In vain the observer eyes the builder's toil,
But quite mistakes the scaffold for the pile.

In this one passion man can strength enjoy,
As fits give vigour, just when they destroy.
Time, that on all things lays his lenient hand,
Yet tames not this; it sticks to our last sand.
Consistent in our follies and our sins,
Here honest Nature ends as she begins.

Old politicians chew on wisdom past,
And totter on in business to the last;
As weak, as earnest, and as gravely out,
As sober Lanesborough1 dancing in the gout.
Behold a reverend sire, whom want of grace
Has made the father of a nameless race,
Shoved from the wall perhaps, or rudely press'd
By his own son, that passes by unbless'd:
Still to his wench he crawls on knocking knees,
And envies every sparrow that he sees.

A salmon's belly, Helluo, was thy fate;
The doctor call'd, declares all help too late :
'Mercy!' cries Helluo, 'mercy on my soul!
Is there no hope? Alas! then bring the jowl.'
The frugal crone, whom praying priests attend,
Still tries to save the hallow'd taper's end,
Collects her breath, as ebbing life retires,
For one puff more, and in that puff expires.

'Odious! in woollen! 'twould a saint provoke,' (Were the last words that poor Narcissa 2 spoke), 'No, let a charming chintz and Brussels lace Wrap my cold limbs, and shade my lifeless face :

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'Lanesborough:' an ancient nobleman, who continued this practice long after his legs were disabled by the gout. Upon the death of Prince George of Denmark, he demanded an audience of the Queen, to advise her to preserve her health and dispel her grief by dancing.—P.—2 Narcissa:' Mrs Oldfield, the

actress.

One would not, sure, be frightful when one's dead- 250 And, Betty, give this cheek a little red.'

The courtier smooth, who forty years had shined An humble servant to all human kind,

Just brought out this, when scarce his tongue could stir, 'If-where I'm going-I could serve you, sir?'

'I give and I devise' (old Euclio said,

And sigh'd) 'my lands and tenements to Ned.'
'Your money, sir?' My money, sir, what! all?

Why-if I must'-(then wept)-'I give it Paul.'
'The manor, sir?'-'The manor! hold,' (he cried), 260
'Not that I cannot part with that'-and died.

And you, brave Cobham! to the latest breath
Shall feel your ruling passion strong in death:
Such in those moments as in all the past,
'Oh, save my country, Heaven!' shall be

your last.

EPISTLE II.-TO A LADY.

OF THE CHARACTERS OF WOMEN.

NOTHING So true as what you once let fall—
'Most women have no characters at all.'
Matter too soft a lasting mark to bear,
And best distinguish'd by black, brown, or fair.
How many pictures of one nymph we view,
All how unlike each other, all how true!
Arcadia's Countess, here, in ermined pride,
Is there, Pastora by a fountain side.
Here Fannia, leering on her own good man,
And there, a naked Leda with a swan.
Let then the fair one beautifully cry,
In Magdalen's loose hair and lifted eye,
Or dress'd in smiles of sweet Cecilia shine,

With simpering angels, palms, and harps divine ;

10

Whether the charmer sinner it or saint it,

If folly grow romantic, I must paint it.

Come then, the colours and the ground prepare!
Dip in the rainbow, trick her off in air;
Choose a firm cloud, before it fall, and in it
Catch, ere she change, the Cynthia of this minute.
Rufa, whose eye quick glancing o'er the park,
Attracts each light gay meteor of a spark,
Agrees as ill with Rufa studying Locke,
As Sappho's1 diamonds with her dirty smock;
Or Sappho at her toilet's greasy task,
With Sappho fragrant at an evening mask :
So morning insects that in muck begun,
Shine, buzz, and fly-blow in the setting sun.

How soft is Silia! fearful to offend;

The frail one's advocate, the weak one's friend:
To her, Calista proved her conduct nice;
And good Simplicius asks of her advice.
Sudden, she storms! she raves! You tip the wink,
But spare your censure-Silia does not drink.
All eyes may see from what the change arose,
All eyes may see-a pimple on her nose.

Papillia, wedded to her amorous spark,

Sighs for the shades- How charming is a park!'
A park is purchased, but the fair he sees.

All bathed in tears-Oh odious, odious trees!'
Ladies, like variegated tulips, show,

'Tis to their changes half their charms we owe;
Fine by defect, and delicately weak,

Their happy spots the nice admirer take.
'Twas thus Calypso once each heart alarm'd,
Awed without virtue, without beauty charm'd;

16 Sappho: Lady M. W. Montague.

15

20

30

40

Her tongue bewitch'd as oddly as her eyes,
Less wit than mimic, more a wit than wise;
Strange graces still, and stranger flights she had,
Was just not ugly, and was just not mad;
Yet ne'er so sure our passion to create,

As when she touch'd the brink of all we hate.
Narcissa's1 nature, tolerably mild,

To make a wash, would hardly stew a child;
Has even been proved to grant a lover's prayer,
And paid a tradesman once, to make him stare;
Gave alms at Easter, in a Christian trim,
And made a widow happy, for a whim.
Why then declare good-nature is her scorn,
When 'tis by that alone she can be borne ?
Why pique all mortals, yet affect a name?
A fool to pleasure, yet a slave to fame :
Now deep in Taylor and the Book of Martyrs,
Now drinking citron with his Grace and Chartres:
Now conscience chills her, and now passion burns;
And atheism and religion take their turns;

A very heathen in the carnal part,

Yet still a sad, good Christian at her heart.
See Sin in state, majestically drunk ;
Proud as a peeress, prouder as a punk;
Chaste to her husband, frank to all beside,
A teeming mistress, but a barren bride.
What then? let blood and body bear the fault,
Her head's untouch'd, that noble seat of thought :
Such this day's doctrine-in another fit

She sins with poets through pure love of wit.

Narcissa:' Duchess of Hamilton.

VARIATIONS.

VER. 77 in the MS.

In whose mad brain the mix'd ideas roll
Of Tall-boy's breeches, and of Cæsar's soul.

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70

What has not fired her bosom or her brain-
Cæsar and Tall-boy, Charles and Charlemagne ?
As Helluo, late dictator of the feast,

The nose of haut goût, and the tip of taste,
Critiqued your wine, and analysed your meat,
Yet on plain pudding deign'd at home to eat;
So Philomedé,1 lecturing all mankind
On the soft passion and the taste refined,
The address, the delicacy-stoops at once,
And makes her hearty meal upon a dunce.

Flavia's a wit, has too much sense to pray;
To toast our wants and wishes, is her way;
Nor asks of God, but of her stars, to give

The mighty blessing, While we live, to live.'
Then all for death, that opiate of the soul!
Lucretia's dagger, Rosamonda's bowl.

Say, what can cause such impotence of mind?

A spark too fickle, or a spouse too kind.

Wise wretch with pleasures too refined to please;
With too much spirit to be e'er at ease;

With too much quickness ever to be taught ;
With too much thinking to have common thought:
You purchase pain with all that joy can give,
And die of nothing, but a rage to live.

Turn then from wits; and look on Simo's mate,

No ass so meek, no ass so obstinate.

Or her, that owns her faults, but never mends,
Because she's honest, and the best of friends.
Or her, whose life the church and scandal share,
For ever in a passion or a prayer.

Or her, who laughs at hell, but (like her Grace 2)
Cries, Ah! how charming, if there's no such place!'

100

''Philomedé :' Henrietta, younger Duchess of Marlborough, to whom Congreve left the greater part of his fortune.-2 Her Grace:' Duchess of Montague.