State Tracts Containing Many Necessary Observations and Reflections on the State of our Affairs at Home and Abroad; With some Secret Memoirs. By the Author of the Examiner [i.e. William Oldisworth] |
 | I. |
|
|
St. James's Park: A SATYR. |
 | State Tracts |  |
239
St. James's Park: A SATYR.
Non mihi si Linguæ Centum sint, Oraq; Centum
Ferrea Vox, omnes Fatuorum evolvere Formas,
Omnia Stultitiæ percurrere Nomina possim.
Ferrea Vox, omnes Fatuorum evolvere Formas,
Omnia Stultitiæ percurrere Nomina possim.
In Days of old, when Virtue was admir'd,
And modest People lov'd to live retir'd,
Conduct was thought a necessary Ill,
And by the Prudent may be thought so still:
Tho' now with Scorn the World such ridicule,
And every Wise Man is declar'd a Fool,
Who misapplys his Passions, Love or Hate,
Or Whatsoe'er he does comes out of date,
For Pride as well as Folly rules his Fate.
His Nat'ral Vanity is always such,
He either does too little, or too much.
And modest People lov'd to live retir'd,
Conduct was thought a necessary Ill,
And by the Prudent may be thought so still:
Tho' now with Scorn the World such ridicule,
And every Wise Man is declar'd a Fool,
240
Or Whatsoe'er he does comes out of date,
For Pride as well as Folly rules his Fate.
His Nat'ral Vanity is always such,
He either does too little, or too much.
Nor walks one singly here, without his She,
That can as noisie and as empty be:
Ev'ry Coquet can now her Author quote,
And, like her Paraquet, talk off by rote.
Their Wit is like their Cloaths, gaudy and slight,
That pleases not the Ear, nor these the Sight.
Their soft'ning Airs unthinking Fops beguile,
But cannot make the Stoick deign to smile.
For who can laugh at such prepost'rous Vice,
To see meer Ideots gravely look precise,
Of Wits, and Beaux, and Belle's assume the Shape,
And censure those they want the Sense to Ape!
That can as noisie and as empty be:
Ev'ry Coquet can now her Author quote,
And, like her Paraquet, talk off by rote.
Their Wit is like their Cloaths, gaudy and slight,
That pleases not the Ear, nor these the Sight.
Their soft'ning Airs unthinking Fops beguile,
But cannot make the Stoick deign to smile.
For who can laugh at such prepost'rous Vice,
To see meer Ideots gravely look precise,
Of Wits, and Beaux, and Belle's assume the Shape,
And censure those they want the Sense to Ape!
Thus M---g---ve like a moving May-pole stalks,
And M---g---ue with ev'ry Female talks;
Then loudly laughs at the insipid Jest,
As rustick Hob does at a Country Feast,
When eager Mastiff takes the Bull by th'Ear,
Or Roger's tumbled over by the Bear.
This clownish Mode they seem much to affect,
As careless, and an Air of their Neglect,
To shew the Prudes and Jilts, that they despise
The Character of being thought too wise:
While Lemon fancies to be very tart,
To shew the Ladies his profound Desert.
And M---g---ue with ev'ry Female talks;
Then loudly laughs at the insipid Jest,
As rustick Hob does at a Country Feast,
241
Or Roger's tumbled over by the Bear.
This clownish Mode they seem much to affect,
As careless, and an Air of their Neglect,
To shew the Prudes and Jilts, that they despise
The Character of being thought too wise:
While Lemon fancies to be very tart,
To shew the Ladies his profound Desert.
Nor must we here omit, among the rest,
G---r---d and L---t---n, to make up the Jest,
As two Eternal Fops about the Town,
The common Theme of ev'ry stale Lampoon:
These banter Phillis in a Hackney Way,
But to Myrtillo han't one Word to say;
No more than that insipid painted Sign
Of Wit and Gallantry F--- Col---ine;
Whose nauseous Phiz, at the first sight, foretell
The Qualities that in the Carcase dwell.
