TO
A
LADY
GOING
TO
BATHE
IN
THE
SEA
.
BY
GEORGE
KEATE
,
ESQ
.
VENUS
,
most
histories
agree
,
Sprung
from
the
ferment
of
the
sea
;
Yet
I
confess
I'm
always
loth
To
think
such
beauty
was
but
froth
,
Or
that
the
ocean
,
which
more
odd
is
,
Should
from
a
bubble
spawn
a
Goddess
:
Tho'
hence
,
my
Laura
,
learned
fellows
Of
such
its
wonderous
powers
still
tell
us
,
That
every
mother
brings
her
daughter
To
dip
in
this
specific
water
,
Expecting
from
the
briny
wave
Charms
which
it
once
to
Venus
gave
.
These
charms
,
my
Laura
,
strive
to
gain
;
And
that
you
may
not
bathe
in
vain
,
I'll
here
,
as
well
as
I
am
able
,
Give
you
a
Moral
to
this
Fable
.
Would
you
a
Goddess
reign
o'er
all
?
From
the
wide
flood
its
virtues
call
.
Free
from
each
stain
thy
bosom
keep
,
Clear
be
it
as
this
azure
deep
,
Which
no
capricious
passion
knows
,
But
duly
ebbs
,
and
duly
flows
;
Tho'
sometimes
ruffled
,
calm'd
as
soon
,
Still
constant
to
its
faithful
moon
,
At
whose
approach
with
pride
it
swells
,
And
to
each
shore
its
chaste
love
tells
:
Heedless
of
every
change
of
weather
,
That
wafts
a
straw
,
or
coxcomb
feather
,
Which
only
on
the
surface
play
,
And
unobserv'd
are
wash'd
away
.
Reflect
,
that
lodg'd
within
its
breast
The
modest
pearl
delights
to
rest
,
While
every
gem
to
Neptune
known
,
Is
there
with
partial
bounty
sown
.
—
In
years
,
thus
ever
may
we
trace
Each
sparkling
charm
,
each
blushing
grace
;
To
these
let
judgment
value
give
,
And
in
that
seat
of
Beauty
live
!
This
Moral
keep
before
your
eyes
,
Plunge
—
and
a
new-born
Venus
rise
.