OVID'S ART of LOVE WITH Hero and Leander OF MUSAEUS From the GREEK Translated by several Hands Probet Haec Octavius Optimus atque Fuscus haec utinam Viscorum laudet uterque Hor. LONDON Printed for J. T. and are to be Sold by the Booksellers of London and Westminster 1692. OVID DE ARTE AMANDI OR The Art of Love THE FIRST BOOK Me Venus Artificem tenero praefecit Amori Typhis Automedon dicat Amoris ego OVID. IF in this Town an unflusht Puny be Unpractis'd in Loves weighty Mystery Let him a while these pow'rful Precepts prove And proceed Master in the Art of Love By Art swift Ships to their lov'd Port arrive By Art our Charriots in the Circus drive And who in Love would his great end attain Must guide the Boy too with an Artful Rein. Automedon by Charriots got a Name And steering Argo purchas'd Typhis Fame Great Venus to my Charge commits her Son Call me his Typhis his Automedon Tho the wild Thing my Counsel oft reject Yet tender years excuse the Boys neglect And promise for the future more respect Thus Reverend Chiron as 't is said of old To Musick did his young Achilles mould The gentle Art his roughness soon refin'd Soft'ning the growing Passions of his Mind He whom all sides so much so often fear'd Stood then in awe of that old Rev'rend Bard. Those Hands by which great Hector after fell Submitted then t'an angry Tutor's will Chiron t' Achilles I Love's Tutoram Both stubborn Boys both born of heav'nly Dame Yet ev'n the stubborn Oxe is brought to plow The generous Horse the Curb to undergo Love to my Menage shall at last submit Shall bear the Yoke or shall indure the Bitt Tho I severely may too often feel His fiercest Flames and most revengeful Steel Yet still the deeper me his Arrows wound The greater Rage shall in my Flames be found The more experienc'd better arm'd I 'll be T' avenge past wounds and future to foresee My self by Heav'n inspir'd I 'll not pretend No flatt'ring Augurys the Work commend No Clio e'r I 'll own't to me appear'd While I in Ascra's Vales sang to my Herd The Use alone does these Essays produce The Universal Beneficial Use May the great Queen of Love alone preside While I her thro-pac'd Poet am obey'd But fly my words ye Chaster Ladies fly Whom Marriage Vows or Virgin Honour ty I dare not tempt fair Innocence astray Or seduc'd Virtue to Disgrace betray Nor would my harmless lewd well-meaning Song Provoke the Great or Jealous Kinsmen wrong I no such dangerous Intrigues would teach But pleasant Stealths yet lawful Pleasure preach Their private Lordships undisturb'd may ly While Heav'n be prais'd the Common Fields supply Sufficient Quarry for my Muse to fly First then Young Lover Voluntier who 'd be In Loves Militia now inroll'd by me First of thy Love a worthy Object find Next to Compliance work her gentle Mind And if long Life thy happy Passion crown That one Point gain'd the mighty Work is done To keep this Method trace these ways I 'll strive And to these ends shall all my Preceps drive Whil'st thou' rt yet free and at thy own command Let a nice Judgment thy first Choice befriend Chuse one so worthy thou may'st justly say You 've got and best deserve my Heart away Expect not she should drop down from above And like a Gawdy Meteor court thy Love No Mistriss e'r was look'd for from the Clouds Your Eye must single'r from the meaner Crouds The Huntsman knows where proper Toils to spread Where tim'rous Deer where dreadful Bores are fed The Skilful Fowler the us'd Haunts of Prey The Patient Angler where the Fish do play And thou who would'st enjoy a lasting Fame Must know the Haunts and Concourse of thy Game I send thee not to tempt the Seas or Wind Prescribe no Pilgrimage this Heav'n to find Let far-fetch'd Indian Beauty Perseus please And dear bought Hellen give her Trojan ease Rome can such Eyes so numberless supply You 'd swear 't were Beauties Grand Monopoly Count all the Grains which fruitful Autumns bear The Fish i' th' Sea the Birds that swim i' th' Air. Count all the Stars those endless Sums of Gold Then may the Beauties of thy Rome be told If blooming Years and untaught Beauty please Those raw untaught Things may be found with ease If in the Prime they more delight your Eye Ten thousand in the Prime of Beauty vye You 'll be confounded with variety Or it some grave some serious Piece you 'd have You 'll find e'en some so serious and so grave Be sure to linger at due time of day In Pompey's Porch a few loose hours away And fail not at that Temple to appear Where o'r Adonis Venus drops a Tear At Isis Temple frequently be seen She many makes what she to Jove has been In Noisy Courts those daring Eyes are found Which in the face of Publick Justice wound Resistless Beauty there the Lawyer aws He 'd put a Caveat in his proper Cause There often words the greatest Pleader fail H' has Business of his own and cann't prevail While Venus smiling from her Temple spies The Patron cringing in a Clients Guise But most of all the Theaters frequent There thou may'st sate thy greedy