CARDELIA.

Is this the cause of your Romantic strains?
A mightier grief my heavy heart fuftains.
As You by Love, fo I by Fortune cross't;
One, one bad Deal, Three Septlevas have lost.

SMILINDA.

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

CARDELIA.

A Lover loft, is but a common care:

10

15

And prudent Nymphs against that change prepare: The KNAVE OF CLUBS thrice loft! Oh! who could

guefs

This fatal Stroke, this unforeseen Distress?

20

SMI.

NOTES.

"Thou Silver Deity of fecret night,

Direct my footfteps through the Woodland fhade;

Thou confcious witnefs of unknown delight,

The Lover's Guardian, and the Muse's aid.

By thy pale beams I folitary rove,

To thee my tender grief confide ;

Serenely fweet you gild the filent grove,
My friend, my goddess, and my guide.
Ev'n thee, fair Queen, from thy amazing height,
The charms of young Endimion drew,

Veil'd in the mantle of concealing night,

With all thy greatnefs, and thy coldness too!"

WARTON.

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, fhe shall say who fuffers most,
By Cards' Ill Ufage, or by Lovers loft.

LOVET.

Tell, tell your griefs; attentive will I ftay, Tho' Time is precious, and I want fome Tea.

25

CARDELIA.

Behold this Equipage, by Mathers wrought, With Fifty Guineas (a great Pen'worth) bought. 30 See on the Tooth-pick, Mars and Cupid strive ; And both the struggling figures seem alive. Upon the bottom fhines the Queen's bright Face; A Myrtle Foliage round the Thimble-Cafe. Jove, Jove himself, does on the fciffars shine; The Metal, and the Workmanship, divine!

35

SMILINDA.

This Snuff-Box,-once the pledge of SHARPER'S

love,

When rival beauties for the Present strove;

At Corticelli's he the Ruffle won;

Then first his Paffion was in public shown:

HAZARDIA blush'd, and turn'd her Head afide,
A Rival's envy (all in vain) to hide.

This Snuff-Box-on the Hinge see Brilliants shine :
This Snuff-Box will I stake; the Prize is mine.

CARDELIA.

Alas! far leffer loffes than I bear,

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 complaifance, I took the Queen he gave ;
Tho' my own fecret wifh was for the Knave.
The Knave won Sonica, which I had chofe;
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,

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45

50

55

By whofe vile arts this heavy grief I bear;

She, at whofe name I fhed these spiteful tears,

She owes to me the very charms fhe wears.

An aukward Thing, when first she came to Town;

Her fhape unfashion'd, and her Face unknown:

60

She was my friend; I taught her first to spread
Upon her fallow cheeks enliv'ning red:

I

I in

I introduc'd her to the Park and Plays;

And by my int'reft, Cozens made her Stays.

Ungrateful wretch, with mimick airs grown pert, 65 She dares to steal my Favʼrite Lover's heart.

CARDELIA.

Wretch that I was, how often have I swore,
When WINNALL tally'd, I would punt no more?
I knew the Bite, yet to my Ruin run;
And see the Folly, which I cannot shun.

70

SMILINDA.

How many Maids have SHARPER'S VOWs deceiv'd? How many curs'd the moment they believ'd? Yet his known falfehoods could no Warning prove: Ah! what is warning to a Maid in Love?

CARDELIA.

But of what marble must that breast be form'd,

To gaze on Baffet, and remain unwarm'd?

76

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 Loser's pain:
In bright confufion open Rouleaus lie,
They strike the Soul, and glitter in the Eye.
Fir'd by the fight, all Reason I disdain;

80

My Paffions rife, and will not bear the rein.

Look

Look upon Basset, you who Reason boast;
And fee if Reafon must not there be loft.

85

SMILINDA.

What more than marble must that heart compose, Can hearken coldly to my SHARPER's Vows? Then, when he trembles! when his Blushes rife! When awful Love feems melting in his Eyes! With eager beats his Mechlin Cravat moves: He Loves, I whisper to myself, He Loves! Such unfeign'd Paffion in his Looks appears, I lofe all Mem❜ry of my former Fears; My panting heart confeffes all his charms, I yield at once, and fink into his arms: Think of that moment, you who Prudence boaft; For fuch a moment, Prudence well were lost.

CARDELIA.

At the Groom-Porter's, batter'd Bullies play, Some DUKES at Mary-Bone bowl Time away. But who the Bowl, or ratt'ling Dice compares To Baffet's heav'nly Joys, and pleafing Cares?

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100

SMILINDA.

Soft SIMPLICETTA doats upon a Beau;

PRUDINA likes a Man, and laughs at Show.

Their feveral
in
graces my SHARPER meet;
Strong as the Footman, as the Master sweet.

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LOVET.