The Kite, Canto II

The virgin ceas'd; and Venus' smiling son (The volume waving in his hand) begun. " If e'er I taught that breast to fall and rise, " And emptied quivers from those sparkling eyes; " If I, the lover sweetly to beguile, " Spread o'er those dimpled cheeks that winning smile; " Let Cupid once his earnest wish obtain; " Hear what he asks, nor let him ask in vain. " Know then, fair maid, from Love's great sovereign know, " Has Cupid ought?—'Tis all fair Dian's now! " The world receives thy edicts with applause, " And Love's liege subjects hear from thee their laws. " Thee shall the Graces, thee the Smiles attend, " And young Desires around their camp extend. " But shall these hands no mark of favour boast, " Robb'd of their arms—my bow, my quiver lost! " Ah! let the skilful maid a frame prepare, " These leaves (so heaven has doom'd) must rise in air: " Then, born on Zephyrs, shall thy work be seen, " And distant eyes adore the wing'd machine: " Cupid well-pleas'd shall guide its easy flight, " And Dian too shall view its wonderous height! " At Jove's command, the royal eagle flies, " And bears his rolling thunder thro' the skies; " The gaudy peacock struts in plumy pride, " And stalks majestic by a Juno's side; " And, tho' mamma prefers her wanton dove; " Cupid shall have a better bird than Jove."

Thus urg'd the power of love—Agreed—she cried, And reach'd the bow and quiver from his side.

Now to their posts a thousand Loves descend, And round the fair with busy zeal attend; Among them one, whom long experience blest With a mechanic head above the rest. He form'd the ruff in good Eliza's days, And first confin'd the slender waist in stays: He first with beauty-spots adorn'd the maid, And bid her borrow lustre from their shade: He knit the lovers-knot in times of old, And form'd the circle of the bridal gold: He on the ear first hung the sparkling rings; His was the tucker; his the kissing-strings. He first in canvas hoop enclos'd the maid; Turn'd the round coif; and rais'd the stiffen'd head. While other Loves the paste, or packthread brought, Drew out the plan, and built the bird in thought; He sought the wand, which first her grandsire bore, Th' expressive ensign of the sheriff's power; This next the infant Dian active strode, And round the parlour fancied journeys rode: (Its mane, like gold, in glittering tinsel spread, And painted streamers nodded o'er its head) But now miss Molly, with becoming speed, Press'd with her wanton weight the nimble reed: Artful he tempts the little fair to stay, And steals the long-descended gift away. His useful theft the winged band approve, Fair Dian smil'd, and thus began the Love.

" Ah, generous victor, spare one useful toy! " Ah! let us once again the bow enjoy! " Those eyes alone can greater mischiefs do, " Want not our skill, and wound without our bow! " Be thine the turtles! be the sparrows thine; " And keep the quiver!—but the bow resign! " Crown'd with its arch, Maria's horse shall rise, " And trail thy labours thro' the wondering skies!"

Thus he: nor sued in vain, the maid gave ear, And with a graceful nod receiv'd his prayer.

And now, disrob'd of all its useless pride, Firm to the bow the pliant reed she tied; As when (some full, but distant, mark in view) With stretch'd-out arm the Parthian draws his yew; The string, declining from its closing ends, Obliquely to the arrow's head descends: So sell the cord, so stood the captive steed, By Dian's hand to rise, for nobler flights decreed.

The little Loves, not idle by her side, For various works the manuscript divide: Those o'er the surface spread its leaves, while these Collect the sacred relicks for the stays. Exulting Cupid too his tribute brings, And waves on high the deeply-scollop'd wings: With art divine the fringe he gather'd round, And with a silken cord the tassels bound: His bow with these the power of love adorns, And the gay pendants tremble from its horns.

Yet, ah! what boots his care? what griefs attend? At once his hope, his joy, and labour, end! The volume fails!—and still unfinish'd lies The bird of Love! still wants a tail to rise!

But while around th' imperfect work they wait, Or by the silent maid all pensive sate, Hermes, (so bids the laughter-loving-dame) Like an old justice of the quorum, came. A dark full-bottom'd wig his temples shades, And o'er his shoulders venerably spreads; An antient cane his steady footsteps guide; And an old sword stuck stiffly by his side: With a long file of senate-acts he came, These tax'd the land—and those secur'd the game. In Dian's skilful hand he left the prize, And, quick as thought, shot upward to the skies. With cautious skill the shining steel she guides, And in small remnants Hermes' gift divides. Speeches of kings came flourish'd from her hand; And furl'd, like heroe's plumes, their edicts stand: Laws hung like cambrick on the wrists of beaux; And Anna's acts look'd like her furbeloes: These nicely-gather'd on her lace she strung, And on the bird decrees of nations hung. Of proclamations next a dome she frames, Enclos'd within, a living taper flames: Thro' equal folds its wanton blazes play, And wavy rounds transmit the silver ray.

Cupid with reverence receives the prize, (A thousand transports sparkling in his eyes:) " And shall great actions public triumphs grace, " And does thy work (he cried) deserve them less? " When Python by Apollo's arm lay slain, " And stretch'd his livid body o'er the plain, " Revolving seasons did the deed proclaim, " And spoke the conquest in the Pythian game: " In every age this just reward was due, " And Roman games, as Roman heroes, grew: " But still to Love proceed no solemn shows, " No myrtle garland binds the victor's brows. " Hence then shall the gay youth and active maid " In merry gambols fly o'er Nancy's head, " (For know, that trembling light which glimmers there, " Was Nancy once, a maid like Dian fair) " When merry sports the hoary season brings, " And raises hinds from slaves to short-liv'd kings, " When Rose the circling monarchy obtains, " And dreadful whiskers mark disloyal swains. " This sure, at least, may Nancy's memory claim, " And Dian's work demand a winter evening's game."

Thus spoke the God, then spread his golden wings, And o'er the waving taper active springs; Fair Venus' sons the great example view, And o'er the light their vaulting chief pursue.

But say, my muse (since thou alone canst tell) How Nancy liv'd, and how lamented fell! Nancy, a virgin of the vestal train, Hymen in marriage sought; but sought in vain. In vain he strove with all his joys to move, And warm her marble breast to nuptial love: The nymph, regardless of his prayers and sighs, From his embraces pale and panting flies; The God pursued;—and now had reach'd the fair, As thus she cried—"O holy Vesta, hear! " Let Nancy still, amid thy maiden choir, " From Hymen free, preserve thy living fire!" She said:—and sudden to a taper turn'd, And in his circling arms, still trembling, burn'd. " Yet shalt thou, stubborn maid, enrag'd he cried, " At all my wedding-feasts attend the bride; " Where-ever Hymen's call'd, thou too be there, " A witness to those joys thou wouldst not share."

Thus he—and on his Nancy silent gaz'd, As her white petticoat around her blaz'd.

So great Alcides from the world retir'd, And flaming, in the magic-shirt, expir'd.