Fancy's bent May'st find some worthy of a constant Love Some pow'rful only to divert not move As hurrying Ants in busie numbers rome While each removes his little Harvest home Or as the Bees in swarms delight to dwell Where fragrant Flow'rs and stores of Honey cell So to New Plays the finest Women haste The plenty oft to me has spoil'd the Feast No slight Ingagements do them thither call The Play the Sparks and to out-shine 'em all Great Romulus these Plays did first ordain When ravisht Sabine Wives supply'd his Men. No well-built House in those unpolisht Days Or curious Scenes excus'd the rough-drawn Plays Some broken Boughs in rude Disorder plac'd Were the Wild Scenes his Rustick Op'ra grac'd On the green Turff the rough Spectator sate Sheltring his grisled Head with leaves from Heat Each to himself the while designs his Lass And fresh Resolves his alter'd Fancy pass While Tuscane Hind shaking his Head begun On squeaking Reeds the lewd Fantastick Tune A Lydian Maurice to it shakes his Feet In Dance as odd and wretched as the Meet While Clamours and Applauses fill'd the Air No Arts or Factions bought Applauses there The sign is giv'n nor can they longer stay With violent Hands they seiz'd the trembling Prey As tim'rous Doves the hungry Eagles fly Or tender Lambs their rav'nous Enemy No less did these the boist'rous Souldiers dread All Life and Colour from their Faces fled In all was found an Universal Fear Which in each Face a diff'rent Shape did wear Some their Rich Locks and Beauteous Faces tear Revenging on themselves the Wrongs they bear Forc'd by an En'my to resign the Place They waste the Treasures and the
first they came Trust not your Passion with the Man you love He 'll be the first your Int'rest to remove Yet Brave Patroclus was to Friendship just And some few more perhaps have kept their Trust But whoe'r hopes the like to find May hope as well to sail against the Wind. Baseness alone we act with Appetite And no man looks beyond his own Delight W' are so ill-natur'd in the base Offence Another's Pain commends it to our Sense In Love an Open Enemy neglect Fear only those whom you could least suspect A Kinsman Brother or a Confident May make your Easie Faith too late repent And now to close up all I shall produce One Constant Rule of Universal Use A Thousand diff'rent Humours you shall meet A Thousand Arts those diff'rent Humours hit One spot of Ground shall luscious Grapes supply The next to Olives only shall agree The Skilful Lover must with Care allot The Vine or Olive to their proper spot Like Proteus must a Thousand Faces wear A Tree an Horse a Lyon or a Bear Be pleasant airy stately or severe Nor the same Snares for diff'rent Ages set The Experienc'd Hunted Hind will spy the Net If to the Bashful Wild Great to the Mean Courtly and Gay to the Ill-bred you seem Each soon of such Accomplishments despairs And lest she should be quickly nauceous fears Hence 't is the Flutt'ring Spark goes often home Out-rivall'd by the duller Brawny Groom THE END Hero and Leander OF MUSAEUS From the GREEK SIng gentle Muse the Torch well-known to Fame The silent Witness of a Nobler Flame And Him who thro th' divided Waves did haste Tides of stoln Joys and Midnight Bliss to taste Methinks I hear Leander on his way The Am'rous Waves about his Body play The Faithful Torch almost consum'd I hear That flaring tells glad Hero he is near The Torch a proper Emblem of their Love Whose well-known Service merits a remove To shine for ever ' mongst the Stars above And conscious of these Lover's Vows dispence On us below a gentler Influence Long was it Confident to their Amours And told th'approach of their kind melting hours Till the rough Winds a fatal War did move Unequal Foes for the soft sighs of Love At once destroying in an envious strife The Torch the Flame of Love Leander's Life Two Neighbours Sestus and Abydus stand Viewing each other from the opp'site Strand But Love whose Will the Seas in vain oppose Whose Boundless Power no Contradiction knows At once reach'd both with one unerring Dart. Here struck a Careless Youth and touch'd his Heart There made a Nymph unwillingly complain What they too rarely do of equal Pain Abydus's Glory young Leander came And Hero Flower of Sestus met his Flame If Chance or Bus'ness call ye out that way You still the Ruins of the Tower may see Where anxious Hero with the Taper stood To guide her Lover thro th'opposing Flood May stand concern'd your self upon the Shore And hear the Melancholy Waters roar That seem Leander's Death still to deplore The Lovely Hero sprung of Noble Blood Priestess all Day in Venus Temple stood All Night from Friends upon the Neighb'ring Sea In a lone Tower that other Venus lay She ne'r with other Ladies us'd t' engage Censure the Wits and Beauties of the Age. Nor in wild Masques or Wanton Balls delight With Chosen Youths to spend the am'rous Night But with rich Gums and costly Spices strove To keep propitious the Dread Queen of Love Would