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9,

If we fee Right, we fee our Woes;
Then what avails it to have Eyes?
From Ignorance our Comfort flows,
And Sorrow from our being wife.

IU.

We weary'd, fhould lye down in Death;
This cheat of Life wou'd take no more:
If you thought Fame but empty Breath;
I, Phillis, but a perjur'd Whore.

Mr. Prior.

XLIII.

Baucis and Philemon.

Out of the Eighth Book of Ovid's Metamorphofis. OVID pursuing the Deeds of Thefeus; relates how

he, with his Friend Perithous were invited by Achelous, the River-God, to ftay with him, till his Waters were abated. Achelous entertains them with a Relation of his own Love to Perimele, who was chang'd into an Inland by Neptune, at his Requeft. Perithous, being an Atheist, derides the Legend, and defires the Power of the Gods, to work that Miracle. Lelex, another Companion of Thefeus, to confirm the Story of Achelous, relates another Metamorphofis of Baucis and Philemon into Trees; of which he was partly an Eye-Witness.

"HUS Achelous ends: His Audience hear, With Admiration, and Admiring, fear The Pow'rs of Heav'n; except Ixion's Son, Who laugh'd at all the God's; believ'd in none.

Me

He

He fhook his impious Head, and thus replies,
Thefe Legends are no more than pious Lies:
You attribute too much to heavenly fway,
To think they give us Forms, and take away.
The reft of better Minds, their Senfe declar'd
Against this Doctrine, and with Horrour heard.
Then Lelex rofe, an old experienc'd Man,
And thus with fober Gravity began;

Heav'ens Power is infinite: Earth, Air and Sea,
The Manufacture Mafs the making Pow'r obey:
By Proof to clear your Doubt; in Phrygian ground
Two Neighb'ring Trees, with Walls encompas'd
(round,
Stand on a moderate rife, with wonder fhown,
One a hard Oak, a fofter Linden one:

Ifaw the Place and them, by Pittheus fent
To Phrygian Realms, my Grandfire's Government.
Not far from thence is feen a Lake, the Haunt
Of Coots, and of the Fishing Cormorant:
Here Jove with Hermes came, but in Difguife
Of mortal Men conceal'd their Deities;
One laid afide his Thunder, one his Rod;
And many toilfome Steps together trod:
For Harbour at a thoufand Doors they knock'd,
Not one of all the thousand but was lock'd.
At laft an hofpitable Houfe they found,

A homely Shed, the Roof, not far from Ground,
Was thatch'd with Reeds,and Straw together bound,
There Baucis and Philemon liv'd, and there
Had liv'd long marry'd, and a happy Pair:
Now old in Love, tho' little was their Store,
Inur'd to Want, their Poverty they bore,
Nor aim'd at Wealth, profefling to be Poor.
For Mafter or for Servant, here to call,
Was all alike, where only Two were all.
G

Command was none, where equal Love was paid, Or rather both Commanded, both obey'd.

From lofty Roofs the Gods repuls'd before, Now ftooping, enter'd through the little Door: The Man (their hearty welcome firft exprefs'd) A common Settle drew for either Gueft, Inviting each his weary Limbs to rest.

But e'er they fat, officious Baucis lays

}

Two Cushions ftuff'd with Straw, the Seat to raife;
Course, but the best fhe had; then rakes the load
Of Ashes from the Hearth, and fpreads abroad
The Living Coals; and, left they thould expire,
With Leaves and Barks fhe feeds her Infant Fire:
It fmoaks,and then with trembling Breath fhe Blows,
Till in a chearful Blaze the Flames arofe.

