To Mr. HOWARD:

An

OD E.

I.

DE

EAR HOWARD, from the foft Affaults of Love,
Poets and Painters never are Secure:

Can I untouch'd the Fair ones Paffions move?
Or Thou draw Beauty, and not feel it's Pow'r?,

II.

To Great APELLES when Young AMMON brought
The darling Idol of his Captive Heart;

And the pleas'd Nymph with kind Attention fat,
To have Her Charms recorded by His Art:
III.

The am'rous Master own'd Her potent Eyes;

Sigh'd when He look'd, and trembl'd as He drew:
Each flowing Line confirm'd his first Surprize;
And as the Piece advanc'd, the Paffion grew.

IV.

While PHILIP's Son, while VENUS' Son was near,
What different Tortures does his Bofom feel?

Great was the Rival, and the God fevere:

Nor could He hide his Flame, nor durft reveal.

V.

The Prince, renown'd in Bounty as in Arms,
With Pity faw the ill-conceal'd Diftrefs;
Quitted His Title to CAMPA SPE'S Charms,
And gave the Fair one to the Friend's Embrace.

VI. Thus

VI.

Thus the more beauteous CLOE fat to Thee,
Good How ARD, emu'lous of the GRECIAN Art:
But happy Thou, from CUPID's Arrow free,
And Flames that pierc'd Thy Predeceffor's Heart.
VII.

Had Thy poor Breast receiv'd an equal Pain;
Had I been vefted with the Monarch's Pow'r;
Thou must have figh'd, unlucky Youth, in vain;
Nor from My Bounty hadft Thou found a Cure.
VIII.

Tho' to convince Thee, that the Friend did feel

A kind Concern for Thy ill-fated Care,

I would have footh'd the Flame, I could not heal;
Giv'n Thee the World; tho' I with-held the Fair.

LOVE Difarm'd.

*BENEATH a Myrtle's verdant Shade
As CLOE half afleep was laid,

CUPID perch'd lightly on Her Breast,
And in That Heav'n defir'd to reft:
Over her Paps his Wings He fpread:
Between He found a downy Bed,
And neftl'd in His little Head.

Still lay the God: The Nymph furpriz'd,
Yet Mistress of her felf, devis'd,
How She the Vagrant might inthral,
And Captive Him, who Captives All.

}

Her

Her Boddice half way She unlac'd:
About his Arms She flily caft

The filken Bond, and held Him fast.
The God awak'd; and thrice in vain
He ftrove to break the cruel Chain;
And thrice in vain He fhook his Wing
Incumber'd in the filken String.

Flutt'ring the God, and weeping said,
Pity poor CUPID, generous Maid,
Who happen'd, being Blind, to stray,
And on thy Bofom loft his Way:

Who ftray'd, alas! but knew too well,
He never There must hope to dwell.
Set an unhappy Pris'ner free,
Who ne'er intended Harm to Thee, }
To Me pertains not, She replies,

To know or care where CUPID flies;
What are his Haunts, or which his Way;
Where He would dwell, or whither ftray:
Yet will I never fet Thee free:

For Harm was meant, and Harm to Me.
Vain Fears that vex thy Virgin Heart!
I'll give Thee up my Bow and Dart:
Untangle but this cruel Chain.
And freely let Me fly again.

Agreed: Secure my Virgin Heart:
Inftant give up thy Bow and Dart:
The Chain I'll in Return unty;
And freely Thou again fhalt fly.

Thus She the Captive did deliver;
The Captive thus gave up his Quiver.

The God difarm'd, e'er fince that Day
Paffes his Life in harmless Play;
Flies round, or fits upon her Breast,
A little, flutt'ring, idle Guest.

. E'er fince that Day the beauteous Maid
Governs the world in CUPID's ftead;
Directs his Arrow as She wills;

Gives Grief, or Pleafure; fpares, or kills.

CLOE HUNTING.

EHIND her Neck her comely Treffes ty'd,
Her Iv'ry Quiver graceful by her Side,
A-Hunting CLOE went: She loft her Way,
And thro' the Woods uncertain chanc'd to stray.
APOLLO paffing by beheld the Maid;

And, Sister Dear, bright CYNTHIA turn, He said:
The hunted Hind lyes close in yonder Brake.
Loud CUPID laugh'd, to fee the God's Mistake;
And laughing cry'd, Learn better, great Divine,
To know Thy Kindred, and to honour Mine.
Rightly advis'd, far hence Thy Sifter feek,

Or on MEANDER'S Bank, or LAT MUS' Peak.
But in This Nymph, My Friend, My Sister know:
She draws My Arrows, and She bends My Bow:
Fair THAMES She haunts, and ev'ry neighb'ring Grove
Sacred to foft Recefs, and gentle Love.

Go, with Thy CYNTHIA, hurl the pointed Spear
At the rough Boar; or chace the flying Deer:
E

I

I and My CLOE take a nobler Aim:

At human Hearts We fling, nor ever miss the Game.

CUPID and GANYMEDE.

I

N Heav'n, one Holy-day, You read

In wife Anacreon, GA NY MEDE

Drew heedlefs CUPID in, to throw
A Main, to pass an Hour, or fo.
The little Trojan, by the way,

By HERMES taught, play'd All the Play.

The God unhappily engag'd,

By Nature rafh, by Play enrag'd,

Complain'd, and figh'd, and cry'd, and fretted;

Loft ev'ry earthly thing He betted:

In ready Money, all the Store

Pick'd up long fince from DA NA E's Show'r;
A Snush-Box, fet with bleeding Hearts,
Rubies, all pierc'd with Diamond Darts;
His Nine-pins, made of Myrtle Wood;
(The Tree in IDA's Forest flood)
His Bowl pure Gold, the very fame
Which PARIS gave the CYPRIAN Dame;
Two Table-Books in Shagreen Covers;
Fill'd with good Verse from real Lovers;
- Merchandise rare! A Billet-doux,

-It's Matter paffionate, yet true:

Heaps of Hair Rings, and cypher'd Seals;
Rich Trifles; ferious Bagatelles.

What fad Disorders Play begets!
Defp'rate and mad, at length He fets

Thofe