THE

BASSET-TABLE.

ΑΝ

ECLOGUE.

CARDELIA. SMILINDA.

CARDELIA.

HE Baffet-Table spread, the Tallier come; Why stays SMILINDA in the Dreffing-Room? Rife, penfive Nymph, the Tailier waits for you:

SMILIND A.

Ah, Madam, fince my SHARPER is untrue
I joyless make my once ador'd Alpeu.

I faw him ftand behind UMBRELIA's Chair,
And whisper with that soft deluding air,

And those feign'd fighs which cheat the lift'ning
Fair.

CARDELIA.

Is this the cause of your Romantick strains? A mightier grief my heavy heart fuftains.

NOTES.

10

The Baffet Table.] Only this of all the Town Eclogues was Mr. Pope's; and is here printed from a copy corrected by his own hand.-The humour of it confifts in this, that the one is in love with the Game, and the other with the Sharper.

As

3

As You by Love, so I by Fortune cross't;
One, one bad Deal, Three Septleva's have loft.

SMILINDA.

Is that the grief, which you compare with mine?
With ease, the smiles of Fortune I refign:
Would all my gold in one bad Deal were gone; 15 %
Were lovely SHARPER mine, and mine alone.

CARDELIA.

A Lover loft, is but a common care;

And prudent Nymphs against that change prepare: The KNAVE OF CLUBS thrice loft: Oh ! who could

guefs

This fatal ftroke, this unforeseen Distress?

SMILIND A.

See. BETTY LOVET! very à propos,

She all the cares of Love and Play does know:
Dear BETTY fhall th' important point decide;
BETTY, who oft the pain of each has try❜d;
Impartial, she shall say who fuffers most,
By Cards' Ill Ufage, or by Lovers loft.

LOVET.

Tell, tell your griefs; attentive will I ftay, Tho' time is precious, and I want fome Tea.

CARDELIA.

*

20

25

Behold this Equipage, by Mathers wrought, With Fifty Guineas (a great Pen'worth) bought. 3ɔ See on the Tooth-pick, Mars and Cupid strive; And both the struggling figures seem alive.

Upon

Upon the bottom fhines the Queen's bright Face;
A Myrtle Foliage round the Thimble-Cafe.
Jove, Jove himself, does on the Scizars fhine;
The Metal, and the Workmanship, divine!-

SMILIND A.

35

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 firft his Paffion was in public shown:

HAZARDIA blush'd, and turn'd her Head afide,
A Rival's envy (all in vain) to hide.

40

This Snuff-Box,- on the Hinge fee Brilliants shine: This Snuff-Box will I ftake; the Prize is mine.

CARDELIA.

Alas! far leffer loffes than I bear,

Have made a Soldier figh, a Lover swear.
And Oh! what makes the disappointment hard,
'Twas my own Lord that drew the fatal Card.
In complaifance, I took the Queen he gave;
Tho' my own fecret wifh was for the Knave.
The Knave won Sonica, which I had chofe ;
And the next Pull, my Septleva I lose.

SMILINDA.

But ah! what aggravates the killing smart, The cruel thought, that stabs me to the heart;

45

50

This curs'd OMBRELIA, this undoing Fair,

55

By whofe vile arts this heavy grief I bear;
She, at whofe name I fhed these spiteful tears,

She owes to me the very charms fhe wears.

An

An aukward Thing, when firft fhe came to Town; Her Shape unfafhion'd, and her Face unknown: 60 She was my friend; I taught her first to spread -Upon her fallow cheeks enliv'ning red : I introduc'd her to the Park and Plays; And by my int'reft, Cozens made her Stays. Ungrateful wretch, with mimick airs grown pert, She dares to steal my Fav'rite Lover's heart.

CARDELIA.

Wretch that I was, how often have I swore, When WINNALL tally'd, I would punt no more? I know the Bite, yet to my Ruin run;

And fee the Folly, which I cannot shun.

66

70

Maids have SHARPER'S Vows de

How many curs'd the moment they believ'd?
Yet his known Falfhoods could no Warning prove
Ah! what is warning to a Maid in Love?

CARDELIA.

But of what marble must that breast be form'd, 75 To gaze on Baffet, and remain unwarm'd ?

When Kings, Queens, Knaves, are set in decent rank;

Expos'd in glorious heaps the tempting Bank,
Guineas, Half-Guineas, all the shining train ;
The Winner's pleasure, and the Lofer's pain: 80
In bright confufion open Rouleaus lye,

They ftrike the Soul, and glitter in the Eye.

Fir'd by the fight, all Reason I disdain;

My Paffions rife, and will not bear the rein.
Look upon Baffet, you who Reafon boast;
And fee if Reason must not there be loft.

SMILIND A.

85

What more than marble must that heart compofe,

90

Can hearken coldly to my SHARPER'S Vows?
Then, when he trembles! when his Blushes rife !
When awful Love feems melting in his Eyes!
With eager beats his Mechlin Cravat moves :
He Loves,-1 whisper to myself, He Loves!
Such unfeign'd Paffion in his Looks appears,
I lose 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 boast;
For fuch a moment, Prudence well were loft.

CARDELIA.

95

At the Groom-Porter's, batter'd Bullies play, Some DUKES at Mary-Bone bowl Time away. 100 But who the Bowl, or rattl'ing Dice compares To Baffet's heav'nly Joys, and pleasing Cares?

SMILIND A.

Soft SIMPLICETTA doats upon a Beau ; PRUDINA likes a Man, and laughs at Show. Their feveral graces in my SHARPER meet; Strong as the Footman, as the Master sweet.

105