120 125 Who, with herself, or others, from her birth 130 the Persian princess as the representative of the most celebrated woman of his day, the wife of the great duke of Marlborough, must now be left to conjecture. Walpole, in his pleasantry, remarks of her Memoirs, that, though they are rather the annals of a wardrobe than of a reign, they retain those sallies of wit which fourscore years of arrogance could not fail to produce in so fantastic an understanding: one sees exactly how Europe and the back-stairs took their places in her imagination. The revolution left no impression on her mind, but of queen Mary turning up bed-clothes; and the protestant hero, but of a selfish glutton, who devoured a dish of peas from his sister-in-law! The queen gave her a picture in enamel set with diamonds: the duchess took off the diamonds, and gave the picture to a Mrs. Higgins to be sold.' 140 But die, and she 'll adore you: then the bust 150 155 Pictures like these, dear madam, to design, Asks no firm hand and no unerring line; Some wandering touches, some reflected light, Some flying stroke alone can hit them right: For how could equal colors do the knack? Cameleons who can paint in white and black? "Yet Chloe sure was form'd without a spot.'Nature in her then err'd not, but forgot. With every pleasing, every prudent part, Say, what can Chloe want?'-She wants a heart. She speaks, behaves, and acts just as she ought; But never, never, reach'd one generous thought: Virtue she finds too painful an endeavor, Content to dwell in decencies for ever. So very reasonable, so unmoved, As never yet to love or to be loved. 159 165 She, while her lover pants upon her breast, Forbid it, Heaven, a favor or a debt 175 One certain portrait may, I grant, be seen, 181 Which Heaven has varnish'd out, and made a queen: The same for ever! and described by all With truth and goodness, as with crown and ball. Poets heap virtues, painters gems at will; 185 And show their zeal, and hide their want of skill. 'Tis well: but, artists! who can paint or write, To draw the naked is your true delight. That robe of quality so struts and swells, 190 If Queensbury to strip there's no compelling, 'Tis from a handmaid we must take a Helen. From peer or bishop 'tis no easy thing To draw the man who loves his God or king: 195 179 Chloe is prudent. Lady Suffolk. Pope dining at her table heard her tell one of the footmen to remind her, to send to know how Mrs. Blount, who was ill, had passed the night. Alas! I copy (or my draught would fail) 200 But grant, in public, men sometimes are shown, Bred to disguise, in public 'tis you hide; That each may seem a virtue or a vice. In men, we various ruling passions find; In women, two almost divide the kind; Those, only fix'd, they first or last obey; The love of pleasure, and the love of sway. 205 210 That Nature gives; and where the lesson taught Men, some to quiet, some to public strife; 198 Mahomet. Servant to the late king, said to be the son of a Turkish bassa, whom he took at the siege of Buda, and constantly kept about his person.-Pope. 198 Parson Hale. The learned and philanthropic Dr. Stephen Hale. 216 But every woman is at heart a rake. Warburton, as usual, determines to defend the indefensible :-'We may observe,' is his plea, the expression simply amounts to this; that while some men take to business, some to pleasure, every woman would willingly make pleasure her business.' The explanation only aggravates the offence. Pope evidently gave way to the temptation of epigram, and terseness obtained the victory over truth. Yet mark the fate of a whole sex of queens! Power all their end, but beauty all the means: 220 In youth they conquer with so wild a rage, As leaves them scarce a subject in their age: Beauties, like tyrants, old and friendless grown, 235 Nor leave one sigh behind them when they die. 230 See how the world its veterans rewards! A youth of frolics, an old age of cards; 240 245 Ah, friend! to dazzle let the vain design; To raise the thought, and touch the heart, be thine! 250 |