Sometimes he twifts and twirls it round,
Then, paufing, meditates profound:
No end he sees of his surprize,
Nor what it frould be can devife :
For never yet was wool or feather,
That could ftand buff against all weather;
And unrelax'd, like this, refift

Both wind and rain, and fnow and mist.
What stuff, or whence, or how 'twas made,
What spinfter which could spin fuch thread,
He nothing knew; but, to his coft,
Knew all his fame and labour loft.

Subdued, abafh'd, he gave it o'er ;
'Tis faid, he blufh'd; 'tis fure, he swore
Not all the wiles that hell could hatch
Could conquer that Superb Muftach.
Defeated thus, thus difcontent,

Back to the man the Dæmon went :

I grant," quoth he, "our contract null, "And give you a discharge in full.

"But tell me now, in name of wonder,

(Since I fo candidly knock under)

"What is this thing? Where could it grow? Pray take it---'tis in statu quo.

"Much good may 't do you; for my part,
"I wash my hands of 't from my heart."
"In truth, Sir Goblin or Sir Fairy,"
Replies the lad, “ you 're too foon weary.
"What, leave this trifling task undone !
"And think'st thou this the only one?

I

"Alas!

"Alas! were this fubdued, thoud'ft find
"Millions of more fuch still behind;
"Which might employ, ev'n to eternity,
"Both you and all your whole fraternity.”

The PEASANT in Search of his HEIFER.

A TALE AFTER M. DE LA FONTAINE

IT fo befell: a filly fwain

Had fought his heifer long in vain ;
For wanton fhe had frisking ftray'd,
And left the lawn, to feek the shade,
Around the plain he rolls his eyes,
Then, to the wood, in hafte he hies;
Where, fingling out the faircft tree,
He climbs, in hopes to hear or fee.
Anon, there chanc'd that way to pafs
A jolly lad and buxom lafs :

The place was apt, the paftime pleasant;
Occafion with her forelock prefent:
The girl agog, the gallant ready;
So lightly down he lays my lady.
But fo fhe turn'd, or fo was laid,
That the fome certain charms difplay'd,
Which with fuch wonder ftruck his fight
(With wonder, much; more, with delight)
That loud he cry'd in rapture, "What?
"What fee I, gods! What fee I not !”

But

But nothing nam'd; from whence 'tis guefs'd, 'Twas more than well could be express'd.

The clown aloft, who lent an ear, Strait ftopt him short in mid career: And louder cry'd, "Ho! honeft friend, "That of thy feeing seest no end ; "Doft fee the heifer, that I feck? "If do ft, pray be so kind to speak.'

HOMER'S HYMN TO VENUS.

SING, Mufe, the force and all-informing fire

Of Cyprian Venus, goddess of defire :

Her charms th' immortal minds of gods can move,
And tame the ftubborn race of men to love.
The wilder herds and ravenous beaft of prey
Her influence feel, and own her kindly fway.
Through pathlefs Air, and boundless Ocean's space,
She rules the feather'd kind and finny race;
Whole nature on her fole fupport depends,
And far as life exifts, her care extends.

Of all the numerous hoft of gods above,
But three are found inflexible to love.
Blue-ey'd Minerva free preferves his heart,
A virgin unbeguil'd by Cupid's art;
In fhining arms the martial maid delights,
O'er war prefides, and well-disputed fights;
With thirft of fame the first the hero fir'd,
And firft the skill of ufeful arts infpir'd;
N

Taught

Taught artifts firft the carving tool to wield,

Chariots with brafs to arm, and form the fenceful fhield;

She first taught modeft maids in early bloom

To fhun the lazy life, and spin, or ply the loom.
Diana next, the Paphian queen defies,

Her fmiling arts and proffer'd friendship flies:

She loves, with well-mouth'd hounds and chearful horn

Or filver-founding voice, to wake the morn,
Towound the mountain boar, or roufe the wood-land deer:
To draw the bow, or dart the pointed spear,
Sometimes, of gloomy groves fhe likes the fhades,
And there of virgin nymph the chorus leads;
And fometimes feeks the town, and leaves the plains,
And loves fociety where virtue reigns.

The third celeftial power averse to love

Is virgin Vefta, dear to mighty Jove;

Whom Neptune fought to wed, and Phœbus woo'd;
And both with fruitlefs labour long purfued;

For fhe, feverely chaste, rejected both,

And bound her purpose with a folemn oath,

A virgin life inviolate to lead ;

She fwore, and Jove affenting bow'd his head.
But fince her rigid choice the joys deny'd
Of nuptial rites, and bleffings of a bride,
The bounteous Jove with gifts that want fupply'd.
High on a throne fhe fits amidst the skies,
And firft is fed with fumes of facrifice :
For holy rites to Vesta first are paid,
And on her altar firft-fruit offerings laid;
So Jove ordain'd in honour of the maid.

}

}

Thefe

These are the powers above, and only thefe,
Whom Love and Chytherea's art displease :
Of other beings, none in earth or skies
Her force refifts, or influence denies.

With eafe, her charms the thunderer can bind.
And captivate with love th' almighty mind:
Ev'n he, whofe dread commands the gods obey,
Submits to her, and owns fuperior sway;
Enflav'd to mortal beauties by her power,
He oft defcends, his creatures to adore ;
While, to conceal the theft from Juno's eyes,
Some well-diffembled shape the gods belies.
Juno, his wife and fifter, both in place
And beauty, first among th' ætherial race;
Whom, all-tranfcending in fuperior worth,
Wife Saturn got, and Cybele brought forth :
And Jove, by never-erring counsel sway'd,
The partner of his bed and empire made.

But Jove at length, with just resentment fir'd,
The laughing queen herself with love infpir'd.
Swift through her veins the sweet contagion ran,
And kindled in her breast defire of mortal man;
That the, like other deities, might prove
The pains and pleasures of inferior love;
And not infultingly the gods deride,

Whose fons were human by the mother's fide :
Thus, Jove ordain'd the now for man fhould burn,
And bring forth mortal offspring in her turn.
Amongst the fprings which flow from Ida's head,
His lowing herds the young Anchifes fed: