LETTER IX.
A JOURNAL.
To humbler Strains, ye Nine, descend,
And greet my poor sequester'd Friend.
Not Odes with rapid Eagle flight,
That soar above all human Sight;
Not Fancy's fair and fertile Field,
To all the same Delight can yield.
But come C ALLIOPE and say
How Pleasure wastes the various Day:
Whether thou art wont to rove
By Parade, or Orange Grove,
Or to breathe a purer Air
In the Circus or the Square;
Wheresoever be thy Path,
Tell, O tell the Joys of Bath .
Ev'ry Morning, ev'ry Night,
Gayest Scenes of fresh Delight:
When Aurora sheds her Beams,
Wak'd from soft Elysian Dreams,
Music calls me to the Spring
Which can Health and Spirits bring;
There H YGEIA , Goddess, pours
Blessings from her various Stores,
Let me to her Altars haste,
Tho' I ne'er the Waters taste,
Near the Pump to take my Stand,
With a Nosegay in my Hand,
And to hear the Captain say,
" How d'ye do dear Miss to-day? "
The Captain! — Now you'll say my Dear,
Methinks I long his Name to hear, —
Why then — but don't you tell my Aunt
The Captain's Name is — C ORMORANT :
But hereafter, you must know,
I shall call him R OMEO ,
And your Friend, dear Lady B ET ,
J ENNY no more but J ULIET .
O ye Guardian Spirits fair,
All who make true Love your Care,
May I oft my R OMEO meet,
Oft enjoy his Converse sweet;
I alone his Thoughts employ
Thro' each various Scene of Joy.
Lo! where all the jocund Throng
From the Pump-Room hastes along,
To the Breakfast all invited
By Sir T OBY , lately knighted.
See with Joy my R OMEO comes,
He conducts me to the Rooms;
There he whispers, not unseen,
Tender Tales behind the Screen;
While his Eyes are fix'd on mine,
See each Nymph with Envy pine,
And with Looks of forc'd Disdain
Smile Contempt, but sigh in vain.
O the charming Parties made!
Some to walk the South Parade,
Some to L INCOMB 's shady Groves,
Or to S IMPSON 's proud Alcoves;
Some for Chapel trip away,
Then take Places for the Play:
Or we walk about in Pattins,
Buying Gauzes, cheap'ning Sattins,
Or to Painter 's we repair,
Meet Sir P EREGRINE H ATCHET there,
Pleas'd the Artist's Skill to trace
In his dear Miss G ORGON 's Face:
Happy Pair! who fix'd as Fate
For the sweet connubial State,
Smile in Canvas Tete a Tete .
If the Weather, cold and chill,
Calls us all to Mr. G ILL ,
R OMEO hands to me the Jelly,
Or the Soup of Vermicelli;
If at T OYSHOP I step in,
He presents a Diamond Pin,
Sweetest Token I can wear,
Which at once may grace my Hair,
And in Witness of my Flame,
Teach the Glass to bear his Name:
See him turn each Trinket over,
If for me he can discover
Ought his Passion to reveal,
Emblematic Ring or Seal;
C UPID whetting pointed darts,
For a Pair of tender Hearts;
H YMEN lighting sacred Fires,
Types of chaste and fond Desires:
Thus enjoy we ev'ry Blessing,
Till the Toilet calls to Dressing;
Where's my Garnet, Cap and Sprig?
Send for S INGE to dress my Wig:
Bring my silver'd Mazarine,
Sweetest Gown that e'er was seen:
T ABITHA , put on my Ruff;
Where's my faithful R OMEO 's Present;
Tippet too from Tail of Pheasant!
Muff from downy Breast of Swan,
O the dear enchanting Man!
Muff, that makes me think how J OVE
Flew to L EDA from above. —
Muff that — T ABBY , see who rapt then?
" Madam, Madam, 'tis the Captain!
Sure his Voice I hear below,
'Tis, it is my R OMEO ;
Shape and Gait, and careless Air,
Diamond Ring, and Solitair,
Birth and Fashion all declare.
How his Eyes that gently roll
Speak the Language of his Soul;
See the Dimple on his Cheek,
See him smile and sweetly speak,
" Lovely Nymph, at your Command
" I have something in my Hand,
" Which I hope you'll not refuse,
" 'Twill us both at Night amuse:
" What tho' Lady W HISKER crave it,
" And Miss B ADGER longs to have it,
" 'Tis, by Jupiter I swear,
" 'Tis for you alone, my Dear:
" See this Ticket, gentle Maid,
" At your Feet an Off'ring laid,
" Thee the Loves and Graces call
" To a little private Ball:
" And to Play I bid adieu,
" Hazard, Lansquenet and Loo,
" Fairest Nymph to dance with you. —
— I with joy accept his Ticket,
And upon my Bosom stick it:
Well I know how R OMEO dances,
With what Air he first advances,
With what Grace his Gloves he draws on,
Claps, and calls up Nancy Dawson ;
Me thro' ev'ry Dance conducting,
And the Music oft instructing;
See him tap the Time to shew,
With his light fantastic Toe;
Skill'd in ev'ry Art to please,
From the Fan to waft the Breeze,
Or his Bottle to produce
Fill'd with pungent Eau de Luce . —
Wonder not, my Friend, I go
To the Ball with R OMEO .
Such Delights if thou canst give
Bath , at thee I choose to live.
