Infus'd, yet as it were by stealth,
Some small regard for ftate and wealth;
Of which, as he grew up, there ftay'd
A tincture in the prudent maid:
She manag'd her eftate with care,
Yet lik'd three footmen to her chair.
But, left he should neglect his ftudies
Like a young heir, the thrifty Goddess
(For fear young master should be spoil'd,)
Wou'd ufe him like a younger child;
And, after long computing, found
'Twou'd come to just five thousand pound.
The queen
of love was pleas'd, and proud,
To fee Vanessa thus endow'd:
She-doubted not but fuch a dame
Through ev'ry breaft would dart a flame;
That ev'ry rich and lordly fwain
With pride wou'd drag about her chain ;
That scholars wou'd forfake their books
To study bright Vanessa's looks;
As fhe advanc'd, that womankind
Wou'd by her model form their mind,
And all their conduct wou'd be try'd
By her, as an unerring guide;
Offending daughters oft wou'd hear
Vanessa's praife rung in their ear:
Miss Betty, when she does a fault,
Lets falls her knife, or fpills the falt,
Will
Will thus be by her mother chid,
" "Tis what Vanessa never did."
Thus by the nymphs and swains ador'd,
My pow'r fhall be again restor'd,
And happy lovers blefs my reign---
So Venus hop'd, but hop'd in vain.
For, when in time the martial maid
Found out the trick that Venus play'd,
She shakes her helm, fhe knits her brows,
And fir'd with indignation vows,
To-morrow, e'er the setting fun,
She'd all undo, that she had done.
But in the poets we may find,
A wholesome law time out of mind
Had been confirm'd by fate's decree;
That Gods, of whatsoe'er degree,
Refume not what themselves have giv'n,
Or any brother-God in heav'n;
Which keeps the peace among the Gods,
Or they must always be at odds:
And Pallas, if she broke the laws,
Muft yield her foe the stronger cause;
A fhame to one, fo much ador'd
For wisdom at Jove's council-board.
Befides, fhe fear'd the queen of love
Wou'd meet with better friends above.
And though she must with grief reflect,
To fee a mortal virgin deck'd
With graces hitherto unknown
To female breafts, except her own;
Yet fhe wou'd act as beft became
A Goddess of unspotted fame.
She knew, by augury divine,
Venus wou'd fail in her design:
She study'd well the point, and found
Her foe's conclufions were not found,
From premiffes erroneous brought,
And therefore the deduction's nought,
And must have contrary effects,
To what her treach'rous foe expects.
In proper season Pallas meets
The queen of love, whom thus fhe greets,
(For Gods, we are by Homer told,
Can in celestial language fcold)
Perfidious Goddess! but in vain
You form'd this project in your brain,
A project for thy talents fit,
With much deceit, and little wit.
Thou haft, as thou fhalt quickly fee,
Deceiv'd thyself, inftead of me:
For how can heav'nly wisdom prove
An inftrument to earthly love?
Know'st thou not yet, that men commence
Thy votaries for want of sense?
Nor fhall Vanessa be the theme
To manage thy abortive scheme :
She'll prove the greatest of thy foes;
And yet I fcorn to interpose,
But using neither skill, nor force,
Leave all things to their natʼral course.
The goddess thus pronounc'd her doom:
When, lo! Vanessa in her bloom
Advanc'd, like Atalanta's ftar,
But rarely feen, and feen from far:
In a new world with caution ftept,
Watch'd all the company fhe kept,
Well knowing from the books fhe read
What dang rous paths young virgins tread :
Wou'd feldom at the park appear,
Nor faw the play-house twice a year;
Yet, not incurious, was inclin'd
To know the converse of mankind.
First issued from perfumers shops
A croud of fashionable fops:
They ask'd her, how the lik'd the play?
Then told the tattle of the day;
A duel fought last night at two,
About a lady ---You know who;
Mention'd a new Italian, come
Either from Muscovy or Rome;
Gave hints of who and who's together:
Then fell to talking of the weather:
Last night was fo extremely fine,
The ladies walk'd till after nine.
Then in foft voice, and fpeech abfurd,
With nonsense ev'ry fecond word,
With fuftian from exploded plays,
They celebrate her beauty's praise;
Run o'er their cant of ftupid lyes,
And tell the murders of her eyes.
With filent fcorn Vanessa fat, Scarce lift'ning to their idle chat; Further than fometimes by a frown, When they grew pert, to pull them down. At last she spitefully was bent To try their wisdom's full extent; And faid, fhe valu'd nothing lefs Than titles, figure, fhape, and drefs; That merit should be chiefly plac'd In judgment, knowledge, wit, and tafte ; And these, fhe offer'd to difpute, Alone distinguish'd man from brute : That present times have no pretence To virtue, in the noble fenfe By Greeks and Romans understood To perish for our country's good. She nam'd the ancient heroes round, Explain'd for what they were renown'd; Then spoke with cenfure, or applause, Of foreign customs, rites, and laws; Thro' nature and thro' art fhe rang'd, And gracefully her fubject chang'd:
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