The Goddess with her stubborn Will comply'd,

And deign'd by Trial to convince her Pride.
Both take their Stations, and the Piece prepare,
And order ev'ry slender Thread with Care;
The Web inwraps the Beam; the Reed divides,

[glides, While through the wid'ning space the Shuttle Which their swift Hands receive; then pois'd with

[Lead,

The fwinging Weight ftrikes close th' inferted
[Thread.
Each girds her flowing Garments round her Waft,
And plies her Feet and Arms with dextrous haste.
Here each inweaves the richest Tyrian Dye,
There fainter Shades in beauteous Order lye;
Such various Mixtures in the Texture shine,
Set off the Work, and brighten each design:
As when the Sun his piercing Rays extends,
When from thin Clouds some drifly Show'r de-

We see the spacious Humid Arch appear,

[fcends.

Whose transient Colours paint the splendid Air;

By

By fuch degrees the deep'ning Shadows rife
As pleasingly deceive our dazled Eyes;
And though the fame th' adjoining Colour feems,
Yet Hues of diff'rent Natures dye th' Extremes.
Here height'ning Gold they midst the Woof di-
[fpofe,
And in the Web this Antique Story rose.

Pallas the lofty Mount of Mars designs, Celestial Judgment guides th' unerring Lines; Here, in just view, th' Athenian Structures ftand, And there, the Gods contend to Name the Land; Twelve Deities fhe frames with ftately Mien, And in the midst fuperior Jove is seen; A glowing Warmth the blended Colours give, And in the Piece each Figure seems to live. Heav'n's Thundring Monarch fits with awful And dread Omnipotence imprints his Face;

[Grace,

There Neptune food, difdainfully he frown'd,
And with his Trident fmote the tremblingGround,
The parting Rocks a fpacious Chasm disclose,
From whence a fiery prancing Steed arofe;
And on that useful Gift he founds his Claim,
To grace the City with his honour'd Name.
In her own Shape a Warlike Port appears,
A fhining Helmet decks her flowing Hairs,
Her thoughtful Breaft her well pois'd Shield de-
And her bare Arm a glitt'ring Spear extends,
With which fhe wounds the Plain; from thence

[fends,

[arofe

A fpreading Tree, green Olives load the Boughs. The Pow'rs her Gift behold with wondring Eyes, And to the Goddess give the rightful Prize.

Such Mercy checks her Wrath, that to diffuade By others Fate the too prefumptuous Maid,

A

A small design each Corner-fpace supply'd,
Of the juft Downfal of contending Pride.

Hamus and Rhodope in This the wrought, And beauteous Colours fpoke her lively Thought; With Arrogance and fierce Ambition fir'd, They to the facred Names of Gods afpir'd; To Mountains chang'd their lofty Heads arife, And lose their lefs'ning Summits in the Skies.

In That, in curious Miniature was feen The wretched Fate of the Pygmaan Queen; Juno enrag'd, refents th'audacious aim, And to a Crane transforms the vanquish'd Dame; In that Voracious Shape fhe ftill appears, And plagues her People with perpetual Wars.

In This Antigone, for Beauty ftrove With the bright Confort of Imperial Jove.

Juno incens'd, her Royal Pow'r display'd,
And to a Bird converts the haughty Maid.
Laomedon his Daughter's Fate bewails,

Nor his, nor Ilion's earnest Pray'r prevails,
But on her lovely Skin white Feathers rise,
Chang'd to a clam'rous Stork fhe mounts the Skies.

In the remaining Orb, the heav'nly Maid The Tale of Childless Cynaras display'd, A fettled Anguish in his Look appears, And from his bloodshotEyes flow ftreams of Tears; On the cold Ground, no more a Father, thrown; He, for his Daughters, clasp'd the polifh'd Stone. And when he fought t' embrace their wonted [Charms, The Temple's Steps deceiv'd his eager Arms. Wreaths of green Olive round the Border twine, And her own peaceful Tree adorns the fair design.

Arachne