sometimes Hyacinths and Roses bring And sometimes Odes on her Adonis sing And willing too to make Blind Love her own The hov'ring Cupids she would often Crown In vain she strove to bribe him to be kind He 's Deaf to Promises t'Oblations Blind It was the Time they Yearly Honours pay When Venus and Adonis name the Day A Time by Sestians honour'd above all An Ancient and much Reverenc'd Festival The Neighb'ring Youth heard an uncertain Fame And flocking all from Thrace and Cyprus came The softer Sex Cythera empty left Abydus was of all her Men bereft They to the Altar Costly Presents pay But their Devotion lies another way Beauty the Toy fond Lovers deifie Beauty draws in the Crowding Votary A Power in Charming Smiles and Killing Eyes Requires the Bleeding Heart for Sacrifice But now Fair Hero thro the Fane made way Dress'd to perform the Duties of the Day An Air Majestique reign'd thro out her Face Sweetn'd by many a Complying Grace The Ancient Lovers but Three Graces found And by that Test was Perfect Beauty crown'd But Hero's Beauty more Divine than that With ev'ry Look new Graces did Create And wantonly about each careless Eye An hundred hov'ring Graces seem'd to play Oh Priestess worthy of the Queen of Love Worthy next her to Rule the Gods above She who all Beauties do's excel like you At once may Priestess seem and Goddess too The Youths around burn with unhallow'd Fires Love Blazes out and dwindling Zeal Expires In vain the Wretches turn their Eyes away The Killing Species on their Fancy prey Too late do's their prepost'rous Care begin Who shut the Gates when th'Enemy's got in Where-e'r she went or whatsoe'r was done Her Lovely Motion and sweet Mien drew on The Eyes the Heart the Soul of ev'ry one But One of all the rest to ease his pain Thus gave his Passion vent Oft have I seen the Place they Sparta call Where Beauty's Empire is the Prize of all But ne'r did yet so fair a Creature meet So young so sweet so ev'ry way compleat Long have I gaz'd 'twixt Trouble and Delight While the Bright Object dazzl's my Dull Sight Yet still I gaze and find with weary Eyes The Sight of Her like Heav'n ne'r satisfies Oh I could smile and Thousand Deaths defie Might I enjoying Thee Blest Hero die Would'st Thou but favour my Ambitious Love I 'd envy not the Mighty Bliss of Jove No I would scorn his Pageantry and Show And here enjoy a Real Heaven below But thou who do'st my tender Passion see Great Venus hear thy Humble Votary If from thy Priestess I must find Despair Grant me at least a Nymph resembling Her Thus spoke the Youth and ev'ry Stander by Joyn'd in his Wishes with an Hearty Sigh And now another in his lab'ring Brest Attempts to stifle the Outragious Guest But the Close Room frustrates his fond Desire Augmenting while it hides the Raging Fire At last Leander the Infection took Disguis'd by Love under a Gentle Look He had been told Love was a Killing Pain And vow'd he would not die and not complain He vow'd he could not without Hero live And She should cure the Wounds her Eyes did give Thus for a while he brav'd but Busie Love About his Heart did now too active prove And now the Symptoms on his Face begin To shew the sad Disorders are within There Fear and Shame Amaze and Boldness move The Dire Ingredients of the Poison Love Now Hope and Joy
my haâ—d Friends express The Ladies fly the Inauspicious Ground No Gentle Youths there dance to Musick 's sound The only Musick that e'r reaches me Is the harsh Roaring of the neighb'ring Sea This said again she hid her Heav'nly Face For Crowding Blushes now came on apace And half relaps'd do's her ill Conduct blame That she should trust a Stranger with her Fame Each word the tender Lover almost kills His Thoughts are bent how to redress these Ills. How they might Double Bliss stoln Love enjoy And all the Spight of Place or Friends defie Madam at last the gentle Youth replies But first le ts fall some deep prevailing Sighs Shall empty Nothings this Delight oppose Who scorns the Malice of all Real Foes Honour and Fame are nothing unto me Who for your Love dare venture thro the Sea Tho swoln with Dangers dreadful Tempests roar And shipwrackt Barks lie scatter'd on the Shoar The Face of Danger I can never fear While to those happy Arms my Course I steer 'T will raise the Price of all our future Joys If ought the Price of Joys Immortal raise To think with how much Danger they were got Not cheaply purchast at the Common Rate Yes I will leave Abydus ev'ry Night And cross the Seas as Love and you invite You on the Tower a lighted Torch provide Your Messenger of Love your Lovers Guide Thus I will be the little Bark of Love Your Torch the Star by which the Bark does move Yet one thing sits on my ill-boding Mind Beware Fair Maid the flatt'ring faithless Wind Lest I on unseen Dangers should be tost And your poor little Barque should so be lost My Cautions rise not from a sense of fear But who so soon would lose a Love so dear And Dearest Maid since you would know my Name