Where can philofophers, and fages wife,
Who read the curious volumes of the fkies,
A model more exact than dancing name,
Of the creation's univerfal frame?

Where worlds unnumber'd o'er th' ætherial way,
In a bright regular confusion stray:

Now here, now there, they whirl along the sky,
Now near approach, and now far distant fly,
Now meet in the fame order they begun,
And then the great celeftial dance is done.
Where can the mor'lift find a jufter plan
Of the vain labours, and the life of man?
A while thro' juftling crowds we toil and sweat,
And eagerly pursue we know not what;

'Then when our trifling fhort-liv'd race is run, Quite tir'd fit down, juft where we first begun..

Tho' to your arms kind fate's indulgent care
Has giv'n a partner exquifitely fair,

Let not her charms fo much engage your heart,
That you neglect the skilful dancer's part.
Be not, when you the tuneful notes fhould hear,
Still whifp'ring idle prattle in her ear.
When you fhou'd be employ'd, be not at play,
Nor for your joys all other steps delay:

But when the finish'd dance you once have done,
And with applause thro' ev'ry couple run,
There reft awhile: there fnatch the fleeting blifs,
The tender whisper, and the balmy kiss.
Each fecret wifh, each fofter hope confefs,
And her moist palm with eager fingers press;

WithTM

With fmiles the fair fhall hear your warm defires, When mufic melts her foul, and dancing fires.

Thus, mix'd with love, the pleafing toil pursue, Till the unwelcome morn appears in view. Then, when approaching day its beams displays, And the dull candles fhine with fainter rays; Then when the fun juft rifes o'er the deep, And each bright eye is almoft fet in fleep, With ready hands, obfequious youths, prepare Safe to her coach to lead each chofen fair, And guard her from the morn's inclement air:

}

Let
a warm hood enwrap her lovely head,
And o'er her neck a handkerchief be spread,
Around her shoulders let this arm be caft,
Whilst that from cold defends her flender waist.
With kiffes warm her balmy lips fhall glow,
Unchill'd by nightly damps, or wintry fnow.
While gen'rous white-wine, mull'd with ginger

warm,

Safely protects her inward frame from harm.

But ever let my lovely pupils fear

To chill their mantling blood with cold small-beer.
Ah, thoughtlefs fair! the tempting draught refufe,
When thus fore-warn'd by my experienc'd mufe.
Let the fad confequence your thoughts employ,
Nor hazard future pains for prefent joy;
Destruction lurks within the pois'nous dose,
A fatal fever, or a pimpl'd nofe..

Thus, thro' each precept of the dancing art,
The mufe has play'd the kind instructor's part;

Thro

Thro' ev'ry maze her pupils fhe has led,
And pointed out the fureft paths to tread :
No more remains; no more the goddess fings,
But drops her pinions, and unfurls her wings;
On downy beds the weary dancers lie,

And fleep's filk cords tie down each drowsy eye;
Delightful dreams their pleafing sports reftore,
And ev'n in fleep they seem to dance once more.
And now the work compleatly finish'd lies,
Which the devouring teeth of time defies;
Whilft birds in air, or fish in ftreams we find,,
Or damfels fret with aged partners join'd;
As long as nymphs fhall with attentive ear
A fiddle rather than a fermon hear;
So long the brightest eyes shall oft peruse
The useful lines of my inftructive mufe;
Each belle fhall wear them wrote upon her fan,*

And each bright beau fhall read them—if he can.^

The GIFT of the GODS.

O`Large

NCE the gods of the Greeks, at ambrofial feast, Large bowls of rich nectar were quaffing; Merry Momus among them appear'd as a gueft; Homer fays, the celeftials lov'd laughing.

On each, in the fynod, the humorift drol'd;
So none could his joking disprove:~

He fung fongs, reparteed, and fome droll ftories told,
And at laft thus began upon Jove:

• Sire,

Sire, Atlas, who long has the universe bore,
Grows grievously tired of late;

He complains, that mankind are much worse than 'before.

'So begs to be eas'd of their weight.'

Jove, knowing the earth on poor Atlas was hurl'd, From his fhoulders commanded the ball:

Gave his daughter Attraction the charge of the world, And the hung it up high in his hall.

Mifs, pleas'd with the present, review'd the world round,

To find what each kingdom was worth:

Like a diamond, the globe with an atmosphere bound, Then variously planted the earth.

With filver, gold, jewels, fhe India endow'd;

France and Spain she taught vineyards to rear; What was fit for each clime, on each clime fhe bestow'd;

And Freedom, the found, flourish'd here,
Four cardinal virtues fhe left in this ifle,
As guardians to cherish the root;
The bloffoms of Liberty gayly 'gan fmile,
And Englishmen fed on the fruit.

Thus fed and thus bred, by a bounty so rare,
O preferve it as pure as 'twas given !

We will while we've breath; nay, we'll grasp it in

death,

Then return it, untainted, to heaven.

AFFECTATION

AFFECTATION OF DELICACY

T

RIDICULED.

HE languid lady next appears in ftate, Who was not born to carry her own weight; She lolls, reels, ftaggers, 'till fome foreign aid To her own ftature lifts the feeble maid. Then, if ordain'd to fo fever e a doom, She, by juft ftages, journeys round the room: But knowing her own weakness, fhe defpairs To fcale the Alps-that is, afcend the ftairs. My fan! let others fay who laugh at toil; Fan! hood! glove! fcarf! is her laconick style; And that is spoke with fuch a dying fall, That Betty rather fees than hears the call: The motion of her lips, and meaning eye Piece out th' Idea her faint words deny, O liften with attention moft profound! Her voice is but the fhadow of a found: And help! O help! her fpirits are fo dead, One hand scarce lifts the other to her head. If, there, a ftubborn pin it triumphs o'er, She pants! fhe finks away! and is no more. Let the robust, and the gigantic carve, Life is not worth fo much, fhe'd rather starve; But chew the muft herself; ah cruel fate! That Rofalinda can't by proxy eat.

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