Or Sappho at her toilet's greazy task,
With Sappho fragrant at an ev'ning Mask :
So morning Infects that in muck begun,
Shine, buzz, and fly-blow in the setting-fun.

How foft is Silia! fearful to offend;

25

31

The frail one's advocate, the Weak one's friend.
To her, Calista prov'd her conduct nice;
And good Simplicius afks of her advice.
Sudden, she storms! she raves! You tip the wink,
But fpare your cenfure; Silia does not drink.
All eyes may fee from what the change arose, 35
All
eyes may fee---a Pimple on her nose.

Papillia, wedded to her am'rous spark,

Sighs for the shades---" How charming is a Park!”
A Park is purchas'd, but the Fair he fees
All bath'd in tears---" Oh odious, odious Trees!"
Ladies, like variegated Tulips, fhow;

4I

'Tis to their Changes half their charms we owe;

NOTES.

Tho' Artemifia talks, by fits,

Of councils, claffics, Fathers, wits;

Reads Malbranche, Boyle, and Locke :
Yet in fome things, methinks, fhe fails,
'Twere well, if the wou'd pare her nails,
And wear a cleaner fmock.

37. II. Contrarieties in the Soft-natured. P.

Fine by defect, and delicately weak,

Their happy Spots the nice admirer take.
'Twas thus Calypfo once each heart alarm'd, 45
Aw'd without Virtue, without Beauty charm'd;
Her Tongue bewitch'd as odly as her Eyes,
Lefs Wit than Mimic, more a Wit than wife ;
Strange graces ftill, and stranger flights she had,
Was juft not ugly, and was juft not mad;
Yet ne'er so sure our paffion to create,

As when the touch'd the brink of all we hate.
Narciffa's nature, tolerably mild,

50

To make a wash, would hardly stew a child;
Has ev'n been prov'd to grant a Lover's pray'r, 55
And paid a Tradesman once to make him stare;
Gave alms at Easter, in a Christian trim,
And made a Widow happy, for a whim.

NOTES.

VER. 45. III. Contrarieties in the Cunning and Artful. P, VER. 52. As when she touch'd the brink of all we hate.] Her charms confifted in the fingular turn of her vivacity; confequently the ftronger the exerted this vivacity the more forcible must be her attraction. But the point, where it came to excefs, would deftroy all the delicacy, and expofe all the coarfnefs of fenfuality.

VER. 53. IV. In the Whimsical. P.

VER. 57. in a Chriftian trim,] This is finely expreffed, implying that her very charity was as much an exterior of Religion, as the ceremonies of the feafon. It was not even in a Christian humour, it was only in a Christian trim,

60

Why then declare Good-nature is her scorn,
When 'tis by that alone she can be born?
Why pique all mortals, yet affect a name?
A fool to Pleasure, yet a flave to Fame:
Now deep in Taylor and the Book of Martyrs,
Now drinking Citron with his Grace and Chartres:
Now Confcience chills her, and now Paffion burns;
And Atheism and Religion take their turns; 66
Heathen in the carnal part,

A very
Yet ftill a fad, good Chriftian at her heart.

;

70

See Sin in State, majestically drunk; Proud as a Peeress, prouder as a Punk Chafte to her Hufband, frank to all befide, A teeming Mistress, but a barren Bride. What then? let Blood and Body bear the fault, Her Head's untouch'd, that noble Seat of Thought: Such this day's doctrine---in another fit

She fins with Poets thro' pure Love of Wit.

VARIATIONS.

VER. 77. What has not fir'd &c.] in the MS.

In whose mad brain the mixt ideas roll
Of Tall-boy's breeches, and of Cæfar's foul.

NOTES,

VER, 69. V. In the Lewd and Vicious. P.

75

What has not fir'd her bofom or her brain?
Cæfar and Tall-boy, Charles and Charlema'ne.
As Helluo, late Dictator of the Feast,

85

The Nofe of Hautgout and the Tip of Tafte, 80
Critiqu'd your wine, and analyz'd your meat,
Yet on plain Pudding deign'd at-home to eat:
So Philomedé, lect'ring all mankind
On the foft Paffion, and the Taste refin'd,
Th'Address, the Delicacy---ftoops at once,
And makes her hearty meal upon a Dunce.
Flavia's a Wit, has too much fenfe to Pray;
To toaft our wants and wishes, is her way;
Nor afks of God, but of her Stars, to give
The mighty bleffing, "while we live, to live." 90
Then all for Death, that Opiate of the foul!
Lucretia's dagger, Rofamonda's bowl.
Say, what can cause fuch impotence of mind?
A Spark too fickle, or a Spouse too kind.
Wife Wretch! with pleasures too refin'd to please;
With too much Spirit to be e'er at ease;

96

NOTES.

VER. 87. Contrarieties in the Witty and Refin'd. P. VER. 89. Nor afks of God, but of her Stars.-Death, that Opiate of the foul!] See Note on 90. of Ep. to Lord Cobham.

With too much Quickness ever to be taught; With too much Thinking to have common Thought: You purchase Pain with all that Joy can give, And die of nothing but a Rage to live.

100

Turn then from Wits; and look on Simo'sMate, No Afs fo meek, no Ass so obstinate. Or her, that owns her Faults, but never mends, Because she's honeft, and the best of Friends. Or her, whofe life the Church and Scandal share, For ever in a Paffion, or a Pray'r.

106

Or her, who laughs at Hell, but (like her Grace) Cries, "Ah! how charming, if there's no fuch place!" Or who in fweet viciffitude appears

Of Mirth and Opium, Ratafie and Tears,

IIO

The daily Anodyne, and nightly Draught,
To kill thofe foes to Fair ones, Time and Thought.
Woman and Fool are two hard things to hit;
For true No-meaning puzzles more than Wit.

But what are these to great Atoffa's mind? 115 Scarce once herself, by turns all Womankind!

NOTES.

VER. 107. Or her, who laughs at Hell, but (like her Grace) -Cries, "Ah! how charming, if there's no fuch place!"] i. c. Her who affects to laugh out of fashion, and ftrives to difbelieve out of fear.