THE BASSET-TABLE. ΑΝ ECLOGUE. CARDELIA. SMILIND A. TH CARDELIA. HE Baffet-Tab'e fpread, the Tallier come; Why stays SMIL NDA in the Dreffing-Room? Rife, penfive Nymph, the Ta'lier waits for you: SMILIND A. Ah, Madam, fince my SHARPER is untrue And those feign'd fighs which cheat the list'ning CARDELIA. Is this the cause of your Romantick strains? A mightier grief my heavy heart sustains. NOTES. 10 The Baffet Table.] Only this of all the Town Eclogues was Mr. Pope's; and is here printed from a copy corrected by his own hand.-The humour of it confifts in this, that the one is in love with the Game, and the other with the Sharper. As 3 As You by Love, so I by Fortune cross't; SMILIND A. Is that the grief, which you compare with mine? With ease, the fmiles of Fortune I refign: Would all my gold in one bad Deal were gone; 15 Were lovely SHARPER mine, and mine alone. CARDELIA. A Lover loft, is but a common care; And prudent Nymphs againft that change prepare: The KNAVE OF CLUBS thrice loft: Oh ! who could guefs This fatal ftroke, this unforeseen Distress? SMILIND A. See BETTY LOVET! very à propos, LOVET. Tell, tell your griefs; attentive will I stay, Tho' time is precious, and I want fome Tea. CARDELIA. 20 25 Behold this Equipage, by Mathers wrought, With Fifty Guineas (a great Pen'worth) bought. 30 See on the Tooth-pick, Mars and Cupid ftrive; And both the struggling figures feem alive. Upon Upon the bottom fhines the Queen's bright Face, Jove, Jove himfelf, does on the Scizars fhine; 35 SMILINDA. This Snuff Box,-once the pledge of SHARPER'S When rival beauties for the Prefent ftrove; At Corticelli's he the Raffle won; Then firft his Paffion was in public fhown: HAZARDIA blufh'd, and turn'd her Head afide, 40 This Snuff-Box,- on the Hinge fee Brilliants shine: CARDELIA. Alas! far leffer loffes than I bear, Have made a Soldier figh, a Lover swear. SMILIND A. But ah! what aggravates the killing smart, The cruel thought, that ftabs me to the heart; This curs'd OMBRELIA, this undoing Fair, 45 50 55 By whofe vile arts this heavy grief I bear; She owes to me the very charms fhe wears. An An aukward Thing, when firft fhe came to Town; I introduc'd her to the Park and Plays; And by my int'reft, Cozens made her Stays. Ungrateful wretch, with mimick airs grown pert, She dares to steal my Fav'rite Lover's heart. CARDELIA. Wretch that I was, how often have I fwore, When WINNALL tally'd, I would punt no more? I know the Bite, yet to my Ruin run; And see the Folly, which I cannot shun. SMILIND A. 66 70 How many Maids have SHARPER'S vows deceiv'd? How many curs'd the moment they believ'd? Yet his known Falfhoods could no Warning prove: Ah! what is warning to a Maid in Love? CARDELIA. But of what marble must that breast be form'd, 75 To gaze on Basset, and remain unwarm'd? When Kings, Queens, Knaves, are fet in decent rank; Expos'd in glorious heaps the tempting Bank, They strike the Soul, and glitter in the Eye. Fir'd Fir'd by the fight, all Reason I disdain; SMILIND A. 85 What more than marble muft that heart com pofe, Can hearken coldly to my SHARPER'S Vows? Then, when he trembles! when his Blushes rife! When awful Love seems melting in his Eyes! 90 With eager CARDELIA. - 95 At the Groom-Porter's, batter'd Bullies play, Some DUKES at Mary-Bone bowl Time away. 100 But who the Bowl, or rattl'ing Dice compares To Baffet's heav'nly Joys, and pleafing Cares? SMILIND A. Soft SIMPLICETTA doats upon a Beau; PRUDINA likes a Man, and laughs at Show. Their several graces in my SHARPER meet; 105 Strong as the Footman, as the Master sweet. |