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But worden no feel no fuch fire,
And only know the grofs defire.
Their paffions move in lower fpheres,
Where'er caprice or folly fteers.
A dog, a parrot, or an ape,

Or fome worse brute in human shape,
Ingrofs the fancies of the fair,
The few foft moments they can spare,
From vifits to receive and pay;
From fcandal, politics, and play;

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But fure it is, that courtship and addrefs, without any proteftations of fidelity and love, may be carried fomewhat too far; as the deportment of Cadenus to the beautiful and accomplished Vaneffa, in this poetical representation of gallantry, fufficiently demonstrates. Is it therefore any matter of aftonishment, that Vaneffa, (before whom Cadenus might have fighed and languished, and to whom at particular times he might have both vowed and written) should have been encouraged to hope, as she liked his person, and was enamoured of his writings, that he might have carried off fo glorious a prize from all the reft of her cotemporaries? Allowing this to have been the cafe, which is perhaps agreeable to truth, as well as to common report, Vaneffa's declaration to her admired Cadepus, may without violence be interpreted into a gentle demand of thofe tender affections, which, from the current of his behaviour sowards her, she had a right to expect.

I have been affured, that Mifs Vanhomrigh was, in her general converse with the world, as far from encouraging any style of addrefs, inconfiftent with the rules of honour and good-breeding, as any woman alive. Neither can it be faid, if any conclufions may be drawn from her appearance and behaviour in Ireland, that she was either a vain woman, or fond of drefs; altho' fhe was extremely nice and delicate, as well in the cleanliness of her person, as in every thing fhe wore. Her only misfortune was, that she had a paffion for Dr Swift, which was not to be conquered; altho' it is a point incontestable, that Dr Swift had never once made her the most diftant overtures of marriage. And this paffion was in all probability the remote caufe of her death. She languished for fome years, and fell into a confumption; neither was the convinced that Dr Swift was married to Mrs Johnson, until about two months before her decease. She was at laft carried off by a fever, in the year 17:3, and in the 37th year of her age.

Thus died at Selbridge, worthy of an happier fate, the celebrated Mrs Efther Vanhomrigh, a martyr to love and conftancy.

Herfed

From fanes, and flounces, and brocades,
From equipage and park-parades,
From all the thousand female toys,
From ev'ry trifle that employs
The out or infide of their heads,
Between their toilets and their beds.

In a dull ftream, which moving flow,

You hardly fee the current flow;

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50

If a small breeze obftru&ts the course,
It whirls about for want of force;

And in its narrow circle gathers

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Nothing but chaff, and ftraws, and feathers :
The current of a female mind

Stops thus, and turns with ev'ry wind;
Thus whirling round together draws

Fools, fops, and rakes, for chaff and straws.

Hence we conclude, no womens hearts

Are won by virtue, wit, and

parts;

Nor are the men of fenfe to blame,

For breafts incapable of flame :

The fault muft on the nymphs be plac'd,
Grown fo corrupted in their tafte.

Herfed in death's cold, frozen arms,
Lie deep intomb'd VANESSA's charms;
Transfix'd by Love's unerring dart,
The gentle fair indulg'd the smart;
For twice fix long revolving years
Her days were spent in fighs and tears;
Her tender frame at laft decay'd,
She quits the world a lifeless fhade';
Nor can alas! the grave fecure
Her virtues uncorrupt and pure!
VANESSA's fate in mournful trains
Bewail, ye nymphs and fhepherd swains;
Te tuneful choirs, to whom belong
The pow'rs of verfe, in plaintive fong
Bewail the nymph, who dy'd to prove,
That reason was her guide in love.

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THE pleader, having fpoke his best,

Had witnefs ready to attest,

Who fairly could on oath depofe,

When questions on the fact arofe,
That ev'ry article was true;
Nor further thofe deponents knew
Therefore he humbly would infift,

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The bill might be with cofts dismiss'd.

THE caufe appear'd of fo much weight,

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That Venus, from her judgment-seat,
Defir'd them not to talk fo loud,
Elfe fhe muft interpofe a cloud
For if the heav'nly folk fhould know
Thefe pleadings in the courts below,
That mortals here difdain to love,
She ne'er could fhew her face above;
For gods, their betters, are too wife
To value that which men despise.
*And then, said she, my fon and I
Muft ftroll in air, 'twixt earth and fky;
Or elfe, fhut out from heav'n and earth,'
Fly to the fea, my place of birth;
There live with daggled mermaids pent,

And keep on fish perpetual lent.

BUT, fince the cafe appear'd fo nice,

She thought it beft to take advice.
The mufes, by their king's permiffion,
Tho' foes to love, attend the feffion,
And on the right hand took their places
In order; on the left, the graces:
To whom the might her doubts propofe
On all emergencies that rofe.

The mufes oft were feen to frown;

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85

90

95

The graces half-afham'd look down;

100

And 'twas obferv'd, there were but few
Of either sex among the crew,
Whom she or her affeffors knew.
The goddess foon began to fee,

Things were not ripe for a decree ;

105

And faid, the must confult her books,
The lovers' Fletas, Braftons, Cokes..
First to a dapper clerk fhe beckon'd

To turn to Ovid, book the second;

She then referr'd them to a place

In Virgil (vide Dido's cafe):
As for Tibullus's reports,

They never pafs'd for law in courts:

For Cowley's briefs, and pleas of Waller,
Still their authority was fmaller..

THERE was on both fides much to say:

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115

She'd hear the cause another day ;

And fo she did, and then a third;

She heard it-there she kept her word :
But with rejoinders and replies,

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Long bills, and answers ftuff'd with lies,
Demur, imparlance, and effoign,
The parties ne'er could iffue join:
For fixteen years the cause was fpun,

And then stood where it first begun.

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Now, gentle Clio, fing or fay,
What Venus meant by this delay.
The goddefs, much perplex'd in mind
To fee her empire thus declin'd,

When first this grand debate arose,

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Above her wisdom to compofe,

Conceiv'd a project in her head

To work her ends; which, if it fped,.

Would fhew the merits of the cause

Far better than confulting laws.

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In a glad hour Lucina's aid

Produc'd on earth a wondrous maid,

On whom the queen of love was bent
To try a new experiment.

She threw her law-books on the shelf,

140

And thus debated with herself.

SINCE men alledge, they ne'er can find

Those beauties in a female mind,

Which raise a flame that will endure

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For ever uncorrupt and pure;
If 'tis with reason they complain,
This inftant fhall reftore my reign.
I'll fearch where ev'ry virtue dwells,

From courts inclufive down to cells;

What preachers talk, or fages write:

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These I will gather and unite,

And represent them to mankind

Collected in that infant's mind.

THIS faid, the plucks in heav'n's high bow'rs A-fprig of amaranthine flow'rs,

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A sweetness above all perfumes :

From whence a cleanliness remains,
Incapable of outward ftains:

From whence that decency of mind,

So lovely in the female kind;

Where not one careless thought intrudes,
Lefs modeft than the speech of prudes;
Where never blush was call'd in aid,
That spurious virtue in a maid,
A virtue but at fecond-hand --
They blush, because they underftand.

160.

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