, a specious ill,
  Which, felt, they curse, yet covet still to feel.'          30

   He said, and Vulcan straight the sire commands
  To temper mortar with ethereal hands;
  In such a shape to mould a rising fair,
  As virgin-goddesses are proud to wear;
  To make her eyes with diamond-water shine,
  And form her organs for a voice divine.
  'Twas thus the sire ordain'd; the power obey'd;
  And work'd, and wonder'd at the work he made;
  The fairest, softest, sweetest frame beneath,
  Now made to seem, now more than seem, to breathe.           40

   As Vulcan ends, the cheerful queen of charms
  Clasp'd the new-panting creature in her arms;
  From that embrace a fine complexion spread,
  Where mingled whiteness glow'd with softer red.
  Then in a kiss she breathed her various arts,
  Of trifling prettily with wounded hearts;
  A mind for love, but still a changing mind;
  The lisp affected, and the glance design'd;
  The sweet confusing blush, the secret wink,
  The gentle-swimming walk, the courteous sink,               50
  The stare for strangeness fit, for scorn the frown,
  For decent yielding, looks declining down,
  The practised languish, where well-feign'd desire
  Would own its melting in a mutual fire;
  Gay smiles to comfort; April showers to move;
  And all the nature, all the art, of love.

   Gold-sceptred Juno next exalts the fair;
  Her touch endows her with imperious air,
  Self-valuing fancy, highly-crested pride,
  Strong sovereign will, and some desire to chide:            60
  For which an eloquence, that aims to vex,
  With native tropes of anger arms the sex.

   Minerva, skilful goddess, train'd the maid
  To twirl the spindle by the twisting thread,
  To fix the loom, instruct the reeds to part,
  Cross the long weft, and close the web with art:
  An useful gift; but what profuse expense,
  What world of fashions, took its rise from hence!

   Young Hermes next, a close-contriving god,
  Her brows encircled with his serpent rod;                   70
  Then plots, and fair excuses, fil