Where can philofophers, and fages wife,
Who read the curious volumes of the skies,
A model more exact than dancing name
Of the creation's universal frame?
Where worlds unnumber'd o'er th' ætherial way,
In a bright regular confusion stray;
Now here, now there they whirl along the sky,
Now near approach, and now far diftant fly,
Now meet in the fame order they begun,
And then the great celeftial dance is done.
Where can the Mor'lift find a jufter plan
Of the vain labours, and the life of man?
A while thro' juftling crowds we toil and sweat,
And eagerly pursue we know not what,
Then when our trifling short-liv'd race is run,
Quite tir'd fit down, juft where we first begun.
Tho' to your arms kind fate's indulgent care
Has giv❜n a partner exquifitely fair,
Let not her charms fo much engage your heart,
That you neglect the skilful dancer's part;
Be not, when you the tuneful notes fhould hear, Still whifp'ring idle prattle in her ear;
When you should be employ'd, be not at play,
Nor for your joys all other steps delay;
But when the finish'd dance you once have done,
And with applause thro' ev'ry couple run,
There reft a while; there fnatch the fleeting blifs,
The tender whisper, and the balmy kiss;
Each fecret wish, each fofter hope confess,
And her moist palm with eager fingers press;
With smiles the Fair fhall hear your warm defires,
When music melts her foul, and dancing fires.
Thus mix'd with love, the pleafing toil pursue,
Till the unwelcome morn appears in view;
Then, when approaching day its beams difplays,
And the dull candles fhine with fainter rays,
Then, when the fun juft rifes o'er the deep,
And each bright eye is almoft fet in fleep,
With ready hand obfequious youths prepare.
Safe to her coach to lead each chofen Fair,
And guard her from the morn's inclement air :
Let a warm hood enwrap her lovely head,
And o'er her neck a handkerchief be spread,
Around her shoulders let this arm be caft,
Whilft that from cold defends her flender waist;
With kiffes warm her balmy lips fhall glow,
Unchill'd by nightly damps or wintry fnow,
While gen'rous white-wine, mull'd with ginger warm,
Safely protects her inward frame from harm.
But ever let my lovely pupils fear
To chill their mantling blood with cold small-beer,
Ah, thoughtless Fair! the tempting draught refuse,
When thus forewarn'd by my experienc'd Muse :
Let the fad confequence your thoughts employ,
Nor hazard future pains, for present joy;
Destruction lurks within the pois'nous dofe,
A fatal fever, or a pimpled nofe.
Thus thro' each precept of the dancing art
The Mufe has play'd the kind inftructor's part,
Thro' every maze her pupils fhe has led,
And pointed out the fureft paths to tread;
No more remains ; no more the goddess fings,
But drops her pinions, and unfurls her wings;
On downy beds the weary'd dancers lie,
And fleep's filk cords tie down each drowsy eye,
Delightful dreams their pleafing sports restore,
And ev'n in fleep they feem to dance once more.
And now the work completely finish'd lies,
Which the devouring teeth of time defies;
Whilft birds in air, or fish in ftreams we find,
Or damfels fret with aged partners join'd;
As long as nymphs fhall with attentive ear
A fiddle rather than a fermon hear:
So long the brightest eyes shall oft perufe
Thefe ufeful lines of my inftructive mufe;
Each belle fhall wear them wrote upon her fan,
And each bright beau fhall read them-if he can.
WRITTEN IN THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
THE EARL OF OXFORD's
LIBRARY AT WIMPLE,
An. 1729.
WHO, uninfpir'd, can tread this facred ground,
With all the fons of Fame encompass'd round? Where, crown'd with wreaths of ever-verdant bays, Each fifter Art her willing charms difplays:
Wimple Hall, with the eftate round it, was formerly the poffeffion of the Cutts family, an ancient family in the county of Cambridge, and a defcendant of which was the gallant Lord Cutts, who fo frequently distinguished himself in the feveral fieges and battles during the war in which the great Duke of Marlborough commanded. This eftate was fold by the Cutts family to the famous Sir John Cutler, who fettled it on the marriage of his daughter with Lord Radnor. Lord Radnor afterwards fold it to John Hollis, Duke of Newcastle, in the partition of whofe eftates it came to the Earl of Oxford, who married his only daughter. This he made his country refidence, and here was kept his famous library till the time of his death. After his death, it was fold by his family to the Chancellor Lord Hardwicke, from whom it defcended to the prefent Earl Hardwicke.
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