Their fouls, with truth and honour charm'd,
Are, thus, 'gainst all feductions arm'd:
Nor need they dread the pedants fneer,

Who by the card of reason steer."
Through ignorance, alone, and pride,
The fair are learning's aid denied ;
And merely bred to taste or know,
The glare of dress, and farce of show.
What wonder, then, in folly train❜d,
Through life the impreffion is retain❜d?
And if, as fure, they want not powers,
Whate'er their faults, the crime is ours.
But here, for here at least, you must
Admit their claim; my Thefis juft;

And, hence, this fair conclufion draw,

MINERVA OWNs no Salic law.

TO THREE YOUNG LADIES,

Mifs J. P. Trench, Mifs Ann Trench, and Mifs Nugent,

WHO DECLARED THEMSELVES DYING, FROM THE FATIGUE
ND INSISTED UPON SOME
OF A BALL, AND

VERSES TO THEIR MEMORY,

MDCCLXXI.

FOR mercy's fake, ladies!-how can you impose

A task of this nature on me?

"Tis clear past a doubt, and what every one knows, I hold not the Mufes in fee.

I have courted them sometimes, 'tis true, but in vain,
They ne'er would indulge my request ;
They mock'd my addreffes, derided my pain,
And turn'd all my prayers to a jest.

The subject too, truly! fuppofing you dead

An elegy I must indite!

The town would all fwear, I was turn'd in my head; The town, at least, once would be right.

But

But grant me difpos'd with your wish to agree,
I deal not in fiction nor art;

How then could I furnith defcription for three,
Where each is fupreme in defert?

Of goddesses, graces, and many fuch more
Trite fancies 'twere easy to speak;

And roses, and lilies, and dimples good store,
And Cupid's bedecking each cheek,

'The fex, tho' I ftripp'd, as moft fonneteers do, And all in your perfons combin'd,

C

'Tho' I, and some others, might feel it full true, Yet you would continue still blind.

Admit now fweet NANCY's perfections I fung,
What more could for FANNY be writ?
And, JENNY! thy praifes muft die on my tongue,
Unless I could borrow thy wit, de mon

'Mongft brothers and beauties, affection is rare,
All ages and nations attest;

But concord and friendship, this let me declare,
Here mutually glow in each breast.

Long

Long bleffing and blefs'd then, O! may you furvive,

Still greater enjoyments to prove ;

New pleasures from yours, my fond heart shall derive,

Then take me a fourth in your love.

IM PRO MTU,

AT

MR. WALKER'S

LECTURE

ΟΝ LIGHT AND COLOURS.

MARCH VITH, MDCCLXXI.

MOST juftly, WALKER! you declare

• No art with nature can compare ;'
And yet, if the reverse were true,
Perfection would be found with you:
Then lay your apparatus by; ..

Look round! and here yourself supply;
No longer in the prism seek

For tints more pure on MIRA's cheek,
And own the eyes of pretty laffes
Transcend your finest burning-glaffes.

1

INVOCATION;

OR,

CLIO SUP PLANTE D..

то MISS NUGENT,

THE LATE HONOURABLE MRS. ROCHFORT.

COME, Madam CLIO! no refistance,
Come quickly, lend your best afsistance;
Since many with no better claim on't
Affume, I find, and vaunt the name on't.
Come, lowly bending down before ye,
As cuftom wills it, I implore ye;
Come, fhed your choiceft influences
Profufely o'er my scatter'd fenfes,
And fmile propitious on your poet,

Who feels perfection and would show it:
Poet?-ah! no; that proud addition
Had found no place in my petition;
But, that in rhyme a little scanted,
'Twas an auxiliary wanted;
Then seeing, CLIO! help's so needful,
I prithee of my prayers be heedful;
And fince, like fancy-mongers noted,
That might by dozens here be quoted,

ΤΟ

15

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