11 Bacchus appeased, raised Cupid up,
       And gave him back his bow;
     But kept some darts to stir the cup
       Where sack and sugar flow.

  12 Jocus took Comus’ rosy crown,
       And gaily wore the prize,
     And thrice, in mirth, he push’d him down,
       As thrice he strove to rise.

  13 Then Cupid sought the myrtle grove,
       Where Venus did recline;
     And Venus close embracing Love,
       They join’d to rail at wine.

  14 And Comus loudly cursing wit,
       Roll’d off to some retreat,
     Where boon companions gravely sit
       In fat unwieldy state.

  15 Bacchus and Jocus, still behind,
       For one fresh glass prepare;
     They kiss, and are exceeding kind,
       And vow to be sincere.

  16 But part in time, whoever hear
       This our instructive song;
     For though such friendships may be dear,
       They can’t continue long.

[Footnote 1:  ‘Estcourt:’  Dick, a comedian and keeper of the Bumper Tavern—­a companion of Addison, Steele, and the rest.]

* * * * *

  A FAIRY TALE,

  IN THE ANCIENT ENGLISH STYLE.

  1 In Britain’s isle and Arthur’s days,
    When midnight Faeries danced the maze,
        Lived Edwin of the green;
    Edwin, I wis, a gentle youth,
    Endow’d with courage, sense, and truth,
        Though badly shaped he been.

  2 His mountain back mote well be said
    To measure heighth against his head,
        And lift itself above: 
    Yet spite of all that Nature did
    To make his uncouth form forbid,
        This creature dared to love.

  3 He felt the charms of Edith’s eyes,
    Nor wanted hope to gain the prize,
        Could ladies look within;
    But one Sir Topaz dress’d with art,
    And, if a shape could win a heart,
        He had a shape to win.

  4 Edwin (if right I read my song)
    With slighted passion paced along,
        All in the moony light: 
    ’Twas near an old enchanted court,
    Where sportive Faeries made resort
        To revel out the night.

  5 His heart was drear, his hope was cross’d,
    ’Twas late, ’twas farr, the path was lost
        That reach’d the neighbour-town;
    With weary steps he quits the shades,
    Resolved, the darkling dome he treads,
        And drops his limbs adown.

  6 But scant he lays him on the floor,
    When hollow winds remove the door,
        A trembling rocks the ground: 
    And (well I ween to count aright)
    At once an hundred tapers light
        On all the walls around.

  7 Now sounding tongues assail his ear,
    Now sounding feet approachen near,
        And now the sounds increase: 
    And from the corner where he lay
    He sees a train, profusely gay,
        Come prankling o’er the place.