Leander I your Blest Adorer am Ambition could no greater Titles claim This and much more the loving Pleader said Gaining by slow degrees the Charming Maid Upon these Terms at last they both agree She to provide the Torch He cross the Sea Thrice by the Goddess of the Place they swore Thrice with close Kisses ratifi'd the Amour After such Earnest of their future Joy To the next Night Sh'adjourn'd th' unwilling Boy Oft they agreed upon the parting Look Yet after many a last Kiss he took With much ado he parts and as he went The ills of future Errors to prevent Oft times he stopt and oft Remarques he made Which thro the Night might to her Lodgings lead The Following Morn creeps lazily away Each Minute seems to him a tedious Day Both Wine and Wit their boasted Vertue lose And time stands still to him which flys to those The helpless Lover wanders up and down And hopes in vain to lose it in the Town What e'r he does or wheresoe'r he goes Th' appointed Hour Th' appointed Hour pursues But now the welcome Night brought all Things Rest A Stranger only to Leander's Breast Already He was at the Water's side Waiting with pain the Rising of his Guide The Star of Love which might to humane Eyes Like others seem out of the Sea to rise Hero no less Impatient of Delay Sets up the Torch to call the Youth away The grateful Object quickly reacht his Sight But Planet-like shot Heat as well as Light Heat that renew'd his Extasie of Pain Doubling the rage of ev'ry boiling Vein Whate'r in other Things the Stars dispence 'T is plain the Stars of Love do Influence Fearful at first he saw the threat'ning Waves Roul by in horrid Scenes of gasping Graves But soon those Childish Fancies disappear And Love confutes his Superstitious Fear An hopeless Choice said He is left to me The Rage of Love or Fury of the Sea On hard Extreams the hopeless Wretch is thrown Whose Fatal Liberty is Burn or Drown Who can the Outragious Flames of Love endure Yet those dire Flames are gentler than their Cure Their Cure had been a calm obliging Sea But that 's as deaf and merciless as they Yet I will in and all it's threat'nings brave The Waters shall this Burning Structure save By Birth to Venus they Allegiance owe Venus the Witness of our Midnight Vow This said He strait his lovely Body stript And boldly on the foaming Billows leapt His Manly Strength th' opposing Waves divides In stately Pride like some Sea-god he rides Himself at once the Barque and Mariner Himself the Pilot and the Passenger Hero mean-while all pale and trembling stood With fruitless crys invoking the deaf Flood She watch'd from whence each envious Blast took flight And held her Mantle to defend the Light Thus having reach'd the welcome Sestian Shore The Weary'd Youth stood shivering at her Door The drops still fell from his rich Auborn Hair When she with silent Joy embrac'd him there Then to her richly furnish'd Chamber led Furnisht with Works her own fair hand had made There they sweet Oyls and Essences provide To stanch th' offensive Odour of the Tide Scarce yet recover'd on her Bed he lies While she with eager Joy his Limbs survey's Then all o'r Love she clasp's him in her Arms Let 's fall soft words endear'd with Thousand Charms My Joy for me what Dangers hast thou known What generous Wonders ha's thy Passion shown My Joy What Deaths hast thou embrac'd for me Thy Love as full and boundless as the Sea No Lover yet this Noble Height e'r flew This mighty Paradox was kept for you Thy weary'd Spirits on this Breast relieve If Hero's Breast any Relief can give Hero At which he stopt her with a Kiss Impatient grown for more Substantial Bliss The Flames within peep thro their Glowing Eyes And shoot by turns fresh Vigour as they rise With ill experienc'd and untimely Hast They urge those Joys which flew themselves too fast Till quite o'rwhelm'd in meeting Tides of Fire The weary'd Lovers languish and expire Then in kind wishing Looks and fainting Sighs Away the envious short-liv'd Blessing flyes But quickly they renew the am'rous Heat Pursuing Death so exquisitely Sweet And then agen with furious Hast they Love Practice new Charms each Wanton Art improve As if they meant the fleeting Hours t'o'rtake To pay with Int'rest past Enjoyments back But still at Heaven arriv'd they faint and die Unable to support th' Excess of Joy Thus flow'd the gentlest dearest kindest Night Each Minute meas'ring Ages of Delight No Dance or Musick or Untimely Rites Defer'd their Bliss those crowd the Marriage Nights When Fools their loathsom Jesting can't refrain But Barb'rously make Sport whith those in Pain And while the Man lies tortur'd by her side Impertinently kill the Longing Bride A silent Lamp help'd to compleat the Joy Which glaring Nuptial Torches would destroy The Nights alone to these Stealths conscious were The hasty Morn ne'r found Leander there Still with regret her dearest Arms he left Of ready Love unwillingly bereft She with Loose Gown suspicion do's avoid Virgin by day by night more bless'd than Bride