To ev'ry Woman he makes some Pretence,
That is, if she have Merit (I mean Pence)
Enough to countervail his Want of Sense,
Who boasts of Favours given to the Fair,
Tho' to a Soldier's Honour, such as never were.
Incorrigible!—to frequent that place
Where still the Object meets the guilty Face.
G---r---d and L---t---n, to make up the Jest,
As two Eternal Fops about the Town,
The common Theme of ev'ry stale Lampoon:
These banter Phillis in a Hackney Way,
But to Myrtillo han't one Word to say;
No more than that insipid painted Sign
Of Wit and Gallantry F--- Col---ine;
Whose nauseous Phiz, at the first sight, foretell
The Qualities that in the Carcase dwell.
To ev'ry Woman he makes some Pretence,
That is, if she have Merit (I mean Pence)
Enough to countervail his Want of Sense,
242
Tho' to a Soldier's Honour, such as never were.
Incorrigible!—to frequent that place
Where still the Object meets the guilty Face.
Hold, Satyr! why shouldst thou pursue his Name?
There 're twenty such as he, who're void of Shame,
Who strut the Mall, look big, and huff,
Like any Citizen attir'd in Buff:
But they've forgot Almanza's fatal Plain,
While here St. James's Park is the Campaign.
Inglorious Mortals! such as go about
To kill the Fair with Powder, without Shot.
For shame give o'er your murd'ring Trade of War,
At least forbear t'attempt again the Fair;
For they've discover'd now the Ambuscade
Of Lace, and Sash, and Feather for them laid:
These were the Stratagems, you knew full well,
That us'd in Spain and Flanders to prevail.
But now, alas! your Mines of Dress are sprung,
And you left naked to a fault'ring Tongue,
Unus'd to Eloquence, but rather made
To fright the tender Sex, than to perswade:
While thus one crys, Madam, you're very fair;
'Tis true, by G---d! G---d damn me, so you are!
Another more polite, in Bombast read,
Doubts not but, when once he comes to plead,
His Rhime or Rhetorick may succeed;
And thus accosts the Fair: The Moon shines bright
But nothing, Madam, to that Heav'nly Sight
Your Eyes, that would perswade me 'tis not Night.
But will you go? Cruel! to leave me here,
Dark without you, as Heav'n without a Star.
But what Concern is't, when from me you go,
Whether I break my Neck this Night, or no?
There 're twenty such as he, who're void of Shame,
Who strut the Mall, look big, and huff,
Like any Citizen attir'd in Buff:
But they've forgot Almanza's fatal Plain,
While here St. James's Park is the Campaign.
Inglorious Mortals! such as go about
To kill the Fair with Powder, without Shot.
For shame give o'er your murd'ring Trade of War,
At least forbear t'attempt again the Fair;
For they've discover'd now the Ambuscade
Of Lace, and Sash, and Feather for them laid:
These were the Stratagems, you knew full well,
That us'd in Spain and Flanders to prevail.
But now, alas! your Mines of Dress are sprung,
And you left naked to a fault'ring Tongue,
Unus'd to Eloquence, but rather made
To fright the tender Sex, than to perswade:
243
'Tis true, by G---d! G---d damn me, so you are!
Another more polite, in Bombast read,
Doubts not but, when once he comes to plead,
His Rhime or Rhetorick may succeed;
And thus accosts the Fair: The Moon shines bright
But nothing, Madam, to that Heav'nly Sight
Your Eyes, that would perswade me 'tis not Night.
But will you go? Cruel! to leave me here,
Dark without you, as Heav'n without a Star.
But what Concern is't, when from me you go,
Whether I break my Neck this Night, or no?
But while the whining Fop's bidding adieu,
Reels in, of noble Rank, a drunken Crew;
'Mong whom R---d ne'er fails, with Mo---n and Tun,
Who's always seconded by Brother Gun.
These are scarce ever sober in the Mall,
But they're supply'd by D---r, W---n, or Lapel;
And honest drunken Jo disdains to be
Behind the best of them for Ribaldry;
For, like the Jackall, he is sent before
To hunt out Game, and to secure a W---.
