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

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Imitated and Enlarged.

As fast beside a murm'ring stream,
In blissful visions Cupid lay,
Chloë, as she softly came,
Snatch'd his golden shafts away.

From place to place in sad surprize
The little angry godhead flew:
Trembling in his ruddy eyes
Hung the pearly drops of dew.

So on the rose (in blooming May,
When purple Phœbus rises bright)
Liquid gems of silver lay,
Pierc'd with glitt'ring streams of light.

Fair Venus with a tender languish
Smiling, thus her son addrest,
As he murmur'd out his anguish
Trembling on her snowy breast:

Peace, gentle infant, I implore,
Nor lavish precious tears in vain;
Chloë, when the jest is o'er,
Brings the useless shafts again.

Can Chloë need the shafts of love,
Young, blooming, witty, plump, and fair?
Charms and raptures round her move,
Murm'ring sighs, and deep despair.

Millions for her unheeded die,
Millions to her their blessings owe;
Ev'ry motion of her eye
Murders more than Cupid's bow.