ste Diana so oft uncloaked her modesty to run
a hunting after her beloved Endimion. But I will say no more, for I
had rather they should be told of their faults by Momus, who was want
formerly to sting them with some close reflections, till nettled by his
abusive raillery, they kicked him out of heaven for his sauciness
of daring to reprove such as were beyond correction: and now in his
banishment from heaven he finds but cold entertainment here on
earth, nay, is denied all admittance into the court of princes, where
notwithstanding my handmaid Flattery finds a most encouraging welcome:
but this petulant monitor being thrust out of doors, the gods can now
more freely rant and revel, and take their whole swinge of pleasure.

[Illustration: 85-86]

[Illustration: 89-90]

Now the beastly Priapus may recreate himself without contradiction in
lust and filthiness; now the sly Mercury may, without discovery, go on
in his thieveries, and nimble-fingered juggles; the sooty Vulcan may now
renew his wonted custom of making the other gods laugh by his hopping so
limpingly, and coming off with so many dry jokes, and biting repartees.
Silenus, the old doting lover, to shew his activity, may now dance a
frisking jig, and the nymphs be at the same sport naked. The goatish
satyrs may make up a merry ball, and Pan, the blind harper may put up
his bagpipes, and sing bawdy catches, to which the gods, especially when
they are almost drunk, shall give a most profound attention. But why
would I any farther rip open and expose the weakness of the gods, a
weakness so childish and absurd, that no man can at the same time keep
his countenance, and make a relation of it? Now therefore, like Homer's
wandering muse, I will take my leave of heaven, and come down again
here below, where we shall find nothing happy, nay, nothing tolerable,
without my presence and assistance. And in the first place consider how
providently nature has took care that in all her works there should
be some piquant smack and relish of Folly: for since the Stoics define
wisdom to be conducted by reason, and folly nothing else but the being
hurried by passion, lest our life should otherwise have been too dull
and inactive, that creator, who out of clay first tempered and made
us up, put into the composition of our humanity more than a pound of
passions to an ounce of reason; and reason he confined within the narrow
cells of the brain, whereas he left passions the whole body