Tho' they pretend to all the Belles in Town,
And toast the reigning Beauties for their own,
Their Joys are only fix'd at the Queen's Arms,
Where 'tis the Wine, and not the Beauty warms:
But then their Souls in wanton Flames dissolve,
And with some common She they prostitute their Love.
This is the utmost Conquest that they gain,
And so they boast of Happiness in vain,
While virtuous Beauty does in Triumph reign.
Now, Satyr, leave them spewing in the Dark,
And let us view the Jest of all the Park:
At threescore Years, a young, an airy Spark,
Who, after honest Pimping all his Life,
At last procur'd himself a youthful Wife;
And now, without Remorse of Gout or Stone,
From Sixty odd, sets up for Twenty-one.
Like D---s impertinent, and yet precise,
Who, by much questioning, would be thought wise.
So C---t's affected Mein and awkard Gate
Shews much the Lord, but not the Man of State:
And little L---ml---y's warm Amours to all
Tells ev'ry Fair, that he's a Prodigal:
While, see one crowding in to make his Court,
Make room for a Brigade with D---port;
Who jostles up the Ladies on each side,
While they despise his ill-appointed Pride.
Reels in, of noble Rank, a drunken Crew;
'Mong whom R---d ne'er fails, with Mo---n and Tun,
Who's always seconded by Brother Gun.
These are scarce ever sober in the Mall,
But they're supply'd by D---r, W---n, or Lapel;
And honest drunken Jo disdains to be
Behind the best of them for Ribaldry;
For, like the Jackall, he is sent before
To hunt out Game, and to secure a W---.
244
And toast the reigning Beauties for their own,
Their Joys are only fix'd at the Queen's Arms,
Where 'tis the Wine, and not the Beauty warms:
But then their Souls in wanton Flames dissolve,
And with some common She they prostitute their Love.
This is the utmost Conquest that they gain,
And so they boast of Happiness in vain,
While virtuous Beauty does in Triumph reign.
Now, Satyr, leave them spewing in the Dark,
And let us view the Jest of all the Park:
At threescore Years, a young, an airy Spark,
Who, after honest Pimping all his Life,
At last procur'd himself a youthful Wife;
And now, without Remorse of Gout or Stone,
From Sixty odd, sets up for Twenty-one.
Like D---s impertinent, and yet precise,
Who, by much questioning, would be thought wise.
So C---t's affected Mein and awkard Gate
Shews much the Lord, but not the Man of State:
245
Tells ev'ry Fair, that he's a Prodigal:
While, see one crowding in to make his Court,
Make room for a Brigade with D---port;
Who jostles up the Ladies on each side,
While they despise his ill-appointed Pride.
Satyr, take care, a Gen'ral comes this way,
And to the Ladies has a deal to say:
No, I'm mistaken, he stays only there
Whisp'ring the reigning Beauty in the Ear.
Oh! 'tis no Wonder she should raise his Fire,
Whom all Mankind so justly do admire:
But his conceited Speeches, I'm afraid,
Make small Impressions on the lovely Maid.
Hark, Satyr! hear soft Radnor's am'rous Moan,
Cooing like some sad Turtle left alone;
And of his Mate bereft, in Silence walks,
While ev'ry chirping She about him talks:
From him such fragrant Scents perfume the Air,
As with contagious Sweets infect the Fair.
Mean time old Morton's peeping in their Faces,
As if the Ladies Eyes were Looking-glasses;
Tho' at the same time dreads that they should see
His Age's Wrinkles and Deformity.
Therefore, like Athens Guardian, he comes out
When Batts dare fly, and Owls dare stare about;
Then he with Leicester's Figure may compare,
And think himself as lovely, and as fair;
Which none come here that would not be, or are.
And to the Ladies has a deal to say:
No, I'm mistaken, he stays only there
Whisp'ring the reigning Beauty in the Ear.
Oh! 'tis no Wonder she should raise his Fire,
Whom all Mankind so justly do admire:
But his conceited Speeches, I'm afraid,
Make small Impressions on the lovely Maid.
