Dear Madam, try to take a Nap

But now they hear a Foot-Man's Rap:
“Go run, and light the Ladies up;
"It must be One before we Sup.

THE Table, Cards, and Counters set,
And all the Gamester-Ladies met,
Her Spleen and Fits recover'd quite,
Our Madam can fit up all Night.
"Whoever comes, I'm not within
Quadrill the Word, and fo begin.

How can the Muse her Aid impart,
Unskill'd in all the Terms of Art?
Or in harmonious Numbers put
The Deal, the Shuffle, and the Cut?
The fuperftitious Whims relate,
That fill a Female-Gamefter's Pate?
What Agony of Soul fhe feels
To fee a Knave's inverted Heels:
She draws up Card by Card, to find
Good Fortune peeping from behind;
With panting Heart, and earnest Eyes,
In hope to fee Spadillo rife;

In

In vain, alas! her Hope is fed;

She draws an Ace, and fees it red.

In ready Counters never pays,

But pawns her Snuff Box, Rings, and Keys.
Ever with fome new Fancy ftruck,

Tries twenty Charms to mend her Luck.

66

This Morning when the Parfon came,

"I faid, I fhould not win a Game.

"This odious Chair how came I ftuck in't, "I think I never had good Luck in't.

I'm fo uneafy in my Stays;

"Your Fan, a Moment, if you please.
"Stand further Girl, or get you gone,
"I always lofe when you look on,
Lord, Madam, you have loft Codill;
I never faw you play fo ill.

"Nay, Madam, give me Leave to fay,
""Twas you that threw the Game away;
"When Lady Trickly play'd a Four,
You took it with a Matadore ;
"I faw you touch your Wedding-Ring
"Before my Lady call'd a King.
"You spoke a Word began with H,

"And I know whom you mean to teach,

"Becaufe

"Because you held the King of Hearts;

"Fie, Madam, leave these little Arts.
That's not fo bad as one that rubs

Her Chair to call the King of Clubs,
And makes her Partner understand
A Matadore is in her Hand.

"Madam, you have no Cause to flounce,
I swear, I saw you thrice renounce.
And truly, Madam, I know when
Instead of Five you fcor'd me Ten.
Spadillo here has got a Mark,

A Child may know it in the Dark;
I guess the Hand, it feldom fails,

I wish fome Folks would pare their Nails

WHILE thus they rail, and scold, and storm, It paffes but for common Form;

And conscious that they all speak true,
They give each other but their Due;
It never interrupts the Game,

Or makes 'em fenfible of Shame..

THE Time too precious now to waste,

And Supper gobbled up in hafte;

Again a-fresh to Cards they run,

As if they had but just begun.
But I fhall not again repeat

How oft they squabble, fnarl and cheat.
At last they hear the Watchman knock,
Afrofty Morn -Paft Four a-Clock.

The Chair-Men are not to be found,
"Come, let us play the t'other Round.

them gone:

Now, all in hafte they huddle on Their Hoods, and Cloaks, and get But first, the Winner must invite The Company to-morrow Night.

UNLUCKY Madam left in Tears,
(Who now again Quadrill forfwears,)
With empty Purse, and aching Head,
Steals to her fleeping Spouse to Bed.

ΤΟ

The Grand Question debated.

WHETHER

*

Hamilton's Bawn should be turned into a Barrack or a Malt-House.

T

The Preface to the English Edition.

HE Author of the following Poem, is faid to be Dr. J. S. D. S. P. D. who writ it, as well as feveral other Copies of Verfes of the like Kind, by Way of Amusement, in the Family of an bonourable Gentleman in the North of Ireland, where befpent a Summer about two or three Years ago.

A certain very great Perfon, then in that Kingdom, having beard much of this Poem, obtained a Copy from the Gentleman, or, as fome say, the Lady, in whofe House it was written, from whence, I know not by what Accident, feveral other Copies were tranfcribed, full of Errors. As I have a great Refpect for the fuppofed Author, I have procured a true Copy of the Poem, the Publication whereof can do him lefs Injury than printing any of thofe incorrect ones which run about in Manufcript, and would infallibly be foon in the Prefs, if not thus vented.

pre

Some Expreffions being peculiar to Ireland, I have prevailed on a Gentleman of that Kingdom to explain them, and I have put the feveral Explanations in their proper Places.

A BAWN was a Place near the Houfe, inclofed with Mud or Stone-Walls, to keep the Cattle from being stolen in the Night. They are now little used.

The