Thus vanish sceptres, coronets, and balls, THE BASSET-TABLE AN ECLOGUE. CARDELIA. SMILINDA. CARDELIA. THE basset-table spread, the tallier come; SMILINDA. Ah, madam, since my SHARPER is untrue, I saw him stand behind OMBRELIA's chair, And those feign'd sighs which cheat the listening fair CARDELIA. Is this the cause of your romantic strains? SMILINDA. Is that the grief, which you compare with mine? With ease, the smiles of fortune I resign: Would all my gold in one bad deal were gone! Were lovely SHARPER mine, and mine alone. CARDELIA. A lover lost, is but a common care: And prudent nymphs against that change prepare: The KNAVE OF CLUBS thrice lost! Oh! who could guess This fatal stroke, this unforeseen distress? SMILINDA. See BETTY LOVET! very d-propos, LOVET. Tell, tell your griefs; attentive will I stay, Though time is precious, and I want some tea. CARDELIA. Behold this equipage, by Mathers wrought, SMILINDA. This snuff-box,—once the pledge of SHARPER'S love, When rival beauties for the present strove; At Corticelli's he the raffle won; Then first his passion was in public shown: This snuff-box-on the hinge see brilliants shine: CARDELIA. Alas! far lesser losses than I bear, In complaisance, I took the queen he gave; SMILINDA. But ah! what aggravates the killing smart, The cruel thought, that stabs me to the heart; This cursed OMBRELIA, this undoing fair, By whose vile arts this heavy grief I bear; She, at whose name I shed these spiteful tears, She owes to me the very charms she wears. An awkward thing, when first she came to town; Her shape unfashion'd, and her face unknown : She was my friend: I taught her first to spread Upon her sallow cheeks enlivening red : I introduced her to the park and plays; And by my interests, Cozens made her stays. CARDELIA. Wretch that I was, how often have I swore, SMILINDA. How many maids have SHARPER'S vows deceived? How many cursed the moment they believed? Yet his known falsehoods could no warning prove: Ah! what is warning to a maid in love? CARDELIA. But of what marble must that breast be form'd, To gaze on Basset, and remain unwarm'd ? When kings, queens, knaves, are set in decent rank; Exposed in glorious heaps the tempting bank, Guineas, half-guineas, all the shining train, The winner's pleasure, and the loser's pain: In bright confusion open rouleaus lie, They strike the soul, and glitter in the eye. Fired by the sight, all reason I disdain; SMILINDA. What more than marble must that heart compose Can hearken coldly to my SHARPER'S VOWS? Then, when he trembles ! when his blushes rise! When awful love seems melting in his eyes! With eager beats his Mechlin cravat moves: He loves, I whisper to myself, He loves! Such unfeign'd passion in his looks appears, I lose all memory of my former fears; My panting heart confesses all his charms, I yield at once, and sink into his arms: Think of that moment, you who prudence boast; For such a moment, prudence well were lost. CARDELIA. At the Groom-Porter's, batter'd bullies play, Some DUKES at Mary-bone bowl time away. But who the bowl or rattling dice compares To Basset's heavenly joys and pleasing cares? SMILINDA. Soft SIMPLICETTA doats upon a beau; PRUDINA likes a man, and laughs at show. Their several graces in my SHARPER meet; Strong as the footman, as the master sweet. LOVET. Cease your contention, which has been too long; I grow impatient, and the tea's too strong. Attend and yield to what I now decide; The equipage shall grace SMILINDA's side; The snuff-box to CARDELIA I decree, Now leave complaining, and begin your tea. VERBATIM FROM BOILEAU. Un jour, dit un auteur, etc. ONCE (says an author, where I need not say) ANSWER TO THE FOLLOWING QUESTION OF MRS. HOW. WHAT IS PRUDERY? 'Tis a beldam, Seen with wit and beauty seldom. That rails at dear Lepell and you. OCCASIONED BY SOME VERSES OF HIS GRACE MUSE, 'tis enough: at length thy labour ends, |