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Panthea, an Elegy,

Araminta, an Elegy,

An Elegy on a Lap-dog,

To a young Lady, with some Lampreys,

To a Lady, on her Paffion for old China,

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90

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Prologue, defign'd for the Paftoral Tragedy of Dione, 102

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EPISTLES

ON

SEVERAL OCCASIONS.

VOL. II.

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EPISTLE I.

TO A LAD Y.

Occafioned by the Arrival of HER ROYAL

HIGHNESS.

ADAM, to all your cenfures I fubmit,

MAD

And frankly own I should long fince have writ:

You told me, filence would be thought a crime,
And kindly ftrove to teaze me into rhyme :
No more let trifling themes your Mufe employ,
Nor lavish verse to paint a female toy :
No more on plains with rural damfels fport,
But fing the glories of the British court.

By your commands and inclination fway'd,
I call'd th' unwilling Mufes to my aid;
Refolv'd to write, the noble theme I chose,
And to the Princess thus the Poem rose.

Aid me, bright Phoebus; aid, ye facred Nine;
Exalt my Genius, and my verse refine.

My ftrains with Carolina's name I grace,
The lovely parent of our royal race.

Breathe foft, ye winds, ye waves in filence fleep;
Let profp'rous breezes wanton o'er the deep,

Swell the white fails, and with the ftreamers play,
To waft ber gently o'er the wat'ry way.

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Here I to Neptune form'd a pompous pray'r,
To rein the winds. a d guard the royal Fair;
Bid the blue Tritons 1ound their twisted shells,
And call the Nereids from their pearly cells.
Thus my warm zeal had drawn the Muse along,
Yet knew no method to conduct her fong:
I then refolv'd fome model to pursue,
Perus'd French Criticks, and began anew.
Long open panegyrick drags at best,
And praise is only praise when well addrefs'd.

Straight Horace for fome lucky ode I fought :
And all along I trac'd him thought by thought:
This new performance to a friend I fhow'd;
For fhame, fays he, what, imitate an Ode!
I'd rather ballads write, and Grub-street lays,
Than pillage Cafar for my patron's praise :
One common fate all imitators share,

To fave mince-pies, and cap the grocer's ware.
Vex'd at the charge, I to the flames commit
Rhymes, fimilies, Lords names, and ends of wit;
In blotted ftanzas fcraps of Odes expire,
And fuftian mounts in Pyramids of fire.
Ladies, to you I next infcrib'd my lay,
And writ a letter in familiar way:
For ftill impatient till the Princefs came,
You from defcription wish'd to know the dame.
Each day my pleafing labour larger grew,
For ftill new graces open'd to my view.
Twelve lines ran on to introduce the theme,
And then I thus purfu'd the growing scheme.
Beauty and it were fure by nature join'd,
And charms are emanations to the mind;
The foul tranfpiercing through the shining frame,
Forms all the graces of the Princely Dame!

Bene

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