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The first came cap-a-pee from France,
Her conquering destiny fulfilling,
Whom meaner beauties eye askance,
And vainly ape her art of killing.

The other Amazon kind heav'n

Had arm'd with spirit, wit, and satire:

But Cobham had the polish giv'n,

And tipp'd her arrows with good-natur

To celebrate her eyes, her airCoarse panegyrics would but teaze her. Melissa is her Nom de Guerre.

Alas, who would not wish to please her

[3] The reader is already apprized who these Ladies were descriptions are prettily contrasted; and nothing can be mo turned than the compliment to Lady Cobham in the eighth s

cap-a-pee from Fram

ing destiny fung beauties eye askinca ve her art of killing

on kind heav'a

h spirit, wit, and satire: the polish giv'a, arrows with good-nature.

yes, her aircs would but teaze her. de Guerre.

not wish to please her!

P

Fame, in the shape of Mr. P-t, [ (By this time all the parish kno Had told that thereabouts there lu: A wicked Imp they call a Poet=

Who prowl'd the country far and Bewitch'd the children of the pe Dried up the cows, and lam'd the And suck'd the eggs, and kill'd

My Lady heard their joint petition Swore by her coronet and ermir She'd issue out her high commissio To rid the manor of such verm

apprized who these Ladies were; the rasted; and nothing can be more hay to Lady Cobham in the eighth stanza.

[4] It has been said, that this Gentleman, : quaintance of Mr. Gray's in the country, was the liberty here taken with his name; yet, sure

reason.

The trembling family they daunt,
They flirt, they sing, they laugh, they ta
Rummage his Mother, pinch his Aunt,
And up stairs in a whirlwind rattle.

Each hole and cupboard they explore,

Each creek and cranny of his chamber, Run hurry-skurry round the floor,

And o'er the bed and tester clamber;

Into the drawers and china pry,
Papers and books, a huge imbroglio!
Under a tea-cup he might lie,

Or creased, like dogs-ears, in a folio.

On the first marching of the troops,
The Muses, hopeless of his pardon,
Convey'd him underneath their hoops
To a small closet in the garden.

mily they daunt, sing, they laugh, they tatia ther, pinch his Aunt, a whirlwind rattle.

board they explore, cranny of his chamber, round the floor, d and tester clamber;

nd china pry,
s, a huge imbroglio!
might lie,
Hogs-ears, in a folio.

ag of the troops,
ess of his pardon,
neath their hoops
n the garden.

Short was his joy. He little knew The power of Magic was no fat Out of the window, whisk, they fl But left a spell upon the table.

The words too eager to unriddle, The Poet felt a strange disorder Transparent bird-lime form'd the And chains invisible the border

So cunning was the Apparatus, The powerful pot-hooks did so That, will he, nill he, to the Grea He went, as if the Devil drove

Yet on his way (no sign of grace, For folks in fear are apt to pra

L

Own'd, that his quiver and his laurel

'Gainst four such eyes were no protection

The Court was sate, the Culprit there,

Forth from their gloomy mansions creepi The Lady Janes and Joans repair,

And from the gallery stand peeping:

Such as in silence of the night

Come (sweep) along some winding entry (Styack (n) has often seen the sight) Or at the chapel-door stand centry:

In peaked hoods and mantles tarnish'd,
Sour visages, enough to scare ye,

High dames of honour once, that garnish'd
The drawing-room of fierce Queen Mary

(n) The Housekeeper.

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