Full sixty years the world has been her trade, 125 No passion gratified, except her rage, So much the fury still outran the wit, The pleasure miss'd her, and the scandal hit. Who breaks with her, provokes revenge from hell, 130 Her every turn with violence pursued, No more a storm her hate than gratitude: Love, if it makes her yield, must make her hate: 135 Offend her, and she knows not to forgive; Oblige her, and she'll hate you while you live : But die, and she'll adore you-then the bust 140 Last night, her lord was all that's good and great ; By spirit robbed of power, by warmth of friends, Pictures like these, dear Madam, to design, 14 After ver. 148, in the MS. : "This death decides, not lets the blessing fall Cursed chance! this only could afflict her more, 145 150 155 "With every pleasing, every prudent part, As never yet to love, or to be loved. 160 165 She, while her lover pants upon her breast, 170 She e'er should cancel-but she may forget. 175 Chloe is prudent-would you too be wise? Then never break your heart when Chloe dies. 180 One certain portrait may (I grant) be seen, Which Heaven has varnish'd out, and made a queen: The same for ever! and described by all With truth and goodness, as with crown and ball. Poets heap virtues, painters gems, at will, 185 And show their zeal, and hide their want of skill. 'Tis well-but artists! who can paint or write, To draw the naked is your true delight. That robe of quality so struts and swells, If Queensberry to strip there's no compelling, 190 15 [Warton says, that Pope, being at dinner one day with Mrs. Howard, afterwards Countess of Suffolk-the Chloe of the poem-heard her order her footman to put her in mind to send to know how Mrs. Blount, who was ill, had passed the night.] From peer or bishop 'tis no easy thing To draw the man who loves his God, or king: 195 But grant, in public, men sometimes are shown, 16 A woman's seen in private life alone: 200 Our bolder talents in full light display'd; Your virtues open fairest in the shade. Bred to disguise, in public 'tis you hide; There, none distinguish 'twixt your shame or pride, 205 That each may seem a virtue, or a vice. In men we various ruling passions find; 17 In women, two almost divide the kind; Those, only fix'd, they first or last obey, The love of pleasure, and the love of sway. 210 That, Nature gives; and where the lesson taught 18 Men, some to business, some to pleasure take; 16 After ver. 198, in the MS. : 66 Fain I'd in Fulvia spy the tender wife; I cannot prove it on her for my life: Thus while immortal Cibber only sings (As* and H**y preach) for queens and kings, The nymph that ne'er read Milton's mighty line, May, if she love, and merit verse, have mine." 215 [The blanks may be filled up with the names of Clarke and Hoadley, the Queen's favourite divines.] 17 The former part having shown, that the particular characters of women are more various than those of men, it is nevertheless observed, that the general characteristic of the sex, as to the ruling passion, is more uniform. 18 This is occasioned partly by their nature, partly by their education, and in some degree by necessity. 19 [Ayre, in his Memoirs of Pope (1745), says a certain lady "whose name for virtue and rectitude of manners has been too conspicuous not to be seen by everybody," rallied Pope on this depreciatory couplet. The poet Yet mark the fate of a whole sex of queens! 20 See how the world its veterans rewards! 22 220 225 230 235 240 245 gallantly rejoined, "I must entreat of you to observe, that I only say,' But every woman is at heart a rake.' This no way affects your ladyship, who was an angel when you were young, and now, advancing into life, are almost already become a saint." "At this door (adds simple Squire Ayre) did Mr. Pope escape, for the lady was woman enough to be pleased with the compliment, and only said, "O fie, O fie! you wits will always make things out either a great deal worse or better than they are."] 20 What are the aims and the fate of this sex-I. As to power. 21 II. As to pleasure. 22 [The six lines, v. 242-248, originally formed part of the poem addressed to Martha Blount on her birth-day, and published in the Miscellanies. James Moore Smyth printed five of the lines as his own, in his play, the Rival Modes, Ah, Friend! to dazzle let the vain design;23 To raise the thought and touch the heart be thine! Oh! bless'd with temper, whose unclouded ray Can make to-morrow cheerful as to-day; She, who can love a sister's charms, or hear25 250 255 260 and Pope frequently alludes with great bitterness to the theft and its author. For an account of the plagiarism, see Testimonies of Authors, prefixed to the Dunciad, vol. ii. p. 27. See also Prologue to the Satires in this volume, verse 373.1 23 Advice for their true interest. 24 [The ring or circle in Hyde Park was a place of fashionable resort from the time of Charles I. to that of George II., when it was partly destroyed by the formation of the Serpentine river. It is alluded to in most of the comedies and fashionable verses of the period. It was in the ring that that curious incident occurred in the life of Wycherley, which Fope related to Spence. "Wycherley was a very handsome man. His acquaintance with the famous Duchess of Cleveland commenced oddly enough. One day as he passed that duchess's coach in the ring, she leaned out of the window, and cried out loud enough to be heard distinctly by him, 'Sir, you're a rascal; you're a villain.' Wycherley from that instant entertained hopes. He did not fail waiting on her the next morning; and, with a very melancholy tone, begged to know, how it was possible for him to have so much disobliged her grace? They were very good friends from that time."] 25 [In first edition : "That pleased can see a younger charm, or hear Sighs for a sister with unwounded ear; That ne'er shall answer till a husband cool, Or, if you rule him, never show you rule; Please by receiving, by submitting sway, Yet have your humour most when you obey." The sister, of course, was Teresa Blount, who was two years older than Martha. The substitution of daughter for sister, and the other alterations, seem to deprive Martha Blount of the honour of this address, as Johnson has remarked, but they were most likely adopted from motives of delicacy, as her connection with Pope had given rise to local scandal.] |