On sight of this celestial _prude_, Apollo thought it vain to stay; Nor in her presence durst be rude, But made his leg and went away. He hop'd to find some lucky hour, When on their queen the Muses wait; But Pallas owns Ardelia's power: For vows divine are kept by Fate. Then, full of rage, Apollo spoke: "Deceitful nymph! I see thy art; And, though I can't my gift revoke, I'll disappoint its nobler part. "Let stubborn pride possess thee long, And be thou negligent of fame; With ev'ry Muse to grace thy song, May'st thou despise a poet's name! "Of modest poets be thou first; To silent shades repeat thy verse, Till Fame and Echo almost burst, Yet hardly dare one line rehearse. "And last, my vengeance to compleat, May you descend to take renown, Prevail'd on by the thing you hate, A Whig! and one that wears a gown!" [Footnote 1: Afterwards Countess of Winchelsea.--_Scott_. See Journal to Stella Aug. 7, 1712. The Countess was one of Swift's intimate friends and correspondents. See "Prose Works," xi, 121.--_W. E. B._] ANSWER TO LINES FROM MAY FAIR[1] NOW FIRST PUBLISHED I In pity to the empty'ng Town, Some God May Fair invented, When Nature would invite us down, To be by Art prevented. II What a corrupted taste is ours When milk maids in mock state Instead of garlands made of Flowers Adorn their pails with plate. III So are the joys which Nature yields Inverted in May Fair, In painted cloth we look for fields, And step in Booths for air. IV Here a Dog dancing on his hams And puppets mov'd by wire, Do far exceed your frisking lambs, Or song of feather'd quire. V Howe'er, such verse as yours I grant Would be but too inviting: Were fair Ardelia not my Aunt, Or were it Worsley's writing.[2] [Footnote 1: Some ladies, among whom were Mrs. Worsley and Mrs. Finch, to the latter of whom Swift addressed, under the name of Ardelia, the preceding poem, appear to have written verses to him from May Fair, offering him such temptations as that fashionable locality supplied to detain him from the country and its pleasures: and thus he replies.--_Forster_.] [Footnote 1: There is some playful allusion in this last stanza, not now decipherable.--_Forster_.] VANBRUGH'S HOUSE[1] BUILT FROM THE RUINS OF WHITEHALL THAT WAS BURNT, 1703