Poems on Several Occasions :: :: University of Virginia Library

Love's God, upon a rainy day,
When Venus would not let him play,
Sate pouting in a sullen mood,
(As any earthly Youngster wou'd:)
Sometimes he trifled with his String,
Then told the Quills upon his Wing;
As Boys, when disciplin'd by friends,
Will often count their Fingers ends.

At length enrag'd, the little Thief
(When anger had subdu'd his Grief)
With Arrows loose, and Bow unstrung,
Address'd the Fair from whence he sprung:

“'Tis well you think your Pow'r is great;
“But mine (Mamma) is Something yet:
“Your right you but by Duty prove,
“But I maintain my sway by Love.

“To me your gilded shrines you owe;
“Your incense from the Fops below:
“To me your oaths, your sighs, and lies;
“'Tis I that point your Chloe's eyes;
“And when I send my feather'd Dart,
“The Coxcomb cries, H'has lost his Heart.
“To me—But now no longer mine,
“The Reins of Empire I resign:
“Let Men submit to Reason's rules,
“And be at least designing fools;
“They all have Plagues enough in store,
“And want not me to bring them more.
“These Darts, the Magizine of Love,
“Those hasty gifts of thoughtless Jove,
“The Silver Bow, the fatal String,
“With ev'ry appertaining Thing,
“I vow to break, destroy, and tear,
“And scatter thro' the fields of Air:
“So help me, Mother Earth, and Styx.

Venus, who knew his usual tricks,
Reprov'd him smartly first for swearing,
Then call'd her coach to take the air in;
Slipt to her room, and soon was drest,
Thinking the child had been in jest;

But he (God wot) on tiptoes stood,
And made his cursed Promise good.

Venus return'd again by dark!
“A pretty Youth! a special Spark!
“That I should live to see this day!
She said, and seem'd to swoon away.
The hasty Gods around her press,
Their Care was much, their Fear was less;
For Jove, who these distempers knew,
(As Juno ever was a Shrew)
Told them that in the married State,
(Of which he long had felt the weight)
Whenever any thing went wrong.
These Fits came very thick and strong:
But, thanks to over-ruling Fate,
The Patient's Danger ne'er was great.
But Venus still prolong'd her Ail,
Her Eyes were clos'd, her Face was pale;
'Till Plutus, from the anxious croud,
Thus to the Mourner spake aloud:

“Arise, fair Dame, unveil those Eyes,
“Resume the Empire of the skies;
“In me behold your Pow'r restor'd,
“Again your Son and You ador'd.

“Grieve not for those unmeaning arms,
“See, mine have more substantial charms;
“Each Shaft with Interest pointed flies,
“And by each shaft a Lover dies.
“Tho' other Darts were idle, vain,
“Unfit your empire to maintain;
“They often miss'd, and if they hit,
“Perhaps they gave a man a Fit;
“But then the Mind was never sure,
“For Wine or Absence was his Cure:
“They wounded but the weaker part,
“A Beau's perhaps, or Poet's Heart,
“And They did but engross your tim
“With fustian prose, or sleepy rhime:
“But these—No more, the Goddess said,
And smiling rais'd her fragrant head,
The Gifts so freely you bestow
The World to latest Times shall know
Design'd alike for Age and Youth.
The Goddess spoke, and spoke the Truth.