With Brufb-wood and with Chips fhe ftrengthens these
And adds at laft the Boughs of rotten Trees.
The Fire thus form'd, fhe fets the Kettle on,
(Like burnifh'd Gold the little Seether fhone)
Next took the Coleworts which her Husband got
From his own Ground (a fmall well-water'd fpot)
She ftripp'd the Stalks of all their Leaves; the beft
She cull'd, and then with Handy-Care fhe drefs'd.
High o'er the Hearth a Cnine of Bacon hung;
Good old Philemon feiz'd it with a Prong,
And from the Sooty Rafter drew it down,
Then cut a Slice, but fcarce enough for one;
Yet a large Portion of a little Store,

Which for their Sakes alone he wifh'd were more.
This in the Pot he plung'd without delay,
To tame the Flesh, and drain the Salt away.
The time between, before the Fire they fat,
And fhorten'd the delay by pleafing chat.
A Beam there was, on which a Beechen Pail
ung by the Handle, on a driven Nail:

This filled with Water, gently warm'd they fet
Before their Guefts, in this they bath'd their Feet,
And after with clean Towels dry'd their Sweat:
This done, the Hoft produc'd the Genial Bed,
Sallow the Feet, the Borders, and the Sted,
Which with no coftly Coverlet they spread;
But courfe old Garments, yet fuch Robes as thefe
They laid alone, at Feafts, on Holydays.
The good old Hafwife tucking up her Gown,
The Table fets, th' invited Gods lie down.
The Trivet-Table of a Foot was lame,
A Blot which prudent Baucis overcame.
Who thrufts beneath the limping Leg, a Sherd,
So was the mended Board exactly rear'd:
Then rubb'd it o'er with newly-gather'd Mint,
A wholefom Herb, that breath'd a grateful Scent.
Pallas began the Feaft, where first was feen
The Party-colour'd Olive, Black and Green :
Autumnal Cornels next in Order ferv'd,
In Lees of Wine well pickl'd, and preferv'd.
A Garden-Sallad was the third fupply,
Of Endive, Radifhes, and Succory:

}

Then Curds andCream,theFlow'r of Country-Fare
And new-laid Eggs, which Baucis bufie Care
Turn'd by a gentle Fire, and roasted Rear.
All these in Earthen-Ware were ferv'd to board;
And next in Place, an Earthen Pitcher ftor'd
With Liquor of the best the Cottage cou'd afford.
This was the Table's Ornament, and Pride,
With Figures wrought, like Pages at his Side
Stood Beechen Bowls, and thefe were fhining clean,
Vernish'd with Wax without, and lin'd within.
By this the Boyling Kettle had prepar'd,
And to the Table fent the fimoaking Lard;
On which with eager Appetite they dine,
A Sav'ry Bit, that ferv'd to rellish Wine:

The Wine it felf was fuiting to the reft,
Still Working in the Must, and lately prefs'd.
The fecond Courfe fucceeds like that before,
Plums, Apples, Nuts, and of their Wintry Store,
Dry Figs, and Grapes, and wrinkled Dates were fet
In Canifters, t' enlarge the little Treat:

All thefe a Milk-white Honey-comb furround,
Which in the midft the Country-Banquet crown'd:
but the kind Hofts their Entertainment Grace
With hearty Welcome, and an open Face:
In all they did, you might difcern with Ease,
A willing Mind, and a Defire to please.

Man time the Beechen Bowls went round, and ftill,
Though often empty'd, were obferved to fill;
Filled without Hands, and of their own accord
Ran without Feet, and danc'd about the Board.
Devotion feiz'd the Pair, to fee the Feaft
With Wine, and of no common Grape increas'd;
And up they held their Hands, and fell to Pray'r,
Excufing as they could, their Country Fare.
One Goole they had ('twas all they cou'd allow)
A wakeful Cent'ry, and on Duty now,
Whom to the Gods for Sacrifice they Vow:
Her, with malicious Zeal, the Couple view'd;
She ran for Life, and limping they purfu'd
Full well the Fowl perceiv'd their bad Intent,
And would not make her Mafters Compliment;
But perfecuted, to the Pow'rs the flies,

And close between the Legs of Jove the lies:
He with a gracious Ear the fuppliant heard,
And fav'd her Life; then what he was declar'd,
And own'd the God. The Neighbourhood, faid he,
Shall justly perifh for Impiety :

You ftand alone exempted; but obey

With speed, and follow where we lead the Way :

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