Hark, Satyr! hear soft Radnor's am'rous Moan,
Cooing like some sad Turtle left alone;
And of his Mate bereft, in Silence walks,
While ev'ry chirping She about him talks:
From him such fragrant Scents perfume the Air,
As with contagious Sweets infect the Fair.
246
As if the Ladies Eyes were Looking-glasses;
Tho' at the same time dreads that they should see
His Age's Wrinkles and Deformity.
Therefore, like Athens Guardian, he comes out
When Batts dare fly, and Owls dare stare about;
Then he with Leicester's Figure may compare,
And think himself as lovely, and as fair;
Which none come here that would not be, or are.
Now, Satyr, leave thy pois'nous Sting behind,
And shew how to the Good thou canst be kind;
How thou art pleas'd with Dorset's gentle Nature,
His Wit and Humour, and with ev'ry Feature;
Such as we see in Sidney's Image shine,
Like the Arcadian Shepherd, all divine.
So Bath, a hopeful beauteous Youth, appears
Blooming in Virtue, as he grows in Years:
And Hardwich's rich and sprightly Genius shows,
The gen'rous Blood that in the Cistern flows.
Hunter is brave, Read handsom, Kerr genteel,
And ev'ry honest Fellow loveth Will.
So Hill's engaging Way, and Shorter's Voice,
Make them the Men, as well as Womens Choice.
And here, with these, at one Survey we see
Grafton's good Nature, Grav'nor's Gravity.
Windham, with an obliging gen'rous Air,
Good humour'd, and indulgent to the Fair:
While Britton's handsom yet enough to please,
Was not his ruling Wife such a Disease.
Coote is agreeable, Fitzpatrick good,
And rich in Virtue as he is in Blood.
Evans is taking yet as once he was,
But the fine Gentleman's drown'd i'th' Glass.
Now Bing survey, after his Toil and Care,
Amidst the Conversation of the Fair;
Pleas'd here with such a beauteous noble Show,
He bravely guarded from th'insulting Foe;
Proud only now he had so happy been,
Subjects so fair to save, to serve so good a Queen.
And shew how to the Good thou canst be kind;
How thou art pleas'd with Dorset's gentle Nature,
His Wit and Humour, and with ev'ry Feature;
Such as we see in Sidney's Image shine,
Like the Arcadian Shepherd, all divine.
So Bath, a hopeful beauteous Youth, appears
Blooming in Virtue, as he grows in Years:
And Hardwich's rich and sprightly Genius shows,
The gen'rous Blood that in the Cistern flows.
Hunter is brave, Read handsom, Kerr genteel,
And ev'ry honest Fellow loveth Will.
247
Make them the Men, as well as Womens Choice.
And here, with these, at one Survey we see
Grafton's good Nature, Grav'nor's Gravity.
Windham, with an obliging gen'rous Air,
Good humour'd, and indulgent to the Fair:
While Britton's handsom yet enough to please,
Was not his ruling Wife such a Disease.
Coote is agreeable, Fitzpatrick good,
And rich in Virtue as he is in Blood.
Evans is taking yet as once he was,
But the fine Gentleman's drown'd i'th' Glass.
Now Bing survey, after his Toil and Care,
Amidst the Conversation of the Fair;
Pleas'd here with such a beauteous noble Show,
He bravely guarded from th'insulting Foe;
Proud only now he had so happy been,
Subjects so fair to save, to serve so good a Queen.
But let us view, 'mong these, the am'rous Spark
That ev'ry Night is martyr'd in the Park;
Observe his Sighs, as if his Heart would break,
But yet he dare not, or he cannot speak;
Reasons too weighty to be understood,
But we'll suppose, at all times they are good,
Else Tunbridge would not bow so oft in vain,
To one the Town would publish his Disdain;
While She, unmindful of his Love or Hate,
With a regardless Smile commands his Fate.
The awkward Gallant, like a new-mark'd Deer,
Once meets the Fair, then quits the Field with Fear:
His hasty flight makes him confess his Love,
And tho' the Object does, the Dart he can't remove.
