And thought whofe Sow had farrow'd last: Against Diffenters would repine,
And stood up firm for Right Divine. Found his Head fill'd with many a System, But Claffick Authors he ne'er mifs'd'em.
Thus having furbifht up a Parfon, Dame Baucis next they play'd their Farceon. Inftead of home-fpun Coif, were feen Good Pinners edg'd with Colberteen: Her Petticoat transform'd apace,
Became black Sattin flounc'd with Lace. Plain Goody would no longer down, 'Twas Madam in her Grogram Gown. Philemon was in great Surprize, And hardly could believe his Eyes, Amaz'd to see her Look so prim, And she admir'd as much at him.
Thus, happy in their Change of Life Were feveral Years this Man and Wife, When on a Day, which prov'd their laft, Difcourfing o'er old ftories paft,
They went by change, amidft their talk, To the Church-yard, to take a Walk;
When Baucis haftily cry'd out;
My Dear; I fee your Forehead sprout:
Sprout, quoth the Man, What's this you tell us? I hope you don't believe me jealous: But yet methinks I feel it true;
And truly, yours is budding too - Nay, now I cannot stir my Foot: It feels as if 'twere taking Root. -
Defcription would but tire my Mufe: In fhort, they both were turn'd to Yews. Old Good-man Dobson of the Green Remembers he the Trees has feen; He'll talk of them from Noon 'till Night, And goes with Folks to fhew the Sight:
On Sundays after Ev'ning Pray›r, He gathers all the Parifh there; Points out the Place of either Yew; Here Baucis, there Philemon grew: Till once, a Parfon of our Town, To mend his Barn, cut Baucis down; At which 'tis hard to be believ'd How much the other Tree was griev'd:· Grew fcrubby, dy'd a top, was ftunted; So, the next Parfon ftub'd and burnt it.
(Matthew Prior, geboren 1664, gestorben 1721, ein in mehrerlei Gattungen glücklicher und dadurch bei seiner Nation sehr beliebt gewordner Dichter; am glücklichsten aber in seinen mit Anmuth und Leichtigkeit geschriebenen Erzäh lungen: The Ladle; Paulo Purganti; Hans Carvel; und Protogenes and Apelles. Die lettere, als die kürzeste, mag hier zur Probé dienen.)
HEN Poets wrote, and Painters drew, As Nature pointed out the View:
Ere Gothic Forms were known in Greece, To spoil the well-proportion'd Piece: And in our Verfe ere Monkish Rhimes Had jangl'd their fantastick Chimes: Ere on the flow'ry Lands of RHODES Thofe knights had fix'd their dull Abodes, Who knew not much to paint or write,
Nor car'd to pray, nor dar'd to fight: PROTOGENES, Hiftorians note,
Liv'd there, a Burgefs Scot and Lot; And, as old PLINY'S writings fhow, APELLES did the fame at Co.
Agreed these points of Time and Place, Proceed we in the prefent cafe.
Picqu❜d by PROTOGENE'S fame From Co to RHODES APELLES came : To fee a rival and a friend,
Prepar❜d to cenfure, or commend, Here to abfolve and there object, As art with candor might direct. He fails, he lands, he comes, he rings: His fervants follow with the things: Appears the Governante of th' houfe: For fuch in GREECE were much in ufe: If young or handfom, Yea or No, Concerns not Me, or Thee to know.
Does Squire PROTOGENES live here? Yes Sir, fays fhe with gracious air, And court fey low; but juft call'd out By Lords peculiarly devout:
Who came on purpose, Sir, to borrow Our VENUS, for the feaft to-morrow, To grace the church: 'tis VENUS Day: I hope Sir, you intend to stay, To fee cur VENUS: 'tis the piece The most renown'd throughout all GREECE, So like th' Original, they say: But I have no great fkill that way But, Sir, at Six ('tis now paft Three) DROMO must make my Master's Tea: At Six, Sir, if you please to come You'll find my Mafter, Sir, at home.
Tea, fays a Critic big with laughter Was found fame twenty ages after: Authors, before they write, fhou'd read 'Tis very true, but we'll proceed. And, Sir, at present wou'd you please
To leave your name Reach me that board.
But done, with one judicious stroke
On the plain ground APELLES drew A circle regularly true:
And will you pleafe, Sweet-heart, faid he, To fhew your Mafter this from me? By it he presently will know,
How Painters write their Names at Co. He gave the Pannel to the Maid. Smiling and court'fing, Sir, fhe said, I fhall not fail to tell my Master: And, Sir, for fear of all difafter, I'll keep it my ownfelf: fafe bind, Says the old Proverb, and fafe find. So, Sir, as fure as key or lock Your fervant Sir at fix a clock. Again at fix APELLES came; Found the fame prating civil Dame. Sir, that my Mafter has been here, Will by the board itselfappear. If from the perfect line he found He has prefum'd to fwell the round Or colours on the draught to lay: 'Tis thus (he order'd me to fay) Thus write the Painters of this Isle Let thofe of Co remark the ftyle She faid; and to his hand reftor'd The rival pledge, the miffive board. Upon the happy Line were laid Such obvious light, and eafie fhade; 'That PARIS' Apple stood confeft, Or LEDA's Egg, or CLOE's Breaft: APELLES view'd the finifh'd Piece And live, faid he, the Arts of GREECE! Howe'er PROTOGENES and I,
May in our rival' talents vie;
Howe'er our works may have express'd Who trueft drew or colour'd best When he beheld my flowing line:
He found at least I cou'd defign And from his artful round, I grant That he with perfect fkill can paint The dulleft GENIUS cannot fail To find the Moral of my Tale That the diftinguifh'd part of men With Compafs, Pencil, Sword, or Pen Shou'd in Life's vifit leave their Name In Characters, which may proclaim That they with ardor ftrove to raise At once their arts, and country's praise And in their working took great care That all was Full, and Round, and Fair.
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