rough:
"But then, faid he, we ought to trace
"The fource and causes of the cafe.

"All prejudice let's lay afide,
"And taking Nature for our guide,
"We'll try with candour to examine

"On what pretence this fashion came in."
Then much he talk'd of man's first state,

(A copious fubject for debate!)

Of choice and inftin&t then difputes,
With many parallels to brutes ;

All tending notably to prove,

That inftinct was the law of Love :--

In

In fhort, that Nature gave us woman,
Like earth and air, to hold in common.
Then learned authors would he quote,
Philofophers of special note,

Who only thought their dames worth feeding,
As long as they held out for breeding;
And when employ'd in ftudious courses,

Would let them out, as we do horses.
Laft follow'd a facetious query,

To rank the sex naturæ feræ.

The doctor, when the speech was clos'd,

Confefs'd he was a little pos'd.

Then looking impudently grave,

"And how would you," faid he, "behave?

"Would you part freely with

your wife,

"To fave a friend's expiring life?

By Jove, I'd act as I advife,"

"The father eagerly replies.--

"Then," cries the doctor, "I have done--

"Intreat yourself to fave your fon.

"He loves your girl---can you endure

"To work the necessary cure?

"If it were just that 1 should give

My wife to caufe a friend to live;

"You furely may bestow with joy
"Your mistress, to preserve your boy."
He spoke with Senfe, he spoke with Art:
Conviction touch'd the Father's heart :-

""Tis hard (he cried) 'tis paffing hard
"To lofe what I fo much regard !
"But when two dread misfortunes press,
""Tis wifdom fure to choose the lefs."

N fecret pining thus I figh'd,

IN

"Love, thou alone my flame do'st know,

"Who did'ft the fatal arrow guide,

"And Venus, who prepar'd thy bow.

"Not to my friend, to her much less

"Dare I my hopeless flame disclose; "And love conceal'd, burns to excefs,

"And with redoubled ardour glows.

"Me, Cupid, haft thou robb'd of reft;

"Wound too the maid whofe love I feek;

"But pierce with lighter fhaft her breast,

"Left grief make wan that blooming cheek."

*Epifle XVI] A lover, who had long feared to disclose his paffion, at length defcribes to his friend the circumftances of fuccefs.

Sweet

Sweet did fhe fpeak, and fweetly fmile,

When lately I admittance had,
Yet feem'd fhe so reserv'd the while,
The inconfiftence made me mad.

Her fnowy hands, her lovely face
I view'd with admiration fill'd:
Her eafy negligence of dress,

Her bofom, feat of blifs, reveal'd!

Still dar'd I not my love make known,
But filently to Cupid pray'd,
"Grant that she firft her paffion own!"-
The pow'rful archer lent his aid.

Sudden she seiz'd my hand-her eyes
With am'rous elocution speak-

Inftant her wonted rigour flies,

And Love fits dimpling on her cheek.

Intoxicated with defire,

Her panting neck fhe did incline: And kifs'd me with fuch life and fire,

I thought her foul would blend with mine.

-Defcription can no farther go,

T'exprefs our happiness too weak-
But well did half-form'd accents show,
Our joys were more than we could speak.

VOL. II.

G

* EPISTLE