Works deface Others the Air with fruitless Laments wound The Groves and pitying Rocks their Cries rebound The Men alone unmov'd resist the sound Some mournful Sighs and silent Tears let fall Others in vain their helpless Mothers call Here some complaining others in amaze There one would fly another doubting stays The ravisht Maids by force are dragg'd away And some their treach'rous miseries betray Adding new Beauty to their Clouded Day Great Romulus could humour Souldiers best On such Incouragement my self I 'd list And from that time the Theatres remain Renown'd for Killing Eyes and Lovers slain Next let the Horse-race ne'r escape your sight The Circ ' has great Convenience for Delight No Mimic Signs need tell the Secret there Nor Artful Nodds back Assignations bear Place thy self boldly next the tempting She The Priv'ledg'd Place allows that Liberty To usher then thy new Acquaintance in Inquire and tell the News till they begin Fail not to learn whose Horses run that day And if she favours one incline that way Or when the Crowd and spurring Youths appear Applaud incourage and dislike with her If the Dust chance to settle on her Gown Be ready still to brush or shake it down Or tho no Dust be so presuming found Find the No-dust and shake it on the Ground The least Occasions for thy Service take If true Occasions fail pretended make If her long Train fall loosely on the Floor Do thou the Train to her fair Hands restore Be careful too lest those who sit behind With their rude Knees her tender Back offend These little Things with that soft Sex prevail Nay the least Offices most seldom fail To some of mighty consequence t' has been T o've plac'd the Cushion well for her to lean Others have gain'd the Point have been the Men For dext'rous menaging the Lady's Fan. Thus far the Circus to th' Amour makes way Or the fam'd Area where the Fencers play Oft Venus's Son has in that Area fought And he who came to see a wound has caught While he talks loud fools with her Hand and smiles And proffers Wagers which the other soils Himself has smarted by a sudden Blow Has born his part in the unhappy Show When Caesar lately his Mock-Sea-fight made And meeting Ships their Waving Flags display'd From all parts Youth and flocking Beauty prest Rome seem'd of all her Vassal World possest But oh who ' scap'd in that unlucky Day What Crowds of Slaves did Beauty lead away New Eagles now their threat'ning Wings display Rais'd to compleat the Universal Sway. The farthest East shall yield to Roman Steel And Parthians our severest Vengeance feel Rejoyce ye Crassi now blest Shades rejoyce Who bravely fell a Noble Sacrifice A Princely Youth comes to revenge your Blood Great 'bove his years and 'bove his Greatness good His tender years with early Honours bloom And grasp at hasting Conquests e'r they come A Godlike Genius and Heroic Mind Attended with this constant proof we find They pass those Stops we make with brave Disdain And seem to wait the slow-pac'd years with pain The Infant Hercules with Serpents strove His very Cradle prov'd his Claim to Jove May thy Great Fathers Fortunes lead thee on And may they ne'r Blest Youth thy Side disown The Conscious Poisons which their Arrows head Shew what ill helps a guilty Cause will need While Justice draws the Nobler Sword you wear And o'r your Standards Right and Truth appear In the nice Ballance of strict Justice weigh'd Their Cause is vanquish'd and thy Pow'r obey'd Methinks I spy Prophetic Poets see Half-form'd Events which in their Causes be I spy the Wreaths on thy Victorious Brow And haste to pay a Loyal Poet's Vow Farewell fond Love and this soft Darling Verse Great Numbers shall thy greater Deeds reherse I 'll draw thee speaking at the Armies Head Confirming Valour and expelling Dread But oh my Thoughts I fear will ill express The Charms the Life the Soul of thy Address I 'll draw thy Romans dreadful to the Sight And Parthians shooting in their scatter'd Flight Base Parthians of your wisht success despair That Form of War does no good Omen bear The day shall come when with thy Vanquisht Prize O Wonder and Delight of all our Eyes Thou shalt return with Honour from the War And Milk-white Steeds draw thy Triumphant Carr Before their great Commanders shall appear Secur'd with Chains from their own Native Fear The Youth shall flock and Ladies bless that day While Lambent Joy shall on all Faces play If thy fair Neighbour prove so curious there T' enquire what Names the Captive Princes bear What Towns those Mystic Pageants represent What Hills or Rivers are by th' other meant Answer to all what she ne'r question'd tell Tho stranger to the things yet know 'em well This is Euphrates with green Sedges crown'd That blew-lockt Tygris for swift Course renown'd Armenians these this Countrey Persis call And this some City in an Eastern Vale. This and this Princes make and Titles name And plausible at least tho false ones frame Much Love too has began at Public