Lines On Receiving From The Eight Hon. The Lady Frances Shirley[63]A Standish And Two Pens.

1 Yes, I beheld the Athenian queen      Descend in all her sober charms;     'And take,' she said, and smiled serene,     'Take at this hand celestial arms:     2 'Secure the radiant weapons wield;     This golden lance shall guard desert;     And if a vice dares keep the field,     This steel shall stab it to the heart.'     3 Awed, on my bended knees I fell,     Received the weapons of the sky;     And dipp'd them in the sable well,     The fount of fame or infamy.     4 'What well? what weapon?' Flavia cries--     'A standish, steel, and golden pen!     It came from Bertrand's,[64] not the skies;      I gave it you to write again.     5 'But, friend, take heed whom you attack;     You'll bring a house (I mean of peers)     Red, blue, and green, nay, white and black,     L---- and all about your ears.     6 'You'd write as smooth again on glass,     And run, on ivory, so glib,     As not to stick at fool or ass,[65]     Nor stop at flattery or fib.[66]     7 'Athenian queen! and sober charms!     I tell ye, fool, there's nothing in't:     'Tis Venus, Venus gives these arms;[67]     In Dryden's Virgil see the print.[68]     8 'Come, if you'll be a quiet soul,     That dares tell neither truth nor lies,[69]     I'll list you in the harmless roll     Of those that sing of these poor eyes.'