And then he prefers his own claims to the favor of the Nine
"'Sure you will rather listen to my call,
Since beauty and Quebec's fair nymphs I sing'
"It seems his petition was heard, for he forthwith begins his
laudation:
"'Henceforth Diana in Miss S - ps - n see,
As noble and majestic is her air,
Nor can fair Venus, W - lc - s, vie with thee,
Nor all her heavenly charms with thine compare.
"'Around the B - ch - rs Juno's glory plays,
Her power and charms in them attract our praise
Minerva, who with beauty's queen did vie
And patronized all the finer arts,
Crowned the McN - ls with her divinity,
Crowned them the queens of beauty and of hearts.
"'Unto fair F - m - n now I turn my song,
Lovely in all she says, in all she does,
Lo! to her toilet see each goddess throng,
One cannot all, but each a charm bestows
Could all these beauties in one female be,
Her whom I sing would be the lovely she.'
"This effusion provoked more criticism than many a book of poetry is
subjected to nowadays, and the censors were in their turn criticized
by others. Montreal even took part in this literary tournament. But we
are left in the dark as to its effect on the spirits, tempers or
destinies of Miss MacCulloch and her sister belles.