Being struck with awful Silence and Surprize,
Like Travellers, with Lightning from the Skies,
She blasts the Lover with her killing Eyes.
That ev'ry Night is martyr'd in the Park;
248
But yet he dare not, or he cannot speak;
Reasons too weighty to be understood,
But we'll suppose, at all times they are good,
Else Tunbridge would not bow so oft in vain,
To one the Town would publish his Disdain;
While She, unmindful of his Love or Hate,
With a regardless Smile commands his Fate.
The awkward Gallant, like a new-mark'd Deer,
Once meets the Fair, then quits the Field with Fear:
His hasty flight makes him confess his Love,
And tho' the Object does, the Dart he can't remove.
Being struck with awful Silence and Surprize,
Like Travellers, with Lightning from the Skies,
She blasts the Lover with her killing Eyes.
Now comes the Keeping Cully, from the Arms
Of wanton Cælia and her Syren Charms,
To watch the Motions of th'inconstant Fair,
Lest she should be too early for him here.
His jealous Eye makes ev'ry Couple She,
Pleasing herself with some more able He;
And while this Passion labours in his Soul,
His Fancy roves, and frantick Eye-bells roul.
The next kind-looking Female he pursues,
Out of Revenge, ev'n to the nauseous Stews
Near Drury-lane, and round about the Mews:
Then to his Mistress Lodgings hastens home,
Laden with all the pois'nous Plagues of Rome,
Or those that from Leghorn and Venice come,
The Rheumatism, the Gout, the Pox, the Stone.
Thus the kind Keeper, to compleat the Cure
Of what he is not able to endure,
Makes her an equal Suff'rer with himself,
And satisfies the World that he's an Elf.
Of wanton Cælia and her Syren Charms,
To watch the Motions of th'inconstant Fair,
Lest she should be too early for him here.
His jealous Eye makes ev'ry Couple She,
Pleasing herself with some more able He;
And while this Passion labours in his Soul,
249
The next kind-looking Female he pursues,
Out of Revenge, ev'n to the nauseous Stews
Near Drury-lane, and round about the Mews:
Then to his Mistress Lodgings hastens home,
Laden with all the pois'nous Plagues of Rome,
Or those that from Leghorn and Venice come,
The Rheumatism, the Gout, the Pox, the Stone.
Thus the kind Keeper, to compleat the Cure
Of what he is not able to endure,
Makes her an equal Suff'rer with himself,
And satisfies the World that he's an Elf.
Another sort of Mortals here we find,
That neither are so cruel, or so kind,
But only traffick for a Night or Day,
And by the Hour, like Hackney-Coaches pay,
Tho' some there are that bilk and sneak away.
These are the busie Men that fill the Park,
And scowre the Mall as soon as e're 'tis dark;
With the same Insolence attack each Fair,
And look as if they'd ask 'em who they were:
'Gainst those that laugh at them for Fools they rail,
But ev'ry Drabble-tail they walk with is a Belle.
Good Heav'ns! to see such silly awkward Apes
Set up for Mode and Manners, Dress and Shapes,
'Twould give a Man of serious thought the Spleen,
But that there's such Variety again,
Ev'ry new Couple makes a diff'rent Scene.
Folly's so mix'd with Vanity and Pride,
'Tis hard to tell which is the strongest Side.
This in their Commendation may be said,
They imitate each other, Good or Bad;
But then, that there should be so many Fools,
Is such a Quære, 'twould perplex the Schools.
That neither are so cruel, or so kind,
But only traffick for a Night or Day,
And by the Hour, like Hackney-Coaches pay,
Tho' some there are that bilk and sneak away.
These are the busie Men that fill the Park,
And scowre the Mall as soon as e're 'tis dark;
With the same Insolence attack each Fair,
And look as if they'd ask 'em who they were:
250
But ev'ry Drabble-tail they walk with is a Belle.
Good Heav'ns! to see such silly awkward Apes
Set up for Mode and Manners, Dress and Shapes,
'Twould give a Man of serious thought the Spleen,
But that there's such Variety again,
Ev'ry new Couple makes a diff'rent Scene.
