Page images
PDF
EPUB

And thou shalt in thy Daughter fee,
This Picture once resembled thee.

The other, though it makes no mention of the Linnet, like the foregoing, it being to a Sifter of the firft little tattling fimple Heart-babling Goffip, ends with a Prophecy like the foregoing,

To Mifs Peggy Pulteney, in the Nursery.

Imply Damfel fweetly smiling,
All careffing, none beguiling;
Bud of Beauty, fairly blowing,
Every Charm to Nature owing;
This and that new Thing admiring,
Much of this and that enquiring;
Knowledge by Degrees attaining,
Day by Day fome Virtue gaining:
Ten Years hence when I leave chiming,
Beardless Poets fondly rhyming,
(Fescued now perhaps in Spelling)
On thy riper Beauties dwelling,
Shall accufe each killing Feature,
Of the cruel charming Creature,
Whom I knew complying, willing,
Tender, and averfe from killing.

How this Gentleman loft his good Taste, we cannot tell, he having done very well in the Diftrefs'd Mother, and in his Paftorals, though the Friends of Mr. Pope, in Hopes by decrying them, to enhance the Value of his, will not be brought to allow this : Scriblerus in particular, who was deeper in Mr. Pope's Interest than any Man (nay, fometimes we believe he has wrote under that Name himself) mentions

them

them as Things contemptible, and fit Subjects for Satire.

To fing of Shepherds, and of Shepherdeffes, Their awkward Humours, Dialogues, and Dreffes : The Manner how they plow, and fow, and reap, How filly they, more filly than their Sheep, In Mantles blue, can trip it o'er the Green, In Namby Pamby's Paft'rals may be seen.

In this Gentleman Mr. Pope expected a formidable Enemy and Rival, but was difappointed; as Mr. Pope advanced in Poetry and the Voice of the World, the other gave back, and getting into easier Circumftances, left Mr. Pope to his Mufe, always bearing in Mind the old Quarrel, which coft him this Lash, and others in the Dunciad

Mr. Pope, though very converfant with a great Number of the Nobility, was nevertheless no Courtier; he had particular Diflikes to fome Perfons of the greatest Quality, and in particular, to the Duke and Dutchefs of Marlborough; at the Duke he glances in one of the Epiftles beforementioned:

Triumphant Leaders, at an Army's Head, Hemm'd round with Glories, pilfer Cloth or Bread, As meanly plunder, as they bravely fought, Now fave a People, and now fave a Groat.

This Diflike at firft arofe from an early Prejudice in Favour of Dean Swift, who, in the Examiner, has made a great Stir about the Bread Affair, and the Complaints of the Duke that were made from the Army; it was heighten'd, in that he thought himself neglected by the Heads of that Family, for he, as moft of the Nobility took Notice of him, expected it from all; when he went to Oxford, he made a Vifit to Blenheim, and in a Letter to Mrs. Blount, gives

fuch

DUTCHESS of MARLBOROUGH from an Original of Godfrey Kneller's at her first coming to C.

Parr Sculp

fuch a Description of it, as it does, is rather worfe than it deferves, he likewife ftrikes at tbe aoble Owners in a Manner we believe he did not ever intend should meet the publick Eye:

I foreftal

Will not defcribe Blenheim in particular, not to your Expectations before you fee it: Only take a fhort Account, which I will hazard my lit→ tle Credit is no unjust one. I never faw fo great a Thing with fo much Littleness in it: I think the Architect built it entirely in Compliance to the Tafte of its Owners: For it is the most inhofpitable Thing imaginable, and the most selfish: It has, like their own Hearts, no Room for Strangers, and no Reception for any Perfon of fuperior Quality to themfelves. There are but just two Apartments, for the Mafter and Miftrefs, below; and but two Apartments above, (very much inferior to them) in the whole Houfe. When you look upon the Outfide, you'd think it large enough for a Prince; when you fee the Infide, it is too little for a Subject; and has not Conveniency to lodge a common Family. It is a House of Entries and Paffages; among which there are three Vista's through the Whole, very ufelefsly handfome. There is what might have been a fine Gallery, but fpoil'd by two Arches towards the End of it, which take away the Sight of the feveral Windows. There are two ordinary Stair Cafes inftead of one great one. The best Things within the House, are the Hall, which is indeed noble and well proportion'd; and the Cellars and Offices underground, which are the most commodious, and the beft contriv'd of the Whole. At the Top of the Building are feveral Cupola's and little Turrets that have but an ill Effect, and make the Building look at once finical and heavy. What feems of the beft

Tafte,

« PreviousContinue »