29 In days of old, they pardon'd breach of vows, That Edward's miss thus perks it in your face; Faith, let the modest matrons of the town 40 Come here in crowds, and stare the strumpet down. 50 MISCELLANIES. THE BASSET-TABLE1 AN ECLOGUE. CARDELIA. THE basset-table spread, the tallier come; SMILINDA. Ah, madam, since my Sharper is untrue, And whisper with that soft, deluding air, And those feign'd sighs which cheat the listening fair. CARDELIA. Is this the cause of your romantic strains? A mightier grief my heavy heart sustains. 10 The Basset-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 consists in this, that the one is in love with the game, and the other with the sharper-W. As you by love, so I by fortune cross'd, 11 SMILINDA. Is that the grief, which you compare with mine? With ease, the smiles of Fortune I resign: Would all my gold in one bad deal were gone! CARDELIA. A lover lost, is but a common care ; And prudent nymphs against that change prepare: The Knave of Clubs thrice lost! Oh! who could This fatal stroke, this unforeseen distress? guess 20 SMILINDA. See Betty Lovet! very àpropos She all the cares of love and play does know : LOVET. Tell, tell your griefs; attentive will I stay, Though time is precious, and I want some tea. CARDELIA. Behold this equipage, by Mathers wrought, With fifty guineas (a great pen'orth) bought. See, on the tooth-pick, Mars and Cupid strive; And both the struggling figures seem alive. 30 Upon the bottom shines the queen's bright face; 33 Jove, Jove himself, does on the scissors shine; SMILINDA. This snuff-box,-once the pledge of Sharper's love, Then first his passion was in public shown: This snuff-box,-on the hinge see brilliants shine: CARDELIA. Alas! far lesser losses than I bear, SMILINDA. But ah! what aggravates the killing smart, An awkward thing, when first she came to town; 40 50 60 She was my friend; I taught her first to spread 61 I introduced her to the park and plays; CARDELIA. Wretch that I was, how often have I swore, SMILINDA. 70 How many maids have Sharper's vows deceived? How many curs'd the moment they believed? Yet his known falsehood could no warning prove: Ah! what is warning to a maid in love? CARDELIA. But of what marble must that breast be form'd, To gaze on basset, and remain unwarm'd? When Kings, Queens, Knaves, are set in decent rank; Exposed in glorious heaps the tempting bank, 79 |