Page 69 [69]
upon FOLL y. 19°
fome Medea, Circe, Venus, or fome enchanted |
Fountain, fora Reftorative of Age, whereas ¬
the Accurate Performance of this Feat lyes on¬
ly within the Ability of my Art and Skill.
Ir is I only who have the Receipt ‘of ma¬
king that Liquorwherewith Memnon’s Daugh¬
ter lengthen’d out her Grandfather’s declini
Days: lt is I that am that Venus, who E
far reftor’d the languifhing Phaon, as to make.
Sapho fall deeply in Love with his Beauty. .
Mine arethofe Herbs, mine thofe Charms, that ¬
not only lure back fwift Time, when paft and
gone, but-(what-is more to be admired) clip
its Wings, and prevent all farther. Flight. So
then, if you’ will all agree to my Verdiét,
that nothing is more defirablé than the be¬
ing Young, nor any thing ‘more loathed than
contemptible Old Age, you~ muft needs ac:
knowlédge it is ar era Obligation .
from me, for fencing off the One, and -perpe¬
tuating the Other. i És:
Bur why ſhould T confine my Diſcourſe to
the narrow Subject of Mankind only? View
the whole Héaven itfelf, and there tell me
what one of that Divine Tribe would not be
mean and defpicable-if -my Name did not lend
him fome Refpe& and Authority: Why is
Bacchus always painted as a Young Man,
[Fic. VII.] but only becaufe he is Freakifh,
Drunk and: Mad, .and’ ffending his: Time in
Toping, Dancing, Masking and Revelling,
feems to have nothing in the leaf to do with.
Wifdom? Nay, .fo far is he from the Affetta¬
tion of being accounted Wiſe, that he is content
all the. Rites of Devotion. which are paid un#
to.