Here Fannia, leering on her own good man, With fimp'ring Angels, Palms, and Harps divine; Whether the Charmer finner it, or faint it, 10 15 Come then, the colours and the ground prepare! If Folly grow romantic, I must paint it. Dip in the Rainbow, trick her off in Air; Chufe a firm Cloud, before it fall, and in it Catch, ere fhe change, the Cynthia of this minute. 19 25 complaisance to the fex is obfervable in this instance, amongst others, that, whereas in the Characters of Men, he has fometimes made ufe of real names, in the Characters of Women always fictitious. VER. 20. Catch, ere she change, the Cynthia of this minute.] Alluding to the precept of Frefnoy, formæ veneres captando fugaces. VER. 21. Inftances of contrarieties, given even from fuch Characters as are most strongly marked, and seemingly therefore moft confiftent: As, I. In the Affected, ver. 21, etc. So morning Infects that in muck begun, Shine, buzz, and fly-blow in the fetting fun. How foft is Silia! fearful to offend ; The frail one's advocate, the Weak one's friend. 30 To her, Califta prov'd her conduct nice ; And good Simplicius asks of her advice. All bath'd in tears 35 "How charming is a Park!" "Oh odious, odious Trees!" 41 Ladies, like variegated Tulips, fhow; "Tis to their Changes half their charms we owe; Fine by defect, and delicately weak, Their happy Spots the nice admirer take. "Twas thus Calypfo once each heart alarm'd, 45 50 VER. 29, and 37. II. Contrarieties in the Soft-natured. 4 Narcifia's nature, tolerably mild, To make a wash, would hardly ftew a child; Has ev'n been prov'd to grant a Lover's pray'r, 55 And paid a Tradesman once to make him stare; Gave alms at Eafter, in a Christian trim, 60 And made a Widow happy, for a whim. A Yet ftill a fad, good Chriftian at her heart. See Sin in State, majeftically drunk ; Proud as a Peereis, prouder as a Punk; Chafte to her Husband, frank to all befide, A teeming mistress, but a barren Bride. 66 70 charms confifted in the fingular turn of her vivacity; confequently the ftronger the exerted this vivacity, the more forcible must be her attraction. But the point, where it came to excefs, would destroy all the delicacy, and expose all the coarfenefs of fenfuality. VER. 53. IV. in the W'bimfical. VER. 57. in a Chriftian trim,] This is finely expreffed, implying that her very charity was as much an exterior of Religion, as the ceremonies of the feafon. It was not even in a Chriftian bumour, it was only in a Christian trim. VER. 69. V. In the Lewd and Vicious. What then let Blood and Body bear the fault, Her Head's untouch'd, that noble Seat of Thought: She fins with Poets thro' pure Love of Wit. VER. 87. Contrarieties in the Witty and Refined. 75. 80 85 90 Death, that Opiate of the foul! See Note on ver. 90. of Ep. to Lord Cobham. VARIATIONS. VER. 77. What has not fir'd, etc.] In the MS. In whose mad brain the mixt ideas roll Of Tall-boy's breeches, and of Cæfar's foul. 7 Say, what can cause such impotence of mind? Wife Wretch with pleasures too refin❜d to please ; With too much Spirit to be e'er at ease; With too much Quickness ever to be taught; 96 With too much Thinking to have common Thought; You purchase pain with all that Joy can give, 100 Turn then from Wits; and look on Simo's Mate, No Afs fo meek, no Ass so obstinate. Or her that owns her Faults, but never mends, 106 Or her, who laughs at Hell, but (like her Grace) Cries, "Ah! how charming, if there's no fuch place!" Or who in sweet viciffitude appears 110 Of Mirth and Opium, Ratafie and Tears, But what are these to great Atoffa's mind ? 115 Scarce once herself, by turns all Womankind! VER. 107. Or ber, who laughs at Hell, but (like her Grace) Cries, "Ab! bow charming, if there's no fuch place! ] i. e. Her who affects to laugh out of fashion, and ftrives to difbelieve out of fear. |