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Matthew Prior - On Beauty. A Riddle
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Resolve Me, Cloe, what is This:
Or forfeit me One precious Kiss.
`Tis the first Off-spring of the Graces;
Bears diff`rent Forms in diff`rent Places;
Acknowledg`d fine, where-e`er beheld;
Yet fancy`d finer, when conceal`d.
`Twas Flora`s Wealth, and Circe`s Charm;
Pandora`s Box of Good and Harm:
`Twas Mars`s Wish, Endymion`s Dream;
Apelles` Draught, and Ovid`s Theme.
This guided Theseus thro` the Maze;
And sent Him home with Life and Praise.
But This undid the Phrygian Boy;
And blew the Flames that ruin`d Troy.
This shew`d great Kindness to old Greece,
And help`d rich Jason to the Fleece.
This thro` the East just Vengeance hurl`d,
And lost poor Anthony the World.
Injur`d, tho` Lucrece found her Doom;
This banish`d Tyranny from Rome.
Appeas`d, tho` Lais gain`d her Hire;
This set Persepolis on Fire.
For This Alcides learn`d to Spin;
His Club laid down, and Lion`s Skin.
For This Apollo deign`d to keep,
With servile Care, a Mortal`s Sheep.
For This the Father of the Gods,
Content to leave His high Abodes,
In borrow`d Figures loosely ran,
Europa`s Bull, and Leda`s Swan.
For This He reassumes the Nod;
(While Semele commands the God)
Launces the Bolt, and shakes the Poles;
Tho` Momus laughs, and Juno scolds.

Here list`ning Cloe smil`d, and said;
Your Riddle is not hard to read:
I Guess it—Fair one, if You do;
Need I, alas! the Theme pursue?
For This, Thou see`st, for This I leave,
Whate`er the World thinks Wise or Grave,
Ambition, Business, Friendship, News,
My useful Books, and serious Muse.
For This I willingly decline
The Mirth of Feasts, and Joys of Wine; 
And chuse to sit and talk with Thee,
(As Thy great Orders may decree)
Of Cocks and Bulls, of Flutes and Fiddles,
Of Idle Tales, and foolish Riddles.
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