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AN EUNUCH, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Thou neuter gender! Whom a gown
Last Line: Ye only being words of art.
Alternate Author Name(s): Hall Of Durham, John
Subject(s): Enuchs


THOU neuter gender! whom a gown
Can make a woman, breeches none;
Created one thing, made another,
Not a sister, scarce a brother;
Jack of both sides, that may bear
Or a distaff or a spear;
If thy fortunes thither call,
Be the Grand Signor's general;
Or if thou fancy not that trade,
Turn the sultana's chamber-maid;
A medal, where grim Mars turned right,
Proves a smiling Aphrodite;
How doth Nature quibble, either
He, or she, boy, girl, or neither;
Thou may serve great Jove instead
Of Hebe both and Ganymede:
A face both stern and mild, cheeks bare,
That still do only promise hair.
Old Cybele, the first in all
This human predicamental scale,
Why would she choose her priests to be
Such individuals as ye?
Such insectas, added on
To creatures by subtraction,
In whom Nature claims no part,
Ye only being words of art.





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