Folly's so mix'd with Vanity and Pride,
'Tis hard to tell which is the strongest Side.
This in their Commendation may be said,
They imitate each other, Good or Bad;
But then, that there should be so many Fools,
Is such a Quære, 'twould perplex the Schools.
The Wonder lies, that th'keeping Tribe should be
The Club of Wit, the Men of Poetry.
But this makes out, that Wit, when brought to test,
Is nothing but a Flash, an empty Jest;
And those that to it make the most Pretence
Are always found to have the least of Sense.
This they are fond to let the People know,
That Notice may be ta'en of what they do.
Thus Manw'ring has the Vanity to boast
Of what he ought to be asham'd of most;
One that deserves no better Name than W---re.
Tho' many a P---r had had her here before;
Not but she has alike to all been chast,
And shewn her Constancy still to the last.
Ev'n M---n will blush to hear Ophelia nam'd,
But would be glad to have her surely d---d;
And E---g---be has by St---rs thus been fitted;
Ought not the little Man then to be pity'd?
While ev'ry Night the Park is made the Scene,
Where he's for acting the same Game again.
With Buda's 'Prentices he's proud to walk,
And laughs, profusely pleas'd with what they talk:
Which the severest Critick must think witty,
Because the Jades, tho' awkward things, are pretty.
The Club of Wit, the Men of Poetry.
But this makes out, that Wit, when brought to test,
Is nothing but a Flash, an empty Jest;
And those that to it make the most Pretence
Are always found to have the least of Sense.
This they are fond to let the People know,
That Notice may be ta'en of what they do.
251
Of what he ought to be asham'd of most;
One that deserves no better Name than W---re.
Tho' many a P---r had had her here before;
Not but she has alike to all been chast,
And shewn her Constancy still to the last.
Ev'n M---n will blush to hear Ophelia nam'd,
But would be glad to have her surely d---d;
And E---g---be has by St---rs thus been fitted;
Ought not the little Man then to be pity'd?
While ev'ry Night the Park is made the Scene,
Where he's for acting the same Game again.
With Buda's 'Prentices he's proud to walk,
And laughs, profusely pleas'd with what they talk:
Which the severest Critick must think witty,
Because the Jades, tho' awkward things, are pretty.
Nor can the sober trading Cit forbear,
From coming to regale his Palate here
With the fresh Breezes of St. James's Air;
Which whets his Appetite to a degree
Of imitating the Top of Quality;
Which, like an Ape, he mimicks in his Dress,
But quite outdoes him in his keeping Miss,
Which he comes here to see in all her Airs,
As entertaining as the dancing Bears.
Another comes only with a design
Of taking Phillis to a Glass of Wine:
But first to shew his Breeding, is profuse,
In squandring all the Compliments in use;
To some Madona, pick'd out from the rest,
Who gives herself strange Airs, and so is drest,
'Twould make a Man ev'n puke to look upon her;
She's deck'd in Print, like any Maid of Honour.
But some there come from thence so wondrous rude
The Footmen of the Town an't half so lewd.
These play their Wit upon the Orange Wenches,
And pester the poor Masks upon the Benches;
'Till having rak'd about 'till it is dark,
They scowre away, and cry, G---d damn the Park:
Then to some Bawdy-house or Tavern go,
And sport off their loose Corns, 'till One or Two.
From coming to regale his Palate here
With the fresh Breezes of St. James's Air;
Which whets his Appetite to a degree
Of imitating the Top of Quality;
252
But quite outdoes him in his keeping Miss,
Which he comes here to see in all her Airs,
As entertaining as the dancing Bears.
Another comes only with a design
Of taking Phillis to a Glass of Wine:
But first to shew his Breeding, is profuse,
In squandring all the Compliments in use;
To some Madona, pick'd out from the rest,
Who gives herself strange Airs, and so is drest,
'Twould make a Man ev'n puke to look upon her;
She's deck'd in Print, like any Maid of Honour.
