[48] Mercury to Charon.—He is too frivolous an animal to present to the wife Minos!
Charon.—Minos, Sir, knows nothing of the graces—but if you please I will row you to the infernal regions.
Beau.—With all my heart, I believe I shall meet more people of fashion there[49]; but, good master Charon, in what way shall I pass my time?
Charon.—If you are fond of doing nothing (a favourite passion with many fine gentlemen) Theseus will readily resign his seat to you: or if it is your genius, like many others, to choose to be,
'Though without business, yet in full employ,'
you may join Sisyphus, or accompany the Danaides.
Beau.—Neither of these will suit me; idleness is insipid, and I detest business! But are there no public places?
Charon.—O! yes; great variety: each person in that place pursues those inclinations, whereby he had been swayed, or had rendered himself remarkable here on earth.
Beau.—There are fine women then, of course?
Charon.—As to women, no seraglio in the world comes up to it; as a part of whatever the world, since its creation, has ever yet produced, of lovely and enchanting amongst women are there assembled.—There you may view and gaze, with admiration, upon Helen, whose bewitching charms were so destructive to the family, the city, and the empire of King Priam.—On each side of her are Galatea, and Bressis, Lais, Phryne, and thousands more—There also you may behold in all their charms, in the full lustre of attraction, and decked in every grace, some of those happy fair-ones, whom the greatest poets, so lavish in their praise, have in their lays immortalised; such, amongst many others, are the Corinna of Ovid, the Lydia of Horace, the Lesbia of Catullus, the Delia of Tibullus, the Licoris of Gallus, and the Cynthia of Propertius.