Page images
PDF
EPUB

How many pictures of one Nymph we view, 5 All how unlike each other, all how true! Arcadia's Countess, here, in ermin'd pride, Is there, Pastora by a fountain fide.

Here Fannia, leering on her own good man,
And there, a naked Leda with a Swan.
Let then the Fair one beautifully cry,
In Magdalen's loose hair and lifted eye,
Or dreft in smiles of sweet Cecilia shine,

10

With fimp'ring Angels, Palms, and Harps divine;

\

Whether the Charmer finner it, or saint it,

15

If Folly grow romantic, I must paint it.

Come then, the colours and the ground prepare!

Dip in the Rainbow, trick her off in Air;

Chuse a firm Cloud, before it fall, and in it

19

Catch, e'er she change, the Cynthia of this minute.

NOTES.

VER. 7, 8, 10, &c. Ar- 1 this instance amongst others,

cadia's Countess, - Pastora
by a fountain-Leda with a
fwan - Magdalen - Ceci-
lia-] Attitudes in which
several ladies affected to be
drawn, and sometimes one
lady in them all--The poet's
politeness and complaisance
to the sex is observable in | precept of Fresnoy,
formæ veneres captando fugaces.

that, whereas in the Cha-
racters of Men he has fome-
times made use of real
names, in the Characters of
Women always fictitious. P.

VER. 20. Catch, e'er she change, the Cynthia of this minute.) Alluding to the

Rufa, whose eye quick-glancing o'er the Park,

Attracts each light gay meteor of a Spark,
Agrees as ill with Rufa studying Locke,
As Sappho's di'monds with her dirty smock;
Or Sappho at her toilet's greazy task,
With Sappho fragrant at an ev'ning Mask:
So morning Infects that in muck begun,

25

Shine, buzz, and fly-blow in the fetting-fun.

How foft is Silia! fearful to offend; The Frail one's advocate, the Weak one's friend: 30 To her Calista prov'd her conduct nice;

And good Simplicius asks of her advice.

Sudden, she storms! she raves! You tip the wink, But spare your censure; Silia does not drink.

NOTES.

VER. 21. Instances of contrarieties, given even from such Characters as are most strongly mark'd, and feemingly therefore most con sistent: As, I. In the Affected, 21, &c. P.

VER. 23. Agrees as ill with Rufa studying Locke,] This thought is expressed with great humour in the following stanza :

Tho' Artemesia talks, by fits,

Of councils, classics, fathers, wits;
Reads Malbranche, Boyle, and Locke :
Yet in some things, methinks, she fails,
'Twere well if she wou'd pare her nails,
And wear a cleaner smock.

VER. 29 and 37. II. Contrarieties in the Soft-natured.P.

All eyes may fee from what the change arose,
All eyes may fee-a Pimple on her nose.

35

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 sees

All bath'd in tears-" Oh odious, odious Trees!"
Ladies, like variegated Tulips, show;
'Tis to their Changes half their charms we owe;

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

As when she touch'd the brink of all we hate.

NOTES.

41

45

50

VER. 45. III. Contrarie | stronger she exerted this vities in the Cunning and Art- vacity the more forceable ful. P. must be her attraction. But the point, where it came to excess, would destroy all the delicacy, and expose all the coarsness of sensuality.

VER 52. As when she touch'd the brink of all we hate.] Her charms consisted in the fingular turn of her vivacity; consequently the

Narcissa's nature, tolerably mild,

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.
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 slave to Fame:
Now deep in Taylor and the Book of Martyrs,

60

66

Now drinking citron with his Grace and Chartres:
Now Confcience chills her, and now Paffion burns;
And Atheism and Religion take their turns;
A very Heathen in the carnal part,
Yet still a fad, good Christian at her heart.

See Sin in State, majestically drunk; Proud as a Peeress, prouder as a Punk ; Chafte to her Husband, frank to all beside, 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:

70

NOTES.

[blocks in formation]

VER.69. V. In the Lewd

and Vicious. P.

« EelmineJätka »