A JOURNAL.
To humbler Strains, ye Nine, descend,
And greet my poor sequester'd Friend.
Not Odes with rapid Eagle flight,
That soar above all human Sight;
Not Fancy's fair and fertile Field,
To all the same Delight can yield.
But come C ALLIOPE and say
How Pleasure wastes the various Day:
Whether thou art wont to rove
By Parade, or Orange Grove,
Or to breathe a purer Air
In the Circus or the Square;
Wheresoever be thy Path,
Tell, O tell the Joys of Bath .
Ev'ry Morning, ev'ry Night,
Gayest Scenes of fresh Delight:
When Aurora sheds her Beams,
Wak'd from soft Elysian Dreams,
Music calls me to the Spring
Which can Health and Spirits bring;
There H YGEIA , Goddess, pours
Blessings from her various Stores,
Let me to her Altars haste,
Tho' I ne'er the Waters taste,
Near the Pump to take my Stand,
With a Nosegay in my Hand,
And to hear the Captain say,
" How d'ye do dear Miss to-day? "
The Captain! — Now you'll say my Dear,
Methinks I long his Name to hear, —
Why then — but don't you tell my Aunt
The Captain's Name is — C ORMORANT :
But hereafter, you must know,
I shall call him R OMEO ,
And your Friend, dear Lady B ET ,
J ENNY no more but J ULIET .
O ye Guardian Spirits fair,
All who make true Love your Care,
May I oft my R OMEO meet,
Oft enjoy his Converse sweet;
I alone his Thoughts employ
Thro' each various Scene of Joy.
Lo! where all the jocund Throng
From the Pump-Room hastes along,
To the Breakfast all invited
By Sir T OBY , lately knighted.
See with Joy my R OMEO comes,
He conducts me to the Rooms;
There he whispers, not unseen,
Tender Tales behind the Screen;
While his Eyes are fix'd on mine,
See each Nymph with Envy pine,
And with Looks of forc'd Disdain
Smile Contempt, but sigh in vain.
O the charming Parties made!
Some to walk the South Parade,
Some to L INCOMB 's shady Groves,
Or to S IMPSON 's proud Alcoves;
Some for Chapel trip away,
Then take Places for the Play:
Or we walk about in Pattins,
Buying Gauzes, cheap'ning Sattins,
Or to Painter 's we repair,
Meet Sir P EREGRINE H ATCHET there,
Pleas'd the Artist's Skill to trace
In his dear Miss G ORGON 's Face:
Happy Pair! who fix'd as Fate
For the sweet connubial State,
Smile in Canvas Tete a Tete .
If the Weather, cold and chill,
Calls us all to Mr. G ILL ,
R OMEO hands to me the Jelly,
Or the Soup of Vermicelli;
If at T OYSHOP I step in,
He presents a Diamond Pin,
Sweetest Token I can wear,
Which at once may grace my Hair,
And in Witness of my Flame,
Teach the Glass to bear his Name:
See him turn each Trinket over,
If for me he can discover
Ought his Passion to reveal,
Emblematic Ring or Seal;
C UPID whetting pointed darts,
For a Pair of tender Hearts;
H YMEN lighting sacred Fires,
Types of chaste and fond Desires:
Thus enjoy we ev'ry Blessing,
Till the Toilet calls to Dressing;
Where's my Garnet, Cap and Sprig?
Send for S INGE to dress my Wig:
Bring my silver'd Mazarine,
Sweetest Gown that e'er was seen:
T ABITHA , put on my Ruff;
Where's my faithful R OMEO 's Present;
Tippet too from Tail of Pheasant!
Muff from downy Breast of Swan,
O the dear enchanting Man!
Muff, that makes me think how J OVE
Flew to L EDA from above. —
Muff that — T ABBY , see who rapt then?
" Madam, Madam, 'tis the Captain!
Sure his Voice I hear below,
'Tis, it is my R OMEO ;
Shape and Gait, and careless Air,
Diamond Ring, and Solitair,
Birth and Fashion all declare.
How his Eyes that gently roll
Speak the Language of his Soul;
See the Dimple on his Cheek,
See him smile and sweetly speak,
" Lovely Nymph, at your Command
" I have something in my Hand,
" Which I hope you'll not refuse,
" 'Twill us both at Night amuse:
" What tho' Lady W HISKER crave it,
" And Miss B ADGER longs to have it,
" 'Tis, by Jupiter I swear,
" 'Tis for you alone, my Dear:
" See this Ticket, gentle Maid,
" At your Feet an Off'ring laid,
" Thee the Loves and Graces call
" To a little private Ball:
" And to Play I bid adieu,
" Hazard, Lansquenet and Loo,
" Fairest Nymph to dance with you. —
— I with joy accept his Ticket,
And upon my Bosom stick it:
Well I know how R OMEO dances,
With what Air he first advances,
With what Grace his Gloves he draws on,
Claps, and calls up Nancy Dawson ;
Me thro' ev'ry Dance conducting,
And the Music oft instructing;
See him tap the Time to shew,
With his light fantastic Toe;
Skill'd in ev'ry Art to please,
From the Fan to waft the Breeze,
Or his Bottle to produce
Fill'd with pungent Eau de Luce . —
Wonder not, my Friend, I go
To the Ball with R OMEO .
Such Delights if thou canst give
Bath , at thee I choose to live.