Afking who'd venture ore the mounds to vau't The liefeft purpose of her darling boy, Or urge them both their minion Pfyche to deftroy. XVIII. Eros recul'd, and noul'd the work atchieve. "His fpear from Mars, his levin-brond from Jove." "Gallefs dove! "Than love's, fpight's mightier prowess understond: "If fpight infpires I dare all dangers prove: "And if fuccefsful, ftand the levin-brond, "When hurlen angry forth from Jove's avenging hond." XIX. He faid, and deffly t'wards the gardens flew ; Horribly smiling at his foul emprise. When, nearer ftill and nearer as he drew, Unfufferable brightness wounds his eyes Forth beaming from the crystal walls; he tries Down drops, plumb from his tow'ring path, the treachor base. I XX. So bafe. XX. So ore Avernus, or the Lucrine lake, Down tumbles the fowl headlong from his height. Provok'd, but not accoid at his ftraunge plight. XXI. As on the margin of a stream he ftood, And shoots th' important gulph, borne on the gentle tydes. XXII. So fhone the brazen gates of Babylon; So ftrong, no engines could them batter down: X. So So So flank'd with tow'rs, befiegers n'ote avail; But where might yields, there ftratagems prevail. And thro' his channel pours the unexpected foes. XXIII. He fails along in many a wanton spire ; XXIV. So on he fares, and ftately wreaths about, XXV. Un XXV. Unkenn'd of her, he raught th' embroider'd bank; And through the tangled flourets weft afide To where a rofiere by the river dank, Luxuriant grew in all its blowing pride, Not far from Pfyche; arm'd with scaly hide He clamb the thorns, which no impreffion make; His glitt'ring length, with all its folds untied, Plays floating ore the bush: then filence brake, And thus the nympth, astonish'd at his speech, bespake. XXVI. "O faireft, and most excellent compleat "In all perfections, fov'reign queen of nature! "The whole creation bowing at thy feet "Submiffive pays thee homage! wond'rous creature, "If aught created thou! for every feature "Speaks thee a goddess issued from the skie; "Oh! let not me offend, unbidden waiter, "At aweful distance gazing thus! But why "Should gazing thus offend? or how unbidden I ? XXVII, "The fun that wakes thofe flourets from their beds, VOL. III. C "Off'ring "Off'ring at his command, their sweet incense; "Thus I, drawn here, by thy enliv'ning rays, (Call not intrufion my obedience !) "Perforce, yet willing thrall, am come to gaze, "To pay my homage meet, and bafk in beauty's blaze." XXVIII. Amaz'd fhe flood, nor could recover foon: With her own thoughts. Nor with less pleasure stray'd Yet frighted at the thorn on which he play'd:Pleasure with horror mixt! fhe hung between Sufpended; yields, recoils, uncertain where to lin. XXIX. At length fhe spoke: "Reptile, no charms I know "Their is the gift, and be the tribute their! "But reed me, reptile, whence this wonder rare, "That thou haft fpeech, as if to reafon born? "And how, unhurt you sport on that forbidden thorn?" XXX.“ Say, |