Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, CUPID ACQUITTED, A TALE, by THOMAS WARTON THE ELDER



Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

CUPID ACQUITTED, A TALE, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Whenever jove renews mankind
Last Line: And pray—what answer shall they make?
Subject(s): Cupid; Jupiter (god); Love; Marriage; Mythology - Classical; Poetry & Poets; Eros; Weddings; Husbands; Wives


WHenever Jove renews Mankind,
He makes A Will for ev'ry Mind.
This Gift is different in Most,
But Seldom is by Any lost.
Some Folks—(now let who can deny it)
Give all they have to gratify it:
Some, to subdue, divide their Wills,
Like Rivers cut in little Rills,
That lessen to a shallow Maze,
And feebly run a Hundred Ways:
The Wizard thus, (in Days of Yore)
That thought to lay th' Infernal Pow'r,
In Pieces broke his Magic Switch,
But found A Devil rose from Each.
Yet Some a Better Course pursue.——
—But to my Tale;—Muse! What say You?
Why, That is plain, and short, and new.


Some Years ago One Astrophil
Was born and fitted with A Will;
No Matter Who he was, or What,
A Will He had;—I'm sure of That:
About that Time fair Stella too
(GODS!—Who does not fair Stella know?)
Was form'd The Wonder of Her Kind,
And had Her proper Will assign'd.
Their Wills were stamp't so like (says Fame)
That Both were only Not the Same:
These help'd the Poets in their Trade,
POPE'S Similies by These were made;
Hence too his Rhimes for ever hit,
Made (by These Wills) exactly fit.
In short, for Virtues, or for Follies,
These Wills were Pairs, or Twins, or Tallies.

Well! Hymen—(as you guess, no doubt,
And you guess right)—soon found 'em out,
And bound 'em fast, like two chain'd Books,
And, ever and anon was peeping,
To see if Time impair'd their Looks,
Or, if They alter'd, in His keeping.
They alter'd Not. But Love, one Day,
Convey'd (it seems) One Will away;
And Which was That?—Nay!—Who can say?

For Love Himself, with All his Art,
Could not tell Whose was Whose a-part.
Now Hymen, you must think, complain'd,
That, "Tho' Himself Both Wills had chain'd,
"Yet One—Ah! Only One remain'd!—

"That Stella now, or Astro-phil,
"Might come upon him for their Will:
"That, therefore Jove the Cause should hear,
"And pray'd," That Cupid might appear.

HE Did: And roundly took his Oath
That Jove made—but One Will for Both.
His strange Surprize He then declar'd,
" 'Twas Hard, He needs must say, 'twas hard,
"That HE should be involv'd in Strife,
"HE seldom troubl'd Man and Wife.

"And—What in this Case He might do—
"They ne'er would blame him for't he knew;
"And—Why then, Hymen? Why should You?
"Still; you shall never have your Ends,

"For This Dear Couple were my Friends!"
With That—He turns to Swain and Spouse,
And smiles, and leers, and sooths, and vows,
"For His Part HE would serve 'em still,"
Then asks 'em (with A Courtier's Skill)
"If ever Either miss'd their Will?"

So, 'Tis Their Business Now to speak,
And pray—What Answer shall They make?





Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


Other Poems of Interest...



Home: PoetryExplorer.net