107 "What well? what weapon? (Flavia cries) 66 But, friend, take heed whom you attack; "You'd write as smooth again on glass, And run, on ivory, so glib, As not to stick at fool or ass, 66 Athenian queen! and sober charms! I tell ye, fool, there's nothing in't: 'Tis Venus, Venus gives these arms; In Dryden's Virgil see the print. 15 20 25 66 Come, if you'll be a quiet soul, That dares tell neither truth nor lies, 30 I'll list you in the harmless roll Of those that sing of these poor eyes." NOTES. Ver. 15. Bertrand's,] A famous toy-shop at Bath.-Warburton. Ver. 24. flattery or fib.] The Epistle to Dr. Arbuthnot.-Warburton. Ver. 27. these arms;] Such toys being the usual presents from lovers to their mistresses.-Warburton. Ver. 28. see the print.] When she delivers Eneas a suit of heavenly armour.-Warburton. Ver. 30. neither truth nor lies,] i. e. If you have neither the courage to write Satire, nor the application to attempt an Epic poem. He was then meditating on such a work.-Warburton. Ver. 32. Of those that sing of these poor eyes."] Among the many swains who sung of" these poor eyes," was Lord Chesterfield, in his well known ballad : "When Fanny, blooming fair, 108 This beautiful Lady was fourth daughter of Earl Ferrers, who had at that time a house at Twickenham. Notwithstanding her numerous admirers, she died at Bath unmarried, in the year 1762. At Clarendon Park, near Salisbury, the seat of her sister's son, Henry Bathurst, esq. there is a full length painting, by Sir Godfrey Kneller; and if she was as handsome as she is there represented, Lord Chesterfield's passionate address might be easily accounted for. The writer of this note had looked at it for some time with admiration, without knowing whose portrait it was, when the hospitable and benevolent owner of the mansion said, "That is the celebrated Fanny blooming fair." Her sister, married to Mr. Bathurst's father, is painted at full length in the same room. Lady Frances is dressed in a Turkish habit, probably introduced by Lady M. W. Montagu to England at the time, as she lived at Twickenham. The dress is beautiful, and gives great effect to the attitude and countenance. The sketch of Earl Ferrers' house and gardens is in the back ground. Bowles. 1740, A POEM. I SHALL here present the Reader with a valuable literary curiosity, a Fragment of an unpublished Satire of Pope, intitled, ONE THOUSAND Seven Hundred and Forty; communicated to me by the kindness of the learned and worthy Dr. Wilson, formerly fellow and librarian of Trinity College, Dublin; who speaks of the Fragment in the following terms: This poem I transcribed from a rough draft in Pope's own hand. He left many blanks for fear of the Argus eye of those, who, if they cannot find, can fabricate treason; yet, spite of his precaution, it fell into the hands of his enemies. To the hieroglyphics, there are direct allusions, I think, in some of the notes on the Dunciad. It was lent me by a grandson of Lord Chetwynd, an intimate friend of the famous Lord Bolingbroke, who gratified his curiosity by a boxful of the rubbish and sweepings of Pope's study, whose executor he was, in conjunction with Lord Marchmont."-Warton. 1740, A POEM. (The Notes by Mr. Bowles.) O WRETCHED B---, jealous now of all, And see what succour from the patriot race. b C---, his own proud dupe, thinks monarchs things 5 Controls, decides, insults thee every hour, Through clouds of passion P--'s views are clear; Impatient sees his country bought and sold, NOTES. 10 Ver. 1. O wretched B---,] There is no doubt but that this interesting fragment was the beginning of the very Satire to which Warburton alludes in the last poem. Pope was afraid to go on in his career of personal acrimony. Paul Whitehead, having thrown out an indecent sarcasm against Dr. Sherlock, was threatened with a prosecution. This was meant as a hint to Pope; and it is very plain his satiric progress was interrupted, for his aların evidently appears. In this poem, (which certainly was part of his plan, as a continuation of the Epilogue,) he seems, 66 Willing to wound, and yet afraid to strike.” I have added some explanatory names. a Britain. b Cobham. с Sandys. То purge and let thee blood, with fire and sword, 15 Is all the help stern S-- would afford. That those who bind and rob thee, would not kill, e Good C-- hopes, and candidly sits still. Of 'Ch-s W-- who speaks at all, g No more than of Sir Har-y or Sir P--. 20 Whose names once up, they thought it was not wrong To lie in bed, but sure they lay too long. "G--r, C-m, B-t, pay thee due regards, Unless the ladies bid them mind their cards. with wit that must And C-d who speaks so well and writes, Whose wit and must needs equally provoke one, Finds thee, at best, the butt to crack his joke on. 25 30 They follow reverently each wondrous wight, 35 Till having done whate'er was fit or fine, Utter'd a speech, and ask'd their friends to dine; Content but for five shillings in the pound, 40 Yearly defeated, yearly hopes they give, 1 William Pulteney, created in 1742 Earl of Bath. |