The Prieft, who female frailties pity'd,
First chid her, then her fins remitted.

But did fhe now her crime bemoan
In penitential fheets alone?
And was no bold, no beastly fellow
The nightly partner of her pillow?
No, none for next time in the grove
A bank was confcious of her love.
Confeffion day was come about,
And now again it all must out.
She feems to wipe her twinkling eyes:
"What now, my child?" the Father cries.

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Again!" fays fhe.-With threatening looks, He thus the proftrate dame rebukes:

"Madam, I grant there 's fomething in it, "That virtue has th' unguarded minute; "But pray now tell me what are whores, "But women of unguarded hours? "Then you must fure have loft all shame. "What! every day, and still the fame,

And no fault elfe! 'tis ftrange to find "A woman to one fin confin'd! "Pride is this day her darling paffion, "The next day Slander is in fashion ;

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Gaming fucceeds; if Fortune croffes, "Then Virtue's mortgag'd for her loffes; "By use her favourite vice fhe loaths, "And loves new follies like new cloaths: "But you, beyond all thought urchaste, "Have all fin center'd near your waist ! C 2

"Whence

"Whence is this appetite fo ftrong ?

Say, Madam, did your mother long? "Or is it luxury and high diet

"That won't let virtue fleep in quiet?"
She tells him now, with meek eft voice,
That he had never err'd by choice;
Nor was there known a virgin chaster,
Till ruin'd by a fad disaster.

That she a favourite lap-dog had,
Which (as the ftroak'd and kiss'd) grew
And on her lip a wound indenting,
First fet her youthful blood fermenting.

The Prieft reply'd, with zealous fury, "You should have fought the means to cure ye. "Doctors by various ways, we find, "Treat these diftempers of the mind. "Let gaudy ribbands be deny'd "To her who raves with fcornful pride; “ And, if religion crack her notions, "Lock-up her volumes of devotions; "But, if for man her rage prevail, "Bar her the fight of creatures male.

Or elfe, to cure fuch venom❜d bites, "And set the shatter'd thoughts arights; "They fend you to the ocean's fhore, "And plunge the patient o'er and o'er."

The dame reply'd, "Alas! in vain "My kindred forc'd me to the main ; "Naked, and in the face of day: "Look not, ye fishermen, this way!

"What

“ What virgin had not done as I did ?
"My modeft hand, by nature guided,
"Debarr'd at once from human eyes
"The feat where female honour lies';
“ And, though thrice dipt from top to toe,
"I ftill fecur'd the poft below,

And guarded it with grasp so fast
"Not one drop through my fingers past.
"Thus owe I to my bafhful care,
"That all the rage is fettled there."

Weigh well the projects of mankind;
Then tell me, Reader, canft thou find
The man from madness wholly free?
They all are mad
fave you and me.
Do not the statesman, fop, and wit,
By daily follies prove they're bit ?
And, when the briny cure they try'd,

Some part ftill kept above the tide ?

Some men (when drench'd beneath the wave)

High o'er their heads their fingers save :,

Thofe hands by mean extortion thrive,

Or in the pocket lightly dive:
Or, more expert in pilfering vice,
They burn and itch to cog the dice.
Plunge-in a courtier; ftrait his fears
Direct his hands to ftop his ears.
And now truth feems a grating noise,
He loves the flanderer's whispering voice;

He hangs on flattery with delight,
And thinks all fulfome praise is right.
All women dread a watery death:
They fhut their lips, to hold their breath;
And, though you duck them ne'er so long,
Not one falt drop e'er wets their tongue :
'Tis hence they scandal have at will,
And that this member ne'er lies ftill.

THE

By the DEATH of the DUKE REGENT OF FRANCE.

HOW vain are mortal man's endeavours?

(Said, at dame Elliot's*, mafter Travers)

Good Orleans dead! in truth 'tis hard :

Oh, may all statesmen die prepar'd!
I do forefee (and for fore-feeing
He equals any man in being)

The army ne'er can be disbanded.

I wish the King were fafely landed..
Ah, friends! great changes threat the land;
All France and England at a stand!

There's Meroweis - mark! ftrange work!
And there's the Czar, and there 's the Turk;
The Pope An India merchant by,

Cut fhort the fpeech with this reply:

"All at a stand? You fee great changes ?
"Ah, Sir! you never faw the Ganges.
"There dwell the nations of Quidnunki's

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