OLYMPIC DIALOGUE* 545 



if I were Diana, I fhoulcl blufh more than at the honour 

 of being the mother of fifty fine girls. Aclseon — 



Diana."] Thou wouldft not upbraid me with Ao 

 iseon ; who was punifhed I hope with fufficient feverity 

 by me, for having the misfortune, without any fault 

 of his, to fee me bathing. 



Luna."] The fauns, to be fure, have very babbling, 

 fonguesl and- the mortals, -who always judge of us by 

 themfelves, cannot poifibly imagine, that a goddefs, 

 who had no perianal caufe for not chufing to be fur- 

 f>rifed in the bath, faould fo cruelly punifli fuch a 

 beautif ul hunter as A&aeon for a momentary and harm- 

 lefs gratification of his fight. They think they do thee 

 far lefs wrong, by believing the fauns, who are univer- 

 fally known to be great fpies, and fond of prying into 

 all that parTes in the woods, in their ftatement of the 

 transformation of poor Aclaeon as only a confequence of 

 the collifion into which the tender concern for thy 

 fame had fallen with the eomplaifance thou hadfl fee wit 

 to him, 



Hecate.] As I conceive, it is properly only my part 

 to find the honour of compofing but one fubjecl with 

 Diana and Luna, fomewhat doubtful. But, being in 

 my own perfon, Proferpina, I may well pafs it over, if 

 you fhould have this or that laid to your charge, with 

 the exculpation whereof I have no need to be much 

 concerned. For, the being all three one and the fame 

 Hecate, hinders not (if I rightly underfiood the my- 

 thologifh) , that each individually remains what fhe is-; 

 fb that 1 am neither Luna nor Diana, but Proferpina, 

 whereas thou art neither Proferpina nor Luna, but the 

 rirgin-huntrefs Diana ; and thou, Luna, art neither 



y&L* $, . n n Diana 



