THO' Artemifia talks, by fits,

Of councils, claffics, fathers, wits ;
Reads Malbranche, Boyle, and Locke:
Yet in fome things methinks fhe fails,
'Twere well if fhe would pare her nails,
And wear a cleaner fmock.

Haughty and huge as High-Dutch bride,
Such naftiness, and so much pride,

Are oddly join'd by fate :

On her large fquab you find her spread,
Like a fat corpfe upon a bed,

That lies and ftinks in ftate.

NOTES,

·

VER. 1. Tho' Artemifia] By Artemifia, Pope has been thought to have meant Queen Caroline. It certainly bears in many points a refemblance, but coloured by spleen. She became corpulent; and Mr. Coxe obferves, " Her levees were a ftrange picture of the motley character and manners of a Queen and learned woman. She received company while at her toilette-learned men and divines were intermixed with courtiers and ladies of the household. The converfation turned upon metaphyfical fubje&s, blended with the tittle-tattle of the drawing-room." Coxe's Me moirs.

It ought not to be omitted, that notwithstanding Pope's general farcafms, fhe was a moft exemplary, fenfible, prudent, and amiable woman, as is clearly proved by Mr. Coxe.

She wears no colours (fign of grace)
On any part except her face;

All white and black befide:
Dauntless her look, her gesture proud,
Her voice theatrically loud,

And masculine her ftride.

So have I feen, in black and white

A prating thing, a Magpye hight,
Majestically stalk;

A stately, worthless animal,

That plies the tongue, and wags the tail,
All flutter, pride, and talk.

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PHRYN E.

HRYNE had talents for mankind,
PHRYNE
Open fhe was, and unconfin'd,

Like fome free port of trade:
Merchants unloaded here their freight,
And Agents from each foreign ftate,
Here first their entry made,

Her learning and good-breeding fuch,
Whether th' Italian or the Dutch,
Spaniards or French came to her :
To all obliging fhe'd appear:
'Twas Si Signior, 'twas Yaw Mynheer,
'Twas S'il vous plaift, Monfieur.

Obfcure by birth, renown'd by crimes,
Still changing names, religions, climes,
At length fhe turns a bride :
In di'monds, pearls, and rich brocades,
She fhines the first of batter'd jades,
And flutters in her pride.

So have I known those Infects fair
(Which curious Germans hold fo rare)
Still vary shapes and dyes;
Still gain new titles with new forms;
First grubs obscene, then wriggling worms,
Then painted butterflies.

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VII.

DR. SW IF T.

Dr. WARTON obferves, that the point of the likeness in this Imitation confifts in defcribing the objects as they really exist in life, like Hogarth's paintings, without heightening or enlarging them by any imaginary circumftances. He adds, that in this way of writing, Swift excelled; witness his description of a Morning in the City, of a City Shower, of the Houfe of Baucis and Philemon, and the Verfes on his own Death. But furely this is paying a poor compliment to Hogarth's inimitable genius. Perhaps the very reverse of what Dr. Warton advances, is true; for, though his pictures are not fublime, wherein does the Painter's fancy and invention and fatire confift, but in the heightening" circumftances? These are as much required with refpect to burlesque," as they are in thofe delineations that are of a more ferious and elevated character. If characters are painted merely as they exift, where are we to fearch for humour and wit? It is the fame in all fatirical writings.

VII.

DR. SWIFT.

THE HAPPY LIFE OF A COUNTRY PARSON.

PARSON, these things in thy possessing

Are better than the Bishop's bleffing.
A Wife that makes conferves; a Steed
That carries double when there's need;
October store, and best Virginia,
Tythe-Pig, and mortuary Guinea;
Gazettes fent gratis down, and frank'd,
For which thy Patron's weekly thank'd;
A large Concordance, bound long fince;
Sermons to Charles the First, when Prince;
A Chronicle of ancient standing;
A Chryfoftom to fmooth thy band in :
The Polyglott-three parts,-my text:
Howbeit,-likewife-now to my next :
Lo here the Septuagint, and Paul,
To fum the whole, the clofe of all.

He that has these, may pass his life,
Drink with the 'Squire, and kifs his wife;
On Sundays preach, and eat his fill;
And fast on Fridays—if he will ;

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