Feasts Where more than Wine oft warms th' unguarded Guests When Fumes of Wine have dampt his flagging Plumes The Boy sinks in and settles where he comes He wildly shakes his dropping Wings o'r all But wo the Breasts on which those Drops do fall Wine Courage gives Wine for her Love prepares Wine drowns the Thoughts of all uneasie Cares Mirth revels then poor Men talk loud and great And Grief is banish'd the Free happy State Then Truth in Words and only then is found And Plainness in our Actions does abound The mighty god does all Disguises drown Then Beauty-struck have many Lovers bled While Wine has Love one Flame another fed But Thou with Caution trust the treach'rous Light Suspect those partial Judges Wine and Night Paris by day did the Great Rivals view When he declar'd the Ball to Venus due Night hides all Faults does all Defects conceal And ev'ry Hag has power then to kill Why should I tire thy worn out patience more With Haunts un-nam'd and numberless in store Or to the Bajae or the Bath direct Or the Fam'd Wells which barren Wives affect There some who with them no ill symptoms brought Have by their Curious Folly Feavors caught And ev'ry Morn in vain the Waters blame That quench not but increase a Lover's Flame Thus far my Verse has taught thy Game to find And where to spread thy Toils to take the Hind The next Task is what little Arts to use The doubting tim'rous Creature to seduce I charge ye Lovers all I charge y' attend And all your Wishes your best Wishes lend First In th' Address a good Assurance shew Believe all Mortal and you 'll find 'em so Sooner shall Birds leave chirping in the Spring In Autumn Grashoppers forbear to sing The gen'rous Dog neglect his wonted Prey And tim'rous Hares before him safely play Than Woman once assail'd shall keep
the Field Or gently sooth'd by Youth forget to yield She whom you least suspect you know so well You 'd swear for her if press'd you 'll find she will As us those pleasant Stealths do them delight But they best hide the greedier Appetite 'T were well would Men a while forbear to ask How soon would they embrace the needful Task So neighing Mares before their Horses sport And stately Bulls the wanton Females court Our mod'rate Passion claims a gentle Name A lasting Fire yet no Devouring Flame While Byblis do's of Impious Fires complain But a Love Knot ends with her Life the Pain Myrrha too far her Father's Love enjoy'd And now her Blushes her own Barque does hide Hot Scylla stole her Father's Purple Hair And her lewd Lust does Dogs and Monsters wear An hundred Instances I might produce But let One here suffice for present use A Noble Bull once fed near Shady Ide The Envy of the Herds and of those Plains the Pride One Spot alone adorn'd his awful Brow The rest was a continu'd Robe of Snow Cydonian him and Cnossian Heifers please A full Seragl ' of Beauteous Mistresses The Cretan Queen too by his Form subdu'd With Jealous Eyes the Rival Heifers view'd I tell known Truths such as Crete scarce denies Crete fam'd for Cities much but more for Lies She strips fresh Leaves new-mow'd Pastures rakes And her own Hand the welcome present makes She loves t' attend to dwell among the Herds Nor ought her State or Mino's now regards In vain fond Queen you rich Embroid'ry use Your rude Gallant no such Distinction knows In vain you bring your flatt'ring Glasses there And in new shapes so often set your Hair At least believe what your own Glasses shew Believe no Horns on that fair Fore-head grow Oft while she saw some wanton Heifer play Her heedless Passion was o'r-heard to say Scorn on her Look and Anger in her Word And can that Creature please my Dearest Lord Yet see it dances o'r the tender Grass And silly Thing no doubt pretends to please Then damn'd the Beast to the laborious Plow Or made her die to pay some trivial Vow And while her cruel Eyes enjoy'd the Sight Her Tongue would share the barbarous Delight Go said she happy Rival to thy Queen Go please the Thing thy Lady loves agen In all these Crimes did Woman Lust engage 'T is fiercer much than ours and more a Rage Despair not then to make them all comply You 'll find scarce One in Ten who dares deny Yet those who yield or stand a faint Denial Indiff'rently all enioy the Trial. Or should the end thy flatter'd Hopes defeat Still there is left thee a secure Retreat But why should'st thou retreat when they agree In Good and Common Principles with Thee And hold thy Change and Dear Variety Their Neighbours Field still brings a Plenteous Birth While their poor Close is dry and worn-out Earth Their Neighbours Kine can half the Town supply While they want Milk and must be forc'd to buy But first an Int'rest in her Maid secure She may thy easier Access procure And chuse the nearest to her Ladies Heart Who in all Frolicks bears a Second's part The Confident where she secure esteems Her loosest Wishes and her softest Dreams With Promises and Oaths this Out-work win And you with ease may gain the Fort within Let