A hamadryad flourish’d in these days, + 

Her name Pomona, from her woodland race. + 

In garden culture none could so excel, + 

Or form the pliant souls of plants so well; + 

Or to the fruit more generous flavours lend, + 

Or teach the trees with nobler loads to bend. + 

The nymph frequented not the flattering stream, + 

Nor meads, the subject of a virgin’s dream; + 

But to such joys her nursery did prefer, + 

Alone to attend her vegetable care. + 

A pruning hook she carried in her hand, + 

And taught the stragglers to obey command; + 

Lest the licentious, and unthrifty bough, + 

The too-indulgent parent should undo. + 

She shows, how stocks invite to their embrace + 

A graft, and naturalize a foreign race + 

To mend the savage teint; and in its stead + 

Adopt new nature, and a nobler breed. + 

Now hourly she observes her growing care, + 

And guards the nonage from the bleaker air: + 

Then opes her streaming sluices, to supply + 

With flowing draughts her thirsty family. + 

Long had she labour’d to continue free + 

From chains of love, and nuptial tyranny; + 

And in her orchard’s small extent immured, + 

Her vow’d virginity she still secured, + 

Oft would loose Pan, and all the brutal train + 

Of satyrs, tempt her innocence in vain. + 

Vertumnus too pursued the maid no less; + 

But with his rivals shared a like success. + 

To gain access a thousand ways he tries: + 

Oft, in the hind, the lover would disguise. + 

The heedless lout comes shambling on, and seems + 

Just sweating from the labour of his teams. + 

Then, from the harvest of the mimic swain, + 

Seems bending with a load of bearded grain. + 

Sometimes a dresser of the vine he feigns, + 

And lawless tendrils to their bounds restrains. + 

Sometimes his sword a soldier shows; his rod + 

An angler; still so various is the god. + 

Now, in a forehead cloth, some crone he seems, + 

A staff supplying the defect of limbs; + 

Admittance thus he gains; admires the store + 

Of fairest fruit; the fair possessor more; + 

Then greets her with a kiss: the unpractised dame + 

Admired a grandame kiss’d with such a flame. + 

Now, seated by her, he beholds a vine + 

Around an elm in amorous foldings twine. + 

“If that fair elm,” he cried, “alone should stand, + 

No grapes would glow with gold and tempt the hand; + 

Or if that vine without her elm should grow, + 

’Twould creep a poor neglected shrub below. + 

“Be then, fair nymph, by these examples led; + 

Nor shun, for fancied fears, the nuptial bed. + 

Not she for whom the Lapithites took arms, + 

Nor Sparta’s queen, could boast such heavenly charms. + 

And if you would on woman’s faith rely, + 

None can your choice direct so well as I. + 

Though old, so much Pomona I adore, + 

Scarce does the bright Vertumnus love her more. + 

’Tis your fair self alone his breast inspires + 

With softest wishes, and unsoil’d desires. + 

Then fly all vulgar followers, and prove + 

The god of seasons only worth your love: + 

On my assurance well you may repose; + 

Vertumnus scarce Vertumnus better knows. + 

True to his choice, all looser flames he flies; + 

Nor for new faces fashionably dies. + 

The charms of youth, and every smiling grace + 

Bloom in his features, and the god confess. + 

Besides, he puts on every shape at ease; + 

But those the most that best Pomona please. + 

Still to oblige her is her lover’s aim; + 

Their likings and aversions are the same. + 

Nor the fair fruit your burden’d branches bear, + 

Nor all the youthful product of the year, + 

Could bribe his choice; yourself alone can prove + 

A fit reward for so refined a love. + 

Relent, fair nymph, and with a kind, regret, + 

Think ’tis Vertumnus weeping at your feet. + 

A tale attend, through Cyprus known, to prove + 

How Venus once revenged neglected love. + 