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
Critick'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 Tafte refin'd,
Th'Addrefs, the Delicacy-ftoops at once,
And makes her hearty meal upon a Dunce.
Flavia's a Wit, has too much fenfe to Pray;
To Toaf 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 caufe fuch impotence of mind?
A Spark too fickle, or a Spoufe too kind.

Wife Wretch! with Pleasures too refin'd to please;
With too much Spirit to be e'er at ease;

NOTES.

96

VER. 87. VI. Contrarieties | Opiate of the foul !] See Note

in the Witty and Refin'd. P.

VER. 89. Nor ofks of God, but of her Stars.-Death, that

on9o. 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.

Turn then from Wits; and look on Simo's Mate, No Afs fo meek, no Ass so obstinate. Or her, that owns her Faults, but never mends, Because she's honest, and the best of Friends. Or her, whofe life the Church and Scandal thare, 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 sweet viciffitude appears

110

Of Mirth and Opium, Ratafie and Tears,
The daily Anodyne, and nightly Draught,
To kill those 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. e. Her who affects to laugh out of fashion, and ftrives to difbelieve out of fear.

Who, with herself, or others, from her birth
Finds all her life one warfare upon earth:
Shines, in expofing Knaves, and painting Fools,
Yet is, whate'er fhe hates and ridicules.
No Thought advances, but her Eddy Brain
Whisks it about, and down it goes again.
Full fixty years the World has been her Trade,
The wifeft Fool much Time has ever made.
From loveless youth to unrefpected age,
No Paffion gratify'd except her Rage.
So much the Fury ftill out-ran the Wit,

120

125

The Pleasure mifs'd her, and the Scandal hit. Who breaks with her, provokes Revenge from Hell,

But he's a bolder man who dares be well.

Her ev'ry turn with Violence purfu'd,

130

Nor more a ftorm her Hate than Gratitude:

To that each Paffion turns, or foon or late;
Love, if it makes her yield, must make her hate :
Superiors? death! and Equals? what a curfe! 135
But an Inferior not dependant? worse.

VARIATIONS.

After 122. in the MS.

Opprefs'd with wealth and wit, abundance fad !
One makes her poor, the other makes her mad.

Offend her, and she knows not to forgive;

Oblige her, and she'll hate you while you live:

140

But die, and she'll adore you-Then the Bust
And Temple rise-then fall again to dust.
Last night, her Lord was all that's good and great;
A Knave this morning, and his Will a Cheat.
Strange! by the Means defeated of the Ends,

By Spirit robb'd of Pow'r, by Warmth of Friends,
By Wealth of Follow'rs! without one distress 145
Sick of herself thro' very selfishness!

Atoffa, curs'd with ev'ry granted pray'r, Childless with all her Children, wants an Heir. To Heirs unknown defcends th'unguarded store, Or wanders, Heav'n-directed, to the Poor.

Pictures like thefe, dear Madam, to defign, Afks no firm hand, and no unerring line;

VARIATIONS.

After 148. in the MS.

This Death decides, nor lets the blessing fall
On any one she hates, but on them all.
Curs'd chance! this only could afflict her more,
If any part should wander to the poor.

NOTES.

VER. 150. Or wanders, Heav'n-directed, &c.] Alluding and referring to the great principle of his Philofophy, which he never lofes fight of,

150

and which teaches, that Providence is inceffantly turning the evils arifing from the follies and vices of men to general good.

Some wand'ring touches, fome reflected light,
Some flying ftroke alone can hit 'em right:
For how fhould equal Colours do the knack? 155
Chameleons who can paint in white and black?
"Yet Cloe fure was form'd without a spot”—
Nature in her then err'd not, but forgot.

NOTES.

E