Spaniard or French came to her;
To all obliging fhe'd appear;
"Twas Si Signior, 'twas Yaw Mynheer,
'Twas S'il vous plait, Monfieur.

Obfcure by birth, renown'd by crimes,
Still changing names, religion, climes,
At length the turns a bride:
In di'monds, pearls, and rich brocades,
She fhines the firft of batter'd jades,
And flutters in her pride.

So have I known thofe infects fair,
Which curious Germans hold fo rare,
Still vary fhapes and dyes;

Still gain new titles with new forms:
Firft grubs obfcene, then wriggling worms,
Then painted butterflies.

On Mrs. BIDDY FLOYD:†

O R,

The Receipt to form a BEAUTY.

Written in the year 1707.

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15

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WHEN Cupid did his grandfire Jove intreat
To form fome beauty by a new receipt,

Jove fent, and found far in a country-scene
Truth, innocence, good nature, look ferene:

From

This poem is allowed, by all perfons of taste and judgment, to be fuch a master-piece in its kind, that it must abide the test of all future ages. Swift.

From which ingredients firft the dext'rous boy 5
Pick'd the demure, the awkward, and the coy.
The Graces from the court did next provide
Breeding, and wit, and air, and decent pride:
Thefe Venus gleans from ev'ry fpurious grain
Of nice coquet, affected, pert, and vain.
Jove mix'd up all, and his beft clay employ'd;
Then call'd the happy compofition Floyd.

APOLLO OUTWITTED.

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To the Honourable Mrs. FINCH, afterwards Countess of WINCHELSEA, under her name of ARDELIA.

PHO

Written in the year 1707.

Hobus, now fhort'ning ev'ry shade, Up to the northern tropic came, And thence beheld a lovely maid, Attending on a royal dame.

The god laid down his feeble rays,

Then lighted from his glitt'ring coach; But fenc'd his head with his own bays, Before he durft the nymph approach.

Under thofe facred leaves, fecure

From common lightning of the skies, He fondly thought he might endure The flashes of Ardelia's eyes.

The nymph, who oft had read in books
Of that bright god whom bards invoke,
Soon knew Apollo by his looks,

And guess'd his bus'nefs ere he spoke.

He in the old celeftial cant

Confefs'd his flame, and swore by Styx
Whate'er fhe would defire to grant-
But wife Ardelia knew his tricks.

Ovid had warn'd her to beware

Of ftrolling gods, whose usual trade is, Under pretence of taking air,

To pick up fublunary ladies.

Howe'er, fhe gave no flat denial,
As having malice in her heart;
And was refolv'd upon a trial,

To cheat the god in his own art.

Hear my request, the virgin said ;'

Let which I please of all the Nine

Attend whene'er I want their aid,

Obey my call, and only mine.

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By vow oblig'd, by paffion led,

The god could not refufe her pray'r :

He wav'd his wreath thrice o'er her head,
Thrice mutter'd something to the air.

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And now he thought to feize his due.:
But the the charm already try'd :

Thalia heard the call, and flew ·
To wait at bright Ardelia's fide.

On fight of this celeftial prude,

Apollo thought it vain to stay ; Nor in her prefence durft be rude; But made his leg and went away.

He hop'd to find fome lucky hour,

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When on the Queen the Mufes wait:

But Pallas owns Ardelia's pow'r ;

For vows divine are kept by fate.

Then, full of rage, Apollo fpoke :
Deceitful nymph, I fee thy art;
And, though I can't my gift revoke,
I'll disappoint its nobler part.

Let ftubborn pride poffefs thee long,
And be thou negligent of fame;
With ev'ry mufe to grace thy fong,
May't thou defpife a poet's name.

Of modeft poets be thou firft;

To filent fhades repeat thy verfe, Till Fame and Echo almost burst,

Yet hardly dare one line rehearse.

And last, my vengeance to complete,
May you defcend to take renown,
Prevail'd on by the thing you hate,

A Whig ‡, and one that wears a gown.

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To understand what the Doctor meaneth by a Whig, in this paffage, confult Vol. 4th, p. 223, 1. 11. &c.

1

*IM PRO M P T U.

To Lady WIN CHELSEA.

Occafioned by four fatirical Verfes on Womenwits in The Rape of the Lock.

N vain you boaft poetic names of

IN

yore,

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And cite thofe Sapphos we admire no more: Fate doom'd the fall of ev'ry female wit; But doom'd it then, when firft Ardelia writ. Of all examples by the world confeft, I knew Ardelia could not quote the best; Who, like her mistress on Britannia's throne, Fights and fubdues in quarrels not her own. To write their praise you but in vain effay; Ev'n while you write, you take that praise away: 10 Light to the stars the fun does thus restore, But fhines himself till they are seen no more.

A

*E PIGRAM.

Bishop by his neighbours hated,

Has caufe to wifh himself tranflated:

But why should Hough defire translation,
Lov'd and esteem'd by all the nation?

Yet, if it be the old man's cafe,

I'll lay my life, I know the place :

'Tis where God sent some that adore him,

And whither Enoch went before him.

STELLA's

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