Who kept lock'd up, amongst their tea,
A fip of Nantes* or Ratafia:

Nor does the lavish her regards
On monkies, lap-dogs, or on cards;
Nor yet preserve a secret part

For fome fond lover-in her heart.
No: a kind spouse, of her election,
Has long engrofs'd her whole affection.

"What then can this retirement mean "'Tis Laura's intereft to be seen."

Be it then rightly understood,
Her luxury is-in doing good;
Though Laura's frugal on herself,
Think her not bent on hoarding pelf.
Laura is generous-though she's wise,
Frugality her fund supplies:

When charities her aid demand,

Laura extends a liberal hand.

With what you diffipate on dress,
She cheers a neighbour in diftrefs;
With what on mufick you employ,
She "makes the widow fing for joy."

ܕ܂

A liquor made in France, used medicinally.

M

Yet, to herself and heaven alone,
Her acts of charity are known;

She leaves the world its noise and show,
In filent ftreams her bounties flow:
Of heartfelt joys she'll find a store,
When youth and beauty are no more.

Nov, 20, 1792.

VOLTAIRE'S VISIT

ΤΟ

CONGREVE.*

ERE France, intent on her Utopian plan,

Had fpurn'd all laws t' affert "the rights of man," On liberty fo zealously employ'd,

Both liberty and property destroy'd;

She long had view'd, with envy-and applause,

The matchless system of our British laws;

When young Voltaire, by freedom's charms infpir'd, To freedom's feat from defpotifm retir'd.

Here heroes he beheld, who bravely fought; Patriots, who wifely plann'd or greatly thought; Philofophers and bards of glorious name, Pope who poffefs'd, Young rifing into fame : Congreve had long the temple's height attain❜d, Yet fcorn'd the art by which that height he gain'd.

* See Johnson's Lives of the English Poets.

Voltaire, by laudable ambition led

To view the bard whofe works he oft' had read,
Now introduced, the youth with rapture fir'd,
Express'd how much the poet he admir'd!

"Young man! fays Congreve, you're of France I find; But polish'd manners and a liberal mind Unite us all:-yet you're deceiv'd, I fear, 'Tis as a gentleman I fee you here."

Sir! quoth Voltaire, we've gentlemen in France, Who drefs, and bow, talk politicks, and-dance; But you are more—and therefore am I come: And were you not, fir, I had stay'd at home.

ON

MADAME