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SMILIND A.

How many Maids have SHARPER's vows deceiv'd ? How many curs'd the moment they believ'd? Yet his known Falfehoods could no Warning prove: Ah! what is warning to a Maid in Love?

CARDELIA.

But of what marble muft that breaft be form'd,
To gaze on Baffet, and remain unwarm'd?
When Kings, Queens, Knaves, are fet in decent rank;
Expos'd in glorious heaps the tempting Bank,
Guineas, Half-guineas, all the fhining train;
The Winner's pleasure, and the Lofer's pain:
In bright Confufion open Rouleaus lie,
They ftrike the Soul, and glitter in the Eye.
Fir'd by the fight, all reason I difdain;
My Paffions rife, and will not bear the rein.
Look upon Baffet, you who reafon boaft;
And fee if reafon muft not there be loft.

SMILIND A.

What more than marble must that heart compose,
Can hearken coldly to my SHARPER'S Vows?
Then, when he trembles! when his Blufhes rife !
When awful Love feems melting in his Eyes!
With eager beats his Mechlin Cravat moves :
He loves,-I whisper to myself, He loves!
Such unfeign'd Paffion in his looks appears,
I lofe all Mem❜ry of my former Fears;
My panting heart confeffes all his charms,
I yield at once, and fink into his arms.
Think of that moment, you who Prudence boaft;
For fuch a moment, Prudence well were loft.

CARDELIA.

At the Groom-Porter's, batter'd Bullies play, Some DUKES at Marybone bowl Time away.

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But who the Bowl, or rattling Dice compares
To Baffet's heav'nly 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.

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LOVET.

Cease your contention, which has been too long;
grow impatient, and the Tea's too ftrong.
Attend, and yield to what I now decide;

The Equipage fhall grace SMILINDA's Side:
The Snuff-box to CARDELIA I decree,
Now leave complaining, and begin your Tea.

105

110

Verbatim from BOILEAU.

Un Jour dit un Auteur, etc.

ONCE (fays an Author, where I need not fay)

Two Travellers found an Oyfter in their way;
Both fierce, both hungry; the difpute grew ftrong,
While Scale in hand Dame Justice paft along.
Before her each with clamour pleads the Laws,
Explain'd the matter, and would win the cause.
Dame Justice weighing long the doubtful Right,
Takes, opens, swallows it, before their fight.
The cause of ftrife remov'd fo rarely well,
There take (fays Justice) take ye each a Shell.
We thrive at Westminster on Fools like you:
'Twas a fat Oyfter-Live in peace-Adieu.

ANSWER

ANSWER to the following the following Question of Mrs. HowE.?

WHAT IS PRUDERY?

'Tis a Beldam,

Seen with Wit and Beauty feldom.
'Tis a fear that starts at shadows.
'Tis (no, 'tisn't) like Miss Meadows.
'Tis a Virgin hard of Feature,
Old, and void of all good-nature;
Lean and fretful; would feem wife;
Yet plays the fool before the dies,
'Tis an ugly envious Shrew,
That rails at dear Lepell and You.

Occafioned by fome Verfes of his Grace the Duke of BUCKINGHAM.

MUSE, 'tis enough: at length thy labour ends,
And thou fhalt live, for Buckingham commends.
Let Crowds of Critics now my verse affail,
Let Dennis write, and nameless numbers rail
This more than pays whole years of thankless pain,,
Time, health, and fortune are not loft in vain.
Sheffield approves, confenting Phoebus bends,
And I and Malice from this hour are friends.

A PRO

A

PROLOGUE

By Mr. POP E,

To a Play for Mr. DENNIS's Benefit, in 1733, when he was old, blind, and in great Distress, a little before his Death,

AS when that Hero, who in each Campaign,
Had brav'd the Goth, and many a Vandal flain,
Lay Fortune-ftruck, a spectacle of Woe!
Wept by each Friend, forgiv'n by ev'ry Foe?
Was there a gen'rous, a reflecting mind,
But pitied BELISARIUS old and blind ?
Was there a Chief + but melted at the Sight?
common Soldier, but who clubb'd his Mite?

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Such, fuch emotions fhould in Britons rife,
When prefs'd by want and weakness DENNIS lies;
Dennis, who long had warr'd with modern Huns,
Their Quibbles routed, and defy'd their Puns;
A defp'rate Bulwark, sturdy, firm, and fierce
Against the Gothic Sons of frozen verse :

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How chang'd from him who made the boxes groan,
And shook the ftage with Thunders all his own!

15

Nothing could be more happily imagined than this allusion, or finelier conducted. And the continued pleafantry fo delicately touched, that it took nothing from the self-satisfaction the Critic, who heard it, had in his Merit, or the Audience in their charity. With fo masterly a hand has the Poet pro fecuted, in this benevolent irony, that end, which he supposed Dennis him. self, had he the wit to fee, would have the ingenuity to approve.

This dreaded Sat' rift, Dennis will confess,

Foe to bis Pride, but Friend to bis Diftrefs.

The fine figure of the Commander in that capital Picture of Belifarius at Chifwick, fupplied the Poet with this beautiful idea.

VOL. III.

G

Stood

Stood up to dash each vain PRETENDER's hope,
Maul the French Tyrant, or pull down the PoPE!
If there's a Briton then, true bred and born,
Who holds Dragoons and wooden fhoes in fcorn;
If there's a Critick of diftinguifh'd rage;

If there's a Senior, who contemns this age;
Let him to-night his juft affiftance lend,
And be the Critic's, Briton's, Old Man's Friend.

20

MACE

R:

A CHARACTER.

WHEN fimple Macer, now of high renown,

First fought a Poet's Fortune in the Town,
'Twas all th' Ambition his high foul could feel,
To wear red ftockings, and to dine with Steel.
Some Ends of verfe his Betters might afford;
And gave the harmlefs fellow a good word.
Set up with thefe, he ventur'd on the Town,
And with a borrow'd Play out-did poor Crown.
There he stopp'd fhort, nor fince has writ a tittle,
But has the Wit to make the moft of little :
Like ftunted hide-bound Trees, that just have got
Sufficient fap at once to bear and rot.

Now he begs Verfe, and what he gets commends,
Not of the Wits his foes, but Fools his Friends.

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So fome coarfe Country Wench, almoft decay'd, 15 Trudges to town, and firft turns Chambermaid; Aukward and fupple, each devoir to pay ; She flatters her good Lady twice a day ; Thought wondrous honeft, tho' of mean degree, And ftrangely lik'd for her Simplicity:

In a tranflated Suit, then tries the Town,

With borrow'd Pins and Patches not her own:

20

But

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