The Thief Detected

As lovely Nature once explored
Her cave of treasures, rich and rare,
She miss’d of female charms a hoard,
Enough to form a thousand fair.
To Love the goddess quickly flew,
And plainly told him her belief,
Indeed, conviction, that he knew
The person who had been the thief.

Scarce ended was her tale of woe,
Ere roguish Love the goddess left,
And speeding straight to one I know,
Abruptly charged her with the theft.
The trembling maid denied, with grief;
But Cupid has a judgement sound:
“‘Tis plain,” he cried, “that you’re the thief,
For on you all the goods are found.”

by F.M. Reynolds
(taken from “The Keepsake”–London, 1829)