Imatges de pàgina
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Could we place him in a station
To deftroy the old foundation.
True indeed, I should be gladder,
Could he learn to mount a ladder.
May he at his latter end
Mount alive, and dead defcend!

In him tell me which prevail, Female vices most, or male? What produc'd him, can you tell? Human race, or imps of hell?

Ο

To BETTY the Grizette.

Written in the Year 1730..

UEEN of wit and beauty, Betty! Never may the Muse forget ye: How thy face charms ev'ry fhepherd, Spotted over like a leopard;

And, thy freckled neck display'd,
Envy breeds in ev'ry maid,
Like a fly-blown cake of tallow,
Or on parchment ink turn'd yellow,
Or a tawny speckled pippin

Shrivel'd with a winter's keeping.
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And,

And, thy beauty thus dispatch'd, Let me praise thy wit unmatch'd.

Sets of phrafes, cut and dry, Evermore thy tongue fupply. And thy memory is loaded With old fcraps from plays exploded: Stockt with repartees and jokes, Suited to all Chriftian folks : Shreds of wit, and senseless rhymes, Blunder'd out a thousand times. Nor wilt thou of gifts be fparing, Which can ne'er be worfe for wearing, Picking wit among collegians, In the play-house upper regions; Where, in eighteen-penny gallery, Irish nymphs learn Irish raillery: But thy merit is thy failing, And thy raillery is railing.

Thus with talents well endu'd To be fcurrilous and rude; When you pertly raise your fnout, Fleer, and gibe, and laugh, and flout: This among Hibernian affes

For fheer wit and humour paffes.

Thus indulgent Chloe bit

Swears you have a world of wit.

DEATH

DEATH and DAPHNE.

To an agreeable young Lady, but extremely

D'

lean.

Written in the Year 1730.

EATH went upon a folemn day
At Pluto's hall his court to pay:
The phantom, having humbly kist
His grifly monarch's footy fift,
Prefented him the weekly bills
Of doctors, fevers, plagues, and pills.
Pluto, obferving fince the peace
The burial article decrease,

And vext to fee affairs mifcarry,
Declar'd in council, death muft marry:
Vow'd he no longer could fupport
Old batchelors about his court:

The intereft of his realm had need
That death fhould get a numerous breed;
Young deathlings, who, by practice made
Proficient in their father's trade,
With colonies might stock around
His large dominions under ground.

A confult of coquets below
Was called to rig him out a beau:

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From

From her own head Megara takes
A periwig of twisted snakes;
Which in the niceft fashion curl'd
(Like * toupets of this upper world),
With flour of fulphur powder'd well,
That graceful on his fhoulders fell,
An adder of the fable kind

In line direct hung down behind.
The owl, the raven, and the bat,
Club'd for a feather to his hat;
His coat, an us'rer's velvet pall,
Bequeath'd to Pluto, corpfe and all.
But, loth his perfon to expose
Bare, like a carcafe pickt by crows,
A lawyer o'er his hands and face
Stuck artfully a parchment case.
No new-fluxt rake fhew'd fairer fkin;
Nor Phyllis after lying in.

With fnuff was fill'd his ebon box
Of thin-bones rotted by the pox.
Nine fpirits of blafpheming fops
With aconite anoint his chops;
And give him words of dreadful founds,
G-dd--n his blood, and b--d and w--ds.

*The periwigs now in fashion are fo called.

Thus

Thus furnish'd out, he fent his train To take a house in Warwick-lane: The faculty, his humble friends, A complimental meffage fends : Their prefident in fcarlet gown Harangu'd, and welcom'd him to town.

But death had bus'nefs to dispatch; His mind was running on his match. And, hearing much of Daphne's fame, His majefty of terrors came, Fine as a col'nel of the guards, To vifit where fhe fat at cards: She, as he came into the room, Thought him Adonis in his bloom. And now her heart with pleasure jumps; She scarce remembers what is trumps; For fuch a shape of fkin and bone Was never seen except her own; Charm'd with his eyes and chin and fnout, Her pocket-glass drew flily out; And grew enamour'd with her phiz, As juft the counterpart of his. She darted many a private glance, And freely made the first advance. Was of her beauty grown fo vain, She doubted not to win the wain, N 4

Nothing

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