No friend, no lover, is to Lesbia dead,

For Lesbia long had known a separate bed.
Gush forth, ye Tears! waste, waste, ye Sighs! my
My days, my nights, were by Fidelio blest! [breast,

LUCY. You cannot sure forget how oft' you said 81

His teasing fondness jealousy betray'd!
When at the play the neigb'ring box he took,

Yet thought you read suspicion in his look;
When cards and counters flew around the board
Have you not wish'd the absence of your lord?
His company was then a poor pretence
To check the freedoms of a wife's expense!

SAB. But why should I Myrtillo's passion blame, Since love's a fierce involuntary flame?

LUCY. Could he the sallies of his heart withstand,
Why should he not to Chloe give his hand?
For Chloe's handsome; yet he slights her flame;
Last night she fainted at Sabina's name....
Why, Daphne, dost thou blame Sabina's charms?
Sabina keeps no lover from thy arms.

At Crimp Myrtillo play'd; in kind regards
Doris threw love, unmindful of the cards:
Doris was touch'd with spleen; her fan he rent,
Flew from the table, and to tears gave vent.
Why, Doris, dost thou curse Sabina's eyes?
To her Myrtillo is a vulgar prize.

90

ICO

v. 98.] Doris dealt love, be only dealt the cards. 12 mo. edit, 1767.

SAB. Yet say I lov'd; how loud would censure rail, So soon to quit the duties of the veil!

No, sooner plays and op'ras I'd forswear,

And change those China jars for Tunbridge ware,
Or trust my mother as a confidant,

Or fix a friendship with my maiden aunt.
Than till-to-morrow throw my weeds away.
Yet let me see him if he comes to-day!

Hasty she snatch'd the letter, tore the seal;
She read, and blushes glow'd beneath the veil.

THE ESPOUSAL.

A SOBER ECLOGUE

BETWEEN TWO OF THE PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS.

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112

CALEB, TABITHA.

BENEATH the shadow of a beaver hat

Meek Caleb at a silent meeting sat;
His eyebals oft' forgot the holy trance,
While Tabitha demure return'd the glance.
The meeting ended, Caleb silence broke,

And Tabitha her inward yearnings spoke.

CALEB. Beloved! see how all things follow love; Lamb fondleth lamb, and dove desports with dove: Yet fondl'd lambs their innocence secure, And none can call the turtle's bill impure.

O fairest of our Sisters! let me be

The billing dove and fondling lamb to thee.

10

TABIT. But, Caleb, know that birds of gentle mind

Elect a mate among the sober kind;

Not the mockaws all deck'd in scarlet pride,
Entice their mild and modest hearts aside;
But thou, vain man! beguil'd by Popish shows,
Dotest on ribands, flouncés, furbelows.

If thy false heart be fond of tawdry dyes,
Go, wed the painted arch in summer skies;
Such love will like the rainbow's hue decay,
Strong at the first, but passeth soon away.

20

CALEB. Name not the frailties of my youthful days, When vice misled me thro' the harlot's ways; When I with wanton look thy sex beheld, And Nature with each wanton look rebell'd; Then party-colour'd Pride my heart might move With lace, the net to catch unhallow'd love. All such-like love is fading as the flow'r, Springs in a day, and withereth in an hour: But now I feel the Spousal love within, And Spousal love no Sister holds a sin.

30

TABIT. I know thou longest for the flaunting maid; ' Thy falsehood own, and say I am betray'd: The tongue of man is blister'd o'er with lies, But truth is ever read in woman's eyes: O that my lip obey'd a tongue like thine ! Or that thine eye bewray'd a love like mine! CALEB. How bitter are thy words! forbear to tease; I too might blame---but love delights to please.

A 40

Why should I tell thee, that when last the sun
Painted the downy peach of Newington,
Josiah led thee thro' the garden's walk,
And mingl'd melting kisses with his talk?
Ah! Jealousy! turn, turn thine eyes aside,
How can I see that watch adorn thy side?
For verily no gift the Sisters take
For lust of gain, but for the giver's sake.

TABIT. I Own Josiah gave the golden toy,
Which did the righteous hand of Quare employ: 50
When Caleb hath assign'd some happy day,
I look on this and chide the hour's delay:
And when Josiah would his love pursue,!
On this I look and shun his wanton view.
Man but in vain with trinkets tries to move;
The only present Love demands is love,

CALEB. Ah! Tabitha! to hear these words of thine, My pulse beats high, as if inflam'd with wine! When to the Brethren first, with fervent zeal, The Spirit moy'd thy yearnings to reveal, How did I joy thy trembling lip to see Red as the cherry from the Kentish tree? When ecstasy had warm'd thy look so meek, Gardens of roses blushed on thy cheek.

With what sweet transport didst thou roll thine eyes, How did thy words provoke the Brethren's sighs! Words that with holy sighs might others move,

But, Tabitha! my sighs were sighs of love.

TABIT. Is Tabitha beyond her wishes blest? Does no proud worldly dame divide thy breast? Then hear me, Caleb! witness what I speak, This solemn promise death alone can break ; Sooner I would bedeck my brow with lace, And with immodest fav'rites shade my face, Sooner, like Babylon's lewd whore, be' drest In flaring di'monds and a scarlet vest, Or make a curtsy in cathedral pew, Than prove inconstant while my Caleb's true. CALEB. When I prove false, and Tabitha forsake, Teachers shall dance a jig at country wake; Brethren unbeaver'd then shall bow their head, And with profane mince-pies our babes be fed. TABIT. If that Josiah were with passion fir'd, Warm as the zeal of youth when first inspir'd; In steady love tho' he might persevere, Unchanging as the decent garb we wear, And thou wert fickle as the wind that blows, Light as ths feather on the head of beaus; Yet I for thee would all thy sex resign,

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80

Sisters! take all the rest---be Caleb mine.

༡༠

CALEB. Tho' I had all that sinful love affords,

And all the concubines of all the lords,

Whose couches creak with whoredom's sinful shame,

Whose velvet chairs are with adult'ry lame;

Ev'n in the harlot's hall I would not sip

The dew of lewdness from her lying lip;