But some there come from thence so wondrous rude
The Footmen of the Town an't half so lewd.
These play their Wit upon the Orange Wenches,
And pester the poor Masks upon the Benches;
'Till having rak'd about 'till it is dark,
They scowre away, and cry, G---d damn the Park:
Then to some Bawdy-house or Tavern go,
And sport off their loose Corns, 'till One or Two.
But what are these, to all the mimick Sport
Those make who in dumb Language court?
Who bow their Heads in Terse, and cringe in Cart?
Who kiss their Hands, and clap 'em on their Heart?
Who coo like Turtles, grin like fawning Fools?
Purr like Boar-Cats, and look like blinded Owls?
Stare ev'ry female Creature in the Face,
Then bray upon 'em like some untaught Ass?
But what are these to such as whine and cant,
And purely to oblige the Ladies, paint?
Like Talbor at full Mall, ride in his Chair
When other Folks are walking for the Air?
Prepost'rous Ideots! how each strives to show
Which is the greatest Fop, not which the Beau!
Those make who in dumb Language court?
253
Who kiss their Hands, and clap 'em on their Heart?
Who coo like Turtles, grin like fawning Fools?
Purr like Boar-Cats, and look like blinded Owls?
Stare ev'ry female Creature in the Face,
Then bray upon 'em like some untaught Ass?
But what are these to such as whine and cant,
And purely to oblige the Ladies, paint?
Like Talbor at full Mall, ride in his Chair
When other Folks are walking for the Air?
Prepost'rous Ideots! how each strives to show
Which is the greatest Fop, not which the Beau!
Here let us cautiously the Belle's survey,
And take their Pictures as they pass this way;
View those that gladly would be fancied fair,
And let them in this Glass see what they are.
But, Satyr, if they dare not trust thy Skill,
Then let 'em die, while they behold their Rivals kill:
And see the Men imploy'd, searching the Air
To borrow Similies, to shew how fair
Is Bedingfield, whose Charms do lie
Beyond the Flight of Wit or Poetry.
A pleasing Strife arises in her Face,
'Twixt White and Red, to give the greater Grace,
That Beauty may in all her Colours play,
Awful, to fright the Coward Hearts away.
And take their Pictures as they pass this way;
View those that gladly would be fancied fair,
And let them in this Glass see what they are.
But, Satyr, if they dare not trust thy Skill,
Then let 'em die, while they behold their Rivals kill:
And see the Men imploy'd, searching the Air
To borrow Similies, to shew how fair
254
Beyond the Flight of Wit or Poetry.
A pleasing Strife arises in her Face,
'Twixt White and Red, to give the greater Grace,
That Beauty may in all her Colours play,
Awful, to fright the Coward Hearts away.
This is the Glass wherein the Fair may see
Unstudied Art, native Simplicity;
Charms modest, and unborrow'd as the Dress,
Are things that in a Woman always please,
While Newton's Affectation's the Reverse.
Tho' Shape and Air and good Complexion join,
The Art of Pleasing is the main Design.
That makes fantastick Boyce so much abhorr'd,
While Osborn, Wortley, Windham are ador'd.
This makes the Th**lds, ugly as they are,
Mix ev'ry Night among the charming Fair;
And tho' their Age and Malice both prevail,
They would perswade themselves each is a Belle.
So from the City constantly they come
To mortifie themselves, and then go home:
While Hale and Lawrence are deserv'dly prais'd,
And all Mankind are with th'Encomiums pleas'd.
The S***by's dress'd with Fanatick Pride,
In gilded Coach each Day to Hide-Park ride;
Then to St. James's are more fond to go;
Alike the Mother, and the Daughters too;
But, to their Sorrow, they may plainly see
The Men despise such sordid Company.
While beauteous Seymour shews her graceful Face,
And Thoumont still adorns the happy Place.
Censorious Southwells envious are in vain,
And the scrub Crew from Westminster complain.
Mean time Monthermer does her Charms display,
And Dudley ev'ry Night is fresh and gay.
The Howards, with Pigs Eyes, affect to be
Genteel, and thought the best of Quality.
