T
HE Basset-Table spread, the Tallier come;

Why stays Smilinda in the Dressing-room ?
Rise, pensive Nymph; the Tallier waits for you.

;

SMILINDA.
Ah, Madam, since my Sharper is untrue,
I joyless make my once ador'd Alpheu.
I saw him stand behind Ombrelia's Chair,
And whisper with that soft, deluding air,
And those feign d fighs which cheat the listening
Fair.

CARDELIA.
Is this the cause of your romantic strains ?
A mightier grief my heavy heart sustains.
As You by Love, so I by Fortune cross'd;
One, one bad Deal, Three Septlevas have loft.

10

SMILINDA.

Is that the grief, which you compare with inine ?
With ease, the smiles of Fortune I resign:
Would all my gold in one bad Deal were gone;
Were lovely Sharper mine, and mine alone.

CARDELLA.

is CARDELIA.

A lover loft, is but a common care ;
And prudent Nymphs against that change prepare :
The Knave of Clubs thrice loft : Oh! who could guess
This fatal stroke, this unforeseen Distress ?

SMILINDA.
See Betty Lovet! very à propos,
She all the cares of Love and Play does know :
Dear Betty shall th' important point decide ;
Betty, who oft the pain of each has try'd;
Impartial, she shall say who suffers most,
By Cards, Ill-Usage, or by Lovers loft.

LOVET.
Tell, tell your griefs; attentive will I stay,
Though time is precious, and I want some Tea.

25

CARDELIA.

30

Behold this Equipage, by Mathers wroug With Fifty Guineas (a great Pen’worth) bought. See, on the Tooth-pick, Mars and Cupid strive; And both the struggling figures seem alive. Upon the bottom shines the Queen's bright Face; A Myrtle Foliage round the Thimble-case; Jove, Jove himself does on the Sciffars shine ; 35 The Metal, and the Workmanship, divine !

SMILINDA. This Snuff-box,-once the pledge of Sharper's love, When rival beauties for the Present strove ; At Corticelli's he the Raffle won; Then first his Passion was in public shown: Hazardia blush'd, and turn'd her head aside, A Rival's envy (all in vain) to hide.

This

40

z 3

a

50

This Snuff-box,-on the Hinge fee Brilliants shine:
This Snuff-box will I stake; the Prize is mine.

CARDELIA.
Alas! far lesser losses than I bear,

45
Have made a Soldier sigh, a Lover swear.
And oh! what makes the disappointment hard,
'Twas my own Lord that drew the fatal Card.
In Complaisance, I took the Queen he gave;
Though my own secret with was for the Knave.
The Knave won Sonica, which I had chose;
And the next Pull, my Septleva I lose.

SMILINDA,
But ah! what aggravates the killing smart,
The cruel thought, that ftabs me to the heart;
This curs’d Ombrelia, this undoing Fair,

55
By whose vile arts this heavy grief I bear;
She, at whose name I led these fpiteful tears,
She owes to me the very charms she wears.
An awkward Thing, when first she came to Town;
Her Shape unfashion’d, and her Face unknown:

60
She was my friend ;-I taught her first to spread
Upon her fallow cheeks enlivening red :
I introduc'd her to the Park and Plays;
And by my interest, Cozens made her Stays.
Ungrateful wretch, with mimic airs grown pert,
She dares to steal my Favourite Lover's heart.

CARDELIA.
Wretch that I was, how often have I swore,
When Winnall tally'd, I would punt no more!
I know the Bite, yet to my Ruin run;
And see the Folly, which I cannot fhun.

70

65

SMILINDA.

80

SMILINDA. How

many Maids have Sharper's vows deceiv’d! How

many curs’d the moment they believ'd ! Yet his known Falsehoods could no Warning prove : Ah! what is Warning to a Maid in Love?

CARDELIA But of what marble must that breast be form'd, 75 To gaze on Ballet, and remain unwarm’d? When Kings, Queens, Knaves, are set in decent rank; Expos d in glorious heaps the tempting Bank, Guineas, Half-guineas, all the shining train ; The Winner's pleasure, and the Lofer's pain : In bright Confusion open Rouleaus lie, They strike the Soul, and glitter in the Eye. Fir’d by the fight, all reason I disdain ; My Passions rise, and will not bear the rein, Look upon Basset, you who reason boast; And see if reason must not there be lost.

SMILINDA. What more than marble must that heart compose, Can hearken coldly to my Sharper's Vows ? Then, when he trembles ! when his Blushes rise ! When awful Love seems melting in his Eyes ! 90 With eager beats his Mechlin Cravat moyes : He loves, I whisper to myself, he loves ! Such unfeign's Passion in his looks appears, I lose my Memory of my former Fears ; My panting heart confesses all his charms,

95 I yield at once, and sink into his arms.

Think

85

24

Think of that moment, you who Prudence boast;
For such a moment, Prudence well were loft.

CARDELIA.
At the Groom-Porteros, batter'd Bullies play,
Some Dukes at Marybone bowl Time away.
But who the Bowl, or rattling Dice compares
To Baffet's heavenly Joys, and pleasing Cares ?

IOO

SMILINDA.

Soft Simplicetta doats upon a Beau ;
Prudina likes a Man, and laughs at Show,
Their several
graces in my Sharper meet;

105 Strong as the Footman, as the Master sweet.

LOVET.
Cease your contention, which has been too long;
I grow impatient, and the Tea's too strong.
Attend, and yield to what I now decide;
The Equipage shall grace Smilinda's Side :
The Snuff-box to Cardelia I decree,
Now leave complaining, and begin your Tea.

II