"A temple to Friendship," said Laura, enchanted,
"I'll build in this garden,--the thought is divine!"
Her temple as built, and she now only wanted
An image of Friendship to place on the shrine.
She flew to a sculptor, who set down before her
A Friendship, the fairest that his art could invent;
But so cold and so dull, that the youthful adorer
Saw plainly this was not the idol she meant.
"O never," she cried, "could I think of enshrining
An image whose looks are so joyless and dim:--
But yon little god, upon roses reclining,
We'll make, if you please, sir, a Friendship of him."
So the bargain was struck. With the little god laden
She joyfully flew to her shrine in the grove:
"Farewell," said the sculptor, "You're not the first maiden
Who came but for Friendship and took away Love!"
