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On a certain LADY at COURT.

I

Know the thing that's most uncommon;

(Envy be filent, and attend!)

I know a reasonable Woman,

Handsome and witty, yet a Friend.

Not warp'd by Paffion, aw'd by Rumour,
Not grave thro' Pride, or gay thro' Folly,
An equal mixture of good Humour,
And fenfible foft Melancholy.

"Has the no faults then (Envy fays) Sir?"
Yes, he has one, I must aver;

When all the World confpires to praise her,
The Woman's deaf, and does not hear.

On his GROTTO at Twickenham,

COM OSED OF

Marbles, Sparrs, Gemms, Ores, and Minerals.

TH

HOU who fhalt ftop, where Thames' tranf-
lucent wave

Shines a broad Mirrour thro' the fhadowy Cave;
Where ling'ring drops from min'ral Roofs diftill,
And pointed Crystals break the sparkling Rill,
Unpolish'd Gemms no ray on Pride bestow,
And latent Metals innocently glow:

VARIATIONS.

After v. 6. in the MS.

You fee that Ifland's wealth, where, only free,
Earth to her entrails feels not Tyranny.

5

i. e. Britain is the only place on the globe which feels not Tyranny even to its very entrails. Alluding to the condemnation of Criminals to the Mines, one of the inflictions of civil juftice in moft Countries. The thought was exceeding natural and proper in this place, where the Poet was defcribing a Grotto incrufted and adorned with all forts of Minerals collected, by the means of commerce, from the four quarters of the Globe.

NOTES.

On his Grotto.] The improving and finishing his Grott was the favourite amufement of his declining Years; and the beauty of his poetic genius, in the difpofition and ornaments of this romantic recefs, appears to as much advantage as in his beft contrived Poems.

Approach. Great NATURE ftudiously behold!
And eye the Mine without a wifh for Gold.
Approach: But awful! Lo! th' Ægerian Grott, 9
Where, nobly-penfive, ST. JOHN fate and thought;
Where British fighs from dying WYNDHAM ftole,
And the bright flame was fhot thro' MARCH-
MONT'S Soul.

Let fuch, fuch only, tread this facred Floor,
Who dare to love their Country, and be poor.

VARIATIONS.

VER. 11. Where British figs from dying Wyndham ficie.] Ia his MS. it was thus,

To Wyndham's breaft the patriot-paffions ftole,

which made the whole allu 'e to a certain Anecdote of not much confequence to any but the parties concerned.

NOTES.

VER. 9. Fgerian Grott.] Alluding to Numa's proj cing his fyftem of Pol tics in this Grott, aded, as he gave out, by the Goddefs. ge ia.

то

Mrs. M. B. on her BIRTH-DAY.

H be thou bleft with all that Heav'n can fend,

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Long Health, long Youth, long Pleasure,
and a Friend:

Not with those Toys the female world admire,
Riches that vex, and Vanities that tire.

With added

years if Life bring nothing new, But like a Sieve let ev'ry bleffing thro',

Some joy still loft, as each vain year runs o'er,

And all we

gain, fome fad Reflection more; Is that a Birth-day? 'tis alas! too clear, 'Tis but the Fun'ral of the former year.

Let Joy or Ease, let Affluence or Content,

And the

gay

Conscience of a life well spent,
Calm ev'ry thought, infpirit ev'ry grace,
Glow in thy heart, and fmile upon thy face.
Let day improve on day, and year on year,
Without a Pain, a Trouble, or a Fear;

5

10.

15

Till Death unfelt that tender frame destroy, In fome foft Dream, or Extafy of joy, Peaceful fleep out the Sabbath of the Tomb, And wake to Raptures in a Life to come.

VARIATIONS.

VER. 15. Originally thus in the MS.

And oh fince Death muft that fair frame deftroy,
Dye, by fome fudden Extafy of Joy;

In fome foft dream may thy mild foul remove,
And be thy latest gafp a Sigh of Love.

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