Heathen mythology, Illustrated by extracts from the most celebrated writers, both ancient and modern. Various

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СКАЧАТЬ a goddess, with a bloom divine;

      And next the sire demands Minerva's aid,

      In all her various skill to train the maid

      Bids her the secrets of the loom impart,

      To cast a curious thread with happy heart;

      And golden Venus was to teach the fair

      The wiles of love, and to improve her air;

      And then in awful majesty to shed

      A thousand graceful charms around her head.

      Next Hermes, artful god, must form her mind,

      One day to torture, and the next be kind:

      With manners all deceitful, and her tongue

      Fraught with abuse, and with detraction hung;

      Jove gave the mandate, and the gods obeyed:

      First Vulcan formed of earth the blushing maid;

      Minerva next performed the task assigned,

      With every female art adorned her mind;

      To her the Beauties and the Graces join,

      Around her person, lo! the diamonds shine.

      To deck her brows the fair tressed seasons bring,

      A garland breathing all the sweets of spring:

      Each present Pallas gives its proper place,

      And adds to every ornament a grace!

      Next Hermes taught the fair the heart to move

      With all the false alluring arts of love,

      Her manners all deceitful, and her tongue

      With falsehoods fruitful, and detraction hung;

      The finished maid the gods Pandora call,

      Because a tribute she received from all;

      And thus 'twas Jove's command the sex began

      A lovely mischief to the soul of man!

      Within her hand the nymph a casket bears,

      Full of diseases and corroding cares:

      

      Which opened, they to taint the world begin

      And Hope alone remained entire within!

      Such was the fatal present from above,

      And such the will of cloud compelling Jove:

      And now unnumbered woes o'er mortals reign

      Alike infected is the land and main;

      O'er human race distempers silent stray,

      And multiply their strength by night and day!

      'Twas Jove's decree they should in silence rove,

      For who is able to contend with Jove?"

      Hesiod.

      When the box was opened, there issued from it a multitude of evils and distempers, which dispersed themselves over the world, and which from that fatal moment have never ceased to afflict the human race. Hope alone remained at the bottom, and that only has the power of easing the labours of man, and rendering his troubles less painful.

      "But thou, oh! Hope, with eyes so fair,

      What was thy delighted measure?

      Still it whispered promised pleasure,

      And bade the lovely scenes at distance hail!

      Still would her touch the strain prolong,

      And from the rocks, the woods, the vale,

      She called on Echo still throughout the song;

      And where her sweetest theme she chose

      A soft responsive voice was heard at every close,

      And Hope, enchanted, smiled and waved her golden hair!"

      Collins.

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       Table of Contents

      "Hope sets the stamp of vanity on all,

      That men have deemed substantial since the fall,

      Yet has the wondrous virtue to educe,

      From emptiness itself, a real use;

      And while she takes, as at a father's hand,

      What health and sober appetite demand,

      From fading good derives with chemic art

      That lasting happiness, a thankful heart.

      Hope with uplifted foot set free from earth

      Pants for the place of her ethereal birth;

      Hope, as an anchor firm and sure, holds fast

      The Christian vessel, and defies the blast.

      Hope! nothing else can nourish and secure

      His new born virtue, and preserve him pure.

      Hope! let the wretch once conscious of the joy,

      Whom now despairing agonies destroy,

      Speak, for he can, and none so well as he,

      What treasures centre, what delights in thee.

      Had he the gems, the spices, and the land

      That boasts the treasure, all at his command,

      The fragrant grove, th' inestimable mine,

      Were light when weighed against one smile of thine."

      Cowper.

      

      After this commenced the age of steel, when even Jupiter abandoned himself to the fiery passions of love, jealousy, and vengeance.

      —————"Hard СКАЧАТЬ