“Her mien like Cytherea’s dove,
Her lips like Hybla’s honey;
Who would not give a vote for love,
Unless he wanted money?”
Walpole’s lovely nieces, the three Ladies Waldegrave, added the influence of their charms to those of the winsome Georgiana, and were gallantly apostrophized with “Devon’s Queen:”—
“Fair DEVON all good English hearts must approve,
And the Waldgraves (God bless their sweet faces),
The Duchess she looks like the sweet Queen of love
And they like the three Sister Graces.”
The influence of this novel captivation upon the hearts of those so happy as to be admitted to the electoral franchise acted like magic:—
“There’s Devonshire’s Duchess, all beauty and grace,
Each morning so early she shows her sweet face;
Tho’ ever so envious, all must her extol,
Then rouse up your spirits, and come to the poll.”
“EPIGRAM ON THE DUCHESS OF DEVONSHIRE.
“Array’d in matchless beauty, Devon’s fair
In Fox’s favour takes a zealous part,
But oh! where’er the pilferer comes—beware!
She supplicates a vote, and steals a heart.”
The compliments poured forth at the altar of this fair divinity were not alone addressed to the beauty of her face, the grace of her person, the excellence of her heart, and her captivating manners,—her intellectual charms also secured due recognition:—
“IMPROMPTU ON HER GRACE OF DEVONSHIRE.
“Whilst Devon’s Duchess for Fox takes a part,
Whilst she asks for your vote, she engages your heart;
Can beauty alone such influence sway?
Can the fairest of fair make all mortals obey?—
Oh no; for her empire is over the mind,
And beauty with reason in her is combin’d.”