While Dunch, whose spreading Beauty is full blown,
With modest Blushes would her Charms disown.
But Winchcombe, fancying to be very gay,
With Jewels her Deformities display;
And at the same time wisely does suppose
The Pendants at her Ears will hide her Nose.
But let us now facetious Sherrard see,
The Life and Soul of all good Company;
With Griffin's Air and Mein, join'd to a Voice,
Not our Aversion, Wharwood's Like, but Choice;
For tho' malicious Censure in them dwell,
Yet each of them would still be thought a Belle.
Clargys, or Chetwynd, both assert their Reign,
And shew their Pow'r to punish Hearts, or gain.
While L---r and G---d both affect to be
What they are really, Apes of Quality;
Fantastick both, as they are of one Mind,
So to each other said to be inclin'd:
Then 't's hard that they should not be Censure free,
And give some grains, as well as take, of Liberty.
Unstudied Art, native Simplicity;
Charms modest, and unborrow'd as the Dress,
Are things that in a Woman always please,
While Newton's Affectation's the Reverse.
Tho' Shape and Air and good Complexion join,
The Art of Pleasing is the main Design.
That makes fantastick Boyce so much abhorr'd,
While Osborn, Wortley, Windham are ador'd.
This makes the Th**lds, ugly as they are,
Mix ev'ry Night among the charming Fair;
And tho' their Age and Malice both prevail,
They would perswade themselves each is a Belle.
So from the City constantly they come
To mortifie themselves, and then go home:
255
And all Mankind are with th'Encomiums pleas'd.
The S***by's dress'd with Fanatick Pride,
In gilded Coach each Day to Hide-Park ride;
Then to St. James's are more fond to go;
Alike the Mother, and the Daughters too;
But, to their Sorrow, they may plainly see
The Men despise such sordid Company.
While beauteous Seymour shews her graceful Face,
And Thoumont still adorns the happy Place.
Censorious Southwells envious are in vain,
And the scrub Crew from Westminster complain.
Mean time Monthermer does her Charms display,
And Dudley ev'ry Night is fresh and gay.
The Howards, with Pigs Eyes, affect to be
Genteel, and thought the best of Quality.
While Dunch, whose spreading Beauty is full blown,
With modest Blushes would her Charms disown.
But Winchcombe, fancying to be very gay,
With Jewels her Deformities display;
And at the same time wisely does suppose
The Pendants at her Ears will hide her Nose.
256
The Life and Soul of all good Company;
With Griffin's Air and Mein, join'd to a Voice,
Not our Aversion, Wharwood's Like, but Choice;
For tho' malicious Censure in them dwell,
Yet each of them would still be thought a Belle.
Clargys, or Chetwynd, both assert their Reign,
And shew their Pow'r to punish Hearts, or gain.
While L---r and G---d both affect to be
What they are really, Apes of Quality;
Fantastick both, as they are of one Mind,
So to each other said to be inclin'd:
Then 't's hard that they should not be Censure free,
And give some grains, as well as take, of Liberty.
But since so many do frequent this Place
For Conversation, not to shew a Face,
Dormer a bright Example may be made,
To virtuous Love and Marriage to perswade:
Since here he lets the World in publick see
How happy 'tis when Man and Wife agree.
The chaste and prudent Wife, her Part to prove,
In Conduct makes Returns for virtuous Love;
Not like that Coquet H---m---d, in a Chair
With Curtains drawn, visit a Strumpet Player.
But for her Husband's sake, and her own Fame,
Preserve her Charms, her Honour, and her Name.
For Conversation, not to shew a Face,
Dormer a bright Example may be made,
To virtuous Love and Marriage to perswade:
Since here he lets the World in publick see
How happy 'tis when Man and Wife agree.
257
In Conduct makes Returns for virtuous Love;
Not like that Coquet H---m---d, in a Chair
With Curtains drawn, visit a Strumpet Player.
But for her Husband's sake, and her own Fame,
Preserve her Charms, her Honour, and her Name.
| State Tracts | |