229

CUPID'S MISTAKE.

CUPID'S MISTAKE.

As after noon, one summer's day
Venus stood bathing in a river,
Cupid a-shooting went that way,

New strung his bow, new fill'd his quiver.

With skill he chose his sharpest dart;
With all his might his bow he drew;
Swift to his beauteous parent's heart
The too-well guided arrow flew.

"I faint! I die!" the goddess cried:
"Oh, cruel! couldst thou find no other
To wreak thy spleen on, Parricide?

Like Nero, thou hast slain thy mother!

Poor Cupid, sobbing, scarce could speak; "Indeed, Mamma, I did not know ye. Alas! how easy my mistake!

I took you for your likeness-Chloe."

Matthew Prior.

230

HOW TO MAKE A BEAUTY.

HOW TO MAKE A BEAUTY.

(LINES TO MRS. BIDDY FLOYD.)

WHEN Cupid did his grandsire Jove entreat
To form some Beauty by a new receipt,
Jove sent and found, far in a country scene,
Truth, innocence, good-nature, look serene;
From which ingredients first the dexterous boy
Picked the demure, the awkward, and the coy.
The Graces from the court did next provide
Breeding and wit, and air, and decent pride:
These Venus clears from every spurious grain
Of nice, coquette, affected, pert, and vain.
Jove mix'd up all, and his best clay employ’d;
Then called the happy composition-FLOYD.
Fonathan Swift.

LOVE'S PATIENCE.

WHEN raging love with extreme pain
Most cruelly distrains my heart;
When that my tears, as floods of rain,
Bear witness of my woful smart;
When sighs have wasted so my breath,
That I lie at the point of death:

LOVE'S PATIENCE.

I call to mind the navy great

That the Greeks brought to Troy town: And how the boisterous winds did beat

Their ships, and rent their sails adown; Till Agamemnon's daughter's blood Appeas'd the gods that them withstood;

And how that in those ten years war
Full many bloody deed was done;
And many a lord that came full far,
There caught his bane, alas! too soon;
And many a good knight overrun,
Before the Greeks had Helen won.

Then think I thus: "Sith such repair,
So long time war of valiant men,
Was all to win a lady fair,

Shall I not learn to suffer, then?
And think my life well spent to be
Serving a worthier wight than she?

Therefore I never will repent,

But pains contented still endure; For like as when, rough winter spent,

The pleasing spring straight draweth in ure; So after raging storms of care,

Joyful at length may be my fare.

H. Howard (Earl of Surrey)

231

232

LOVE'S MIGHT.

LOVE'S MIGHT.

HEAR, ye ladies that despise,
What the mighty love has done;
Fear examples, and be wise:

Fair Calisto was a nun;
Leda, sailing on the stream
To deceive the hopes of man,
Love accounting but a dream,
Doated on a silver swan;

Danaë, in a brazen tower

Where no love was, loved a shower.

Hear, ye ladies that are coy,

What the mighty love can do;

Fear the fierceness of the boy:

The chaste moon he makes to woo;

Vesta, kindling holy fires,

Circled round about with spies,

Never dreaming loose desires,

Doting at the altar dies;

Ilion, in a short hour, higher

He can build, and once more fire.

Beaumont and Fletcher.

THE HEART OF STONE.

233

THE HEART OF STONE.

WHENCE comes my love? O heart, disclose;
It was from cheeks that shamed the rose,
From lips that spoil the ruby's praise,
From eyes that mock the diamond's blaze:
Whence comes my wo? As freely own;
Ah me! 'twas from a heart like stone.

The blushing cheek speaks modest mind,
The lips befitting words most kind,
The eye does tempt to love's desire,
And seems to say 'tis Cupid's fire;

Yet all so fair but speak my moan,

Sith nought doth say the heart of stone.

Why thus, my love, so kind bespeak

Sweet eye, sweet lip, sweet blushing cheek-
Yet not a heart to save my pain!

Oh Venus, take thy gifts again!

Make not so fair to cause our moan,
Or make a heart that's like our own.

Sir John Harrington.