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Gay Bacchus little Cupid ftung,
By reckoning his deceits;

And Cupid mock'd his ftammering tongue,
With all his ftaggering gaits:

And Jocus droll'd on Comus' ways,

And tales without a jest;

While Comus call'd his witty plays

But waggeries at best.

Such talk foon fet them all at odd's ;

And had I Homer's pen,

I'd fing ye, how they drank like Gods,
And how they fought like Men.

To part the fray, the Graces fly,
Who make them foon agree:
Nay, had the Furies selves been nigh,
They ftill were three to three.

Bacchus appeas'd, rais'd Cupid up,
And gave him back his bow;
But kept fome darts to ftir the cup,
Where fack and sugar flow.

Jocus took Comus' rofy crown,
And gayly wore the prize,

And thrice, in mirth, he push'd him down,
As thrice he ftrove to rife.

Then Cupid fought the myrtle grove,

Where Venus did recline;

And Venus close embracing Love,

They join'd to rail at wine.

And Comus loudly curfing wit,
Roll'd off to fome retreat;
Where boon companions gravely fit
In fat unwieldy ftate.

Bacchus and Jocus still behind,

For one fresh glass prepare;
They kiss, and are exceeding kind,
And vow to be fincere.

But part in time, whoever hear
This our instructive song ;
For though fuch friendships may be dear,
They can't continue long,

A FAIRY TALE,

IN THE ANCIENT ENGLISH STILE.

IN Britain's ifle, and Arthur's days,
When midnight Fairies daunc'd the maze,
Liv'd Edwin of the Green;

Edwin, I wis, a gentle youth,

Endow'd with courage, fenfe, and truth,
Though badly fhap'd he'd been.

His mountain back mote well be faid,
To measure height against his head,
And lift itself above;

Yet, spite of all that Nature did
To make his uncouth form forbid,
This creature dar’d to love.

He felt the charms of Edith's eyes,
Nor wanted hope to gain the prize,
Could ladies look within ;

But one Sir Topaz drefs'd with art,
And, if a shape could win a heart,
He had a shape to win.

Edwin, if right I read my fong,
With flighted paffion pac'd along
All in the moony light;

'Twas near an old enchanted court,
Where sportive fairies made refort
To revel out the night.

His heart was drear, his hope was cross'd, 'Twas late, 't was far, the path was loft That reach'd the neighbour-town;

With weary steps he quits the fhades,
Refolv'd, the darkling dome he treads,
And drops his limbs adown.

But fcant he lays him on the floor,
When hollow winds remove the door,
And trembling rocks the ground:

And, well I ween to count aright,
At once a hundred tapers light
On all the walls around.

Now founding tongues affail his ear,
Now founding feet approachen near,
And now the founds increase:

And from the corner where he lay
He fees a train profusely gay

Come prankling o'er the place.

But (trust me, Gentles!) never yet
Was dight a masquing half so neat,
Or half fo rich before;

The country lent the fweet perfumes,
The fea the pearl, the fky the plumes,
The town its filken ftore.

Now whilft he gaz'd, a gallant drest
In flaunting robes above the rest,
With awful accent cry'd ;

What mortal of a wretched mind,
Whofe fighs infect the balmy wind,
Has here prefum'd to hide ?

At this the fwain, whofe venturous foul
No fears of magic art control,
Advanc'd in open fight;

"Nor have I cause of dreed, he faid,
"Who view, by no presumption led,
"Your revels of the night.

" 'Twas grief, for scorn of faithful love, "Which made my fteps unweeting rove "Amid the nightly dew."

""T is well, the gallant cries again, "We fairies never injure men

"Who dare to tell us true.

"Exalt thy love-dejected heart,

"Be mine the task, or ere we part, "To make thee grief refign;

"Now take the pleasure of thy chaunce ; "Whilft I with Mab, my partner, daunce, "Be little Mable thine."

He spoke, and all a fudden there
Light mufic floats in wanton air;

The monarch leads the queen:
The reft their fairy partners found:
And Mable trimly tript the ground
With Edwin of the Green.

The dauncing past, the board was laid,
And fiker fuch a feaft was made,
As heart and lip defire,

Withouten hands the dishes fly,
The glaffes with a wish come nigh,
And with a wish retire.

But, now to please the fairy king,
Full every deal they laugh and fing,
And antic feats devise;

Some wind and tumble like an ape,
And other fome transmute their shape
In Edwin's wondering eyes.

Till one at laft, that Robin hight,
Renown'd for pinching maids by night,
Has bent him up aloof;

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