her discover when sh ' unguarded lies And tell the proper Minute to surprise When neither Cares nor Griefs depress her Mind Love unperceiv'd does a free Entrance find Troy while oppress'd the fam'd long Siege maintain'd One Holy-day the Horses Entrance gain'd A well-tim'd Visit may thy Bus'ness do While some new Miss fits heavy on her Brow Call him ungrateful Traitor to her Love Let ev'ry Circumstance his Guilt improve Raise her swoll'n Passion and insinuate then The sweet Revenge on such a Perjur'd Man Next Morn her Woman while she combs her Head May urge and second what o'r Night you said Then to her self And can there be no way Ye Pow'rs such Matchless Falshood to repay Then mention you and your fine Person praise Your sweet Address and most obliging ways Then vow how much you 'r alter'd how you sigh And that for her you look pale and die Appear your self now e'r her Anger cool The least Delay your fairest Hopes may fool You 'd know now whether I 'd that Point admit To bribe her Woman with a Taste of it Consult for that the Dictates of your Sense If it do well or ill is meerly chance She 'll get a private Int'rest of her own If not your main Design goes on alone Therefore make use of my approv'd Advice Venture at all and never break the Ice But if when the dear Billet she conveys Her Face as well as Conduct chance to please First let her Lady bless thy ravish'd Sense Then enjoy her as an Appurtenance But one thing I enjoyn you by my Art Never attempt or th'rowly act this part If once she share the Crime you 'r sure to thrive None e'r betray the Cheat by which they live Then all their Words and Actions you shall have What Pleasure this and what Distaste that gave Conceal but thy Intelligence with care And all her Lady 's Grand Arcana hear All Months we see to Seed-time don't agree All Seasons are not safe to put to Sea Nor at all Times is flatter'd Beauty won Oft the same Things if duly tim'd had done If she prepare for Jovial Birth-day Rites Or the dear Calends in which Mars delights Or if the Circ ' unusual Riches shew Adorn'd with Spoils to Forreign Conquests due A luckier Minute for thy Bus'ness find Brave not the Malice of the threatning Wind. Weather and Storms forbid thy rash design And all the Stars against thy Love combine The Unexperienc'd Wretch who then puts out Deserves that Shipwrack which his Folly bought On that sad Day you may Reception gain When Allia flow'd with Gore of Romans slain Or the strict Sabbath of the Scrup'lous Jew A time unfit for ought but Love and You. Yet to her Birth-day due Devotion pay The Lovers Ancient greatest Holyday If you present her chuse that woful Time When a Wet Day has spoil'd some Grand Design A Present then will make thy Heaven clear Scatt'ring the Clouds which on her Face appear Do what you can sometimes she 'll take that Hold And try how much your Love out-weighs your Gold Woman that blessed Sov'raign Art has found With his own Gold to ease her Lovers Wound The Toy-man shall by Accident be there And in your sight display his Costly Ware She begs you 'd look on them and if you please Lend your Advice and shew your Skill in these Then clips your Cheek or drops a melting Kiss And would ye She strange taking has to This Swears 't would her Wish for ever satisfie She wants it now now is the Time to buy You Loss at Play or bad Returns pretend But
the kind Rascal will accept your Hand Now she wants Money for her Birth-day Treat And must new Birth-days when she will Create Now she must cheat you with a lying Mone How from her Ear she dropt the Richest Stone Anon must borrow what she 'll ne'r repay This is unthankt for meerly thrown away Their Endless Cheats to teach 't were vain to try An hundred Tongues could not perform th'Employ At first with flatt'ring Letters break the Way Sound her good Humour and thy Love convey In these thy softest tend'rest Things produce With all the Endearments Kindest Lovers use Put off thy Quality whate'r thou art And humbly act the Pleading Suitors part Thus Priam did the surly Greek to please Submissive Prayers the Angry Heavens appease Yet promise fair no harm is done by that Fair Promises ne'r run out an Estate If you 'r believ'd Hope long her Head will fill Hope a convenient tho deceitful Ill. If once you 've paid for 't she may well refuse Sh' has made her Market and can nothing lose Yet seem just giving tho you nothing give So barren Grounds the Farmers Hopes deceive S'enrag'd at 's loss the Gamester loses on Till by the wheedling Dice he 's quite undon But the main end of all your toil and pain Is the first Blessing gratis to obtain When once her Love is a free Present made Self Int'rest can't thy Property invade Send then but dress thy Passion with such Art Thy written Pains may wound her tender Heart Cydippe once the fatal Letter read And found too late the Words her Heart betray'd I charge ye Roman youth I charge ye all 'T is I your Great Professor on you call Some years let Arts and noble Studies have For greater Ends than trembling Guilt to save The People Senate Bench shall then submit But these are common small Effects of it Beauty shall own the Sov'reign Pow'r of Wit But hide with care your Pow'rful Talent there And strive not Fine and Florid to appear Let Gawdy Fops to their Dear She 's declaime And to strain'd Figures wreck their tortur'd Flame But never let thy Sense presume to fly Beyond the Rules of Probability Thy words be tender yet familiar too Nor Study ought or Affectation shew If she unread return your Letter back Hope still nor let ill Luck your Purpose break Only be constant to thy first Design Were she Penelope she should be thine Troy held out long but did at last resign But if she reads and will no Answer give Urge not an Answer let her more receive Who receives all to write will soon be brought Those Favors must by slow degrees be got At first a Melancholy Piece you 'll have Desiring you such vain Requests would wave Yet fears you should believe that they are vain And hopes you 'll have the Heart to try again Such little Arts as these at Cards they use To make us dare they tell us we shall lose Yet he that ventures oft defeats their Aim They curse his Fortune and yield up the Game And after this where e'r her Chair you meet Make your Addresses in the open Street But lest some treach'rous Ear should hearth'offence In doubtful Terms disguise thy private Sense If she at night i' th' Portico appear Chuse the same Walks and feign Delays with Her Oft cross her way as though by chance 't were done A Complement the Rudeness may attone And still near her at th' Theatre appear Her Presence claims thy due Attendance there There thou may'st feast thy Eyes with dear Delight While Looks and Gestures thy Desires-indite The secret Characters which Nature writes The new-past Antic Dance to her commend And fail not the poor Lover to be-friend Rise when she stands and when she pleases sit To lose the time at her Dispose submit But be not nice to curle or set thy Hair Paint not in hopes of being call'd the Fair. Let Rhea's Priests those Womans Arts invade For Softness and Effeminacy made A free indifferency suits our Temper best Theseus obtain'd his Lady tho ill-drest With joy the Goddess met Adonis flame Tho wild and rough as his lov'd Woods he came But for the little Niceties of Dress Let Fops and Women their dear own possess But Bacchus now requires my grateful Verse An Amorous Adventure to rehearse Who always aid to painful Lovers dealt Fav'ring the Flames whose rage himself had felt Her woful Fate on Dia's Foreign Shore Forsaken Ariadne did deplore Loose and neglected flew her Morning Gown Naked her Feet her lovely Locks hung down And Theseus Cruel Theseus oft she said But her Complaints to the Deaf Waves were made On Theseus Name she call'd and tore her Hair But this Distraction made her look more Fair. She wept nor did her Tears become her less Charming she look'd even in Sorrows Dress She beat her Breasts and cry'd Perfidious He Is gone What shall become of Helpless Me What shall become of Me But here the sound Of Drums and Trumpets her loud Sorrows drown And Troops of Frantick Bacchannals appear Heightning her Grief with a new Scene of Fear At first with pity she the Sight did view Thinking some Theseus might have wrong'd them too Till the rough Satyrs next came leaping by The Wild Attendants of this Deity Silenus on his Ass did first appear Doting and Drunk and more a Brute than her All their Dull Jests on Beast and Rider throw And grieve and fret the Drunkard as they go Such Madness and Disorder they invent Th' unruly Power of Bacchus to present The Youthful God behind the Tumult shines His Charriot cover'd o'r with fruitful Vines His Golden Curbs the harness'd Tygers aw Which with fierce Pride express what God they draw Her Voice and Colour left her at the sight And when she strove to fly Fear stopp'd her Flight Madam so he begins banish your Fear For Theseus lost you 've found a Deity here He Faithless Man abus'd your Constant Flame But Gods by Nature always are the same This said he leap'd from his Triumphant Carr Willing t' oblige the Lady 's needless Fear Then in his Arms for how could she resist Possess'd her Love as Gods do what they list Part of his Train loud Odes to Hymen sing And part the Triumphs of their Mighty King Thus the Fair Bride Immortal Joys did taste Thus the Great God another Heaven possest Therefore if e'r when Mirth and Wine invite The Dear Fair She shall thy next Neighbour sit Much there in dubious Words you may let fly Which She alone shall to her self apply Or with spilt Wine upon the Table write The softest Things thy hasty Thoughts indite While unacquainted with the close Design Sh'admits a Servant as she reads the Wine Or let thy Eyes to hers thy Flames impart They best Translate the Language of the Heart It loses much if the false Tongue declare it Some sweet soft Grace in Looks we often dress Whose Images faint Words could ne'r express Observe to