Classic and Contemporary Poetry
CUPID ACQUITTED, A TALE, by THOMAS WARTON THE ELDER Poet's Biography First Line: Whenever jove renews mankind Last Line: And praywhat 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 OneAh! 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 madebut 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. "AndWhat in this Case He might do "They ne'er would blame him for't he knew; "AndWhy then, Hymen? Why should You? "Still; you shall never have your Ends, "For This Dear Couple were my Friends!" With ThatHe 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 prayWhat Answer shall They make? | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...A BLESSING FOR A WEDDING by JANE HIRSHFIELD A SUITE FOR MARRIAGE by DAVID IGNATOW ADVICE TO HER SON ON MARRIAGE by MARY BARBER THE RABBI'S SON-IN-LAW by SABINE BARING-GOULD KISSING AGAIN by DORIANNE LAUX A TIME PAST by DENISE LEVERTOV A FAREWELL TO POETRY by THOMAS WARTON THE ELDER A FRAGMENT OF A SATIRE by THOMAS WARTON THE ELDER A PARAPHRASE ON THE 13TH CHAPTER OF ISAIAH by THOMAS WARTON THE ELDER |
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