OLYMPIC DIALOGUS. 



thefe keys ? are they real or emblematical, natural or 

 magical keys ? Whence has he got. them ? and what 

 is he to lock up with them ? 



Mercury f\ All that I can tell thee of the matter, 

 Quirinus, is, that with thefe keys he locks againft 

 whom he will, the gates of heaven or of Tartarus. 



Quirinus 7\ Tartarus, for our parts, he may fhut 

 up againfr. whom he will. But heaven too ! that is 

 quite another matter. 



Mercury^] In fadt they have taken upon them to 

 people heaven with fuch an enormous multitude of dei • 

 ties of their own ftamp, that there will fcarcely be any 

 room left for us old ones. 



Jupiter.'] Leave that to me, Hermes ! Our tem- 

 ples and lands on the earth they may ealily take from 

 us : but in Olympus we have been too long eftablifhed 

 to fufTer ourfelves to be turned out from it. But, as a 

 proof of our perfect impartiality, we will grant the new 

 Romans, notwithstanding their infolence, the right of 

 apotheolis, on the fame terms as the old ones. I hear 

 that molt of their candidates, who lay claim to this 

 promotion, are not perfons of the bell* company. We 

 will therefore^ with faint Peter's permiffion, always, 

 previous to admiffion, make each of them fubmit to a 

 little examination. If it appear, that he can pretend 

 to a place among us, from his other qualities and me- 

 rits, no objection fhall be made to him on account of 

 the golden circle about his head; and even Momus 

 himfelf fhall not dare to upbraid him with the mira- 

 cles attributed to his bones or the rags of his garments. 



Juno.~\ With the gentlemen thou mayfc do as thou 

 wilt, Jupiter ; but the ladies I will take under my di- 

 rections. 



r 4 Venus. ~] 



