EPILOGUE
SPOKEN BY MRS BRACEGIRDLE.
I've had to-day a dozen billet-doux
From fops, and wits, and cits, and Bow-street beaux;[25]
Some from Whitehall, but from the Temple more;
A Covent-Garden porter brought me four.
I have not yet read all: But, without feigning,
We maids can make shrewd guesses at your meaning.
}
{ What if, to shew your styles, I read them here?
{ Methinks I hear one cry, "O Lord, forbear!
{ No, madam, no; by heaven, that's too severe."
Well then, be safe——
}
{ But swear henceforwards to renounce all writing,
{ And take this solemn oath of my inditing,—
{ As you love ease, and hate campaigns and fighting.
Yet, faith, 'tis just to make some few examples:
What if I shew'd you one or two for samples?
Here's one desires my ladyship to meet [Pulls out one.
At the kind couch above in Bridges-Street.
Oh sharping knave! that would have—you know what,
For a poor sneaking treat of chocolate.
Now, in the name of luck, I'll break this open,
Because I dreamt last night I had a token;
The superscription is exceeding pretty,
—"To the desire of all the town and city."
Now, gallants, you must know, this precious fop
Is foreman of a haberdasher's shop:
One who devoutly cheats; demure in carriage;
And courts me to the holy bands of marriage;
But, with a civil innuendo too,
My overplus of love shall be for you.
"Madam, I swear your looks are so divine, [Reads.
When I set up, your face shall be my sign;
Though times are hard—to show how I adore you,
Here's my whole heart, and half-a-guinea for you.
But, have a care of beaux! they're false, my honey;
And, which is worse, have not a rag of money."
See how maliciously the rogue would wrong ye!
But I know better things of some among ye.
My wisest way will be to keep the stage,
And trust to the good-nature of the age:
And he, that likes the music and the play,
Shall be my favourite gallant to-day.
CLEOMENES,
THE
SPARTAN HERO,
A
TRAGEDY.
TO WHICH IS PREFIXED
THE LIFE OF CLEOMENES,
BY Mr THOMAS CREECH.
His armis, illâ quoque tutus in Aulâ.—Juv. Sat. iv.