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You cannot know what fecret pain I prove,
When I with burning blushes own I love.
You fee my artlefs joy at your approach,
I figh, I faint, I tremble at your touch;
And in your abfence all the world I fhun;
I hate mankind, and curse the cheering fun.
Still as I fly, ten thousand fwains purfue ;
Ten thousand swains I facrifice to you.
I fhew you all my heart without disguise:
But these are tender proofs that you depife-
I fee too well what wishes your purfue;
You wou'd not only conquer, but undo:
You, cruel victor, weary of your flame,
Would feek a cure in my eternal fhame o
And not content my honour to fubdue,
Now ftrive to triumph o'er my virtue too,
Oh! Love, a god indeed to womankind,
Whofe arrows burn me and whofe fetters bind,
Avenge thy altars, vindicate thy fame,
And blaft these traytors that profane thy name;
Who by pretending to thy facred fire,
Raife curfed trophies to impure defire.

Have you forgot with what enfnaring art
You firft feduc'd this fond uncautious heart?
Then as I fled, did you not kneeling cry,

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Turn, cruel beauty; whither wou'd you fly!

Why all these doubts? why this distrustful fear? "No impious wishes fhall offend your ear:

"Nor

"Nor ever fhall my boldeft hopes pretend "Above the title of a tender friend; "Bleft, if my lovely goddess will permit "My humble vows thus fighing at her feet. "The tyrant Love that in my bofom reigns, "The god himself submits to wear your chains.l "You shall direct his course, his ardour tame, "And check the fury of his wildest flame.” Unpractis'd youth is easily deceiv'd ; Sooth'd by fuch founds, I liften'd and believ'd; Now quite forgot that soft submissive fear, You dare to ask what I must blush to hear.

Cou'd I forget the honour of my race, sa And meet your wishes, fearless of disgrace ;lk Cou'd paffion o'er my tender youth prevail,

And all my mother's pious maxims faib;

Yet to preserve your heart (which ftill muft be,ve
Falfe as it is, for ever dear to me)

This fatal proof of love I would not give,
Which you'd contemn the moment you receive.
The wretched fhe, who yields to guilty joys,
A man may pity, but he must despise.
Your ardour ceas'd, I then fhou'd fee you
The wretched victim by your arts undone.
Yet if I cou'd that cold indifference bear,
What more wou'd strike me with the last despair,
With this reflection wou'd my foul be torn,

To know I merited your cruel fcorn.

fhun

"Has

"Has love no pleasures free from guilt or fear?
"Pleasures lefs fierce, more lafting, more fincere ?
"Thus let us gently kifs and fondly gaze,
"Love is a child, and like a child it plays.”

O STREPHON, if you wou'd continue just,
If love be fomething more than brutal luft,
Forbear to ask what I muft ftill deny,
This bitter pleasure, this deftructive joy,
So closely follow'd by the difmal train
Of cutting shame, and guilt's heart-piercing pain.
She paus'd; and fix'd her eyes upon her fan ;
He took a pinch of fnuff, and thus began;
Madam, if love-but he cou'd fay no more,
For Mademoiselle came rapping at the door.
The dangerous moments no adieus afford;
-Begone, the cries, I'm fure I hear my lord.
The lover ftarts from his unfinish'd loves,

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To fnatch his hat, and seek his scatter'd gloves :
The fighing dame to meet her dear prepares,
While Strephon curfing flips down the back-stairs.

THURSDAY.

TH

THURSDAY.

The BASSETTE-TABLE.

SMILINDA and CARDELIA.

CARDELIA.

THE baffette-table spread, the tallier come, Why stays SMILINDA in the dreffing-room? Rife, penfive nymph! the tallier stays for you.

SMILINDA.

Ah! Madam, fince my SHARPER is untrue,
I joyless make my once ador'd alpieu.
I saw him stand behind OMBRELIA's chair,
And whisper with that soft, deluding air,

And those feign'd fighs, that cheat the lift'ning fair.
CARDELIA.

Is this the cause of your romantick strains?
A mightier grief my heavy heart fuftains.
As you by Love, fo I by Fortune cross'd,
In one bad deal three feptlevas I loft.
SMILINDA.

Is that a grief which you compare with mine?
With ease the smiles of Fortune I refign.
Wou'd all my gold in one bad deal were gone,
Were lovely SHARPER mine, and mine alone.

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CARDELIA

CARDELIA.

A lover loft is but a common care,

And prudent nymphs against the change prepare.
The queen of clubs thrice loft! oh! who cou'd guess
This fatal ftroke! this unforeseen distress!"

SMILINDA.

See! BETTY LOVEIT very à propos !
She all the pains of love and play does know,
Deeply experienc'd many years ago.

Dear BETTY hall th' important point decide,
BETTY, who oft the pains of each has try'd:
Impartial, fhe fhall fay who fuffers most,

By cards' ill-ufage, or by lovers loft.

LOVEIT.

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

Behold this equipage by MATHERS wrought,
With fifty guineas (a great pen'orth !) bought!
See on the tooth-pick MARS and CUPID ftrive,
And both the ftruggling figures feem to live.
Upon the bottom fee the queen's bright face;
A myrtle foliage round the thimble cafe ;
JOVE, JOVE himself does on the fciffars fhine,
The metal and the workmanship divine.

SMILINDA.

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This fnuff-box, once the pledge of SHARPER's love, When rival beauties for the prefent ftrove

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