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Title: Cupid, Hymen, And Plutus
Author: John Gay [
More Titles by Gay]
As Cupid, with his band of sprites,
In Paphian grove set things to rights,
And trimmed his bow and tipped his arrows,
And taught, to play with Lesbia, sparrows,
Thus Hymen said: "Your blindness makes,
O Cupid, wonderful mistakes!
You send me such ill-coupled folks:
It grieves me, now, to give them yokes.
An old chap, with his troubles laden,
You bind to a light-hearted maiden;
Or join incongruous minds together,
To squabble for a pin or feather
Until they sue for a divorce;
To which the wife assents--of course."
"It is your fault, and none of mine,"
Cupid replied. "I hearts combine:
You trade in settlements and deeds,
And care not for the heart that bleeds.
You couple them for gold and fee;
Complain of Plutus--not of me."
Then Plutus added: "What can I do?--
The settlement is what they spy to.
Say, does Belinda blame her fate?--
She only asked a great estate.
Doris was rich enough, but humble:
She got a title--does she grumble?
All men want money--not a shoe-tie
Care they for excellence or beauty.
Oh all, my boys, is right enough:
They got the money--hearts is stuff."
[The end]
John Gay's poem: Cupid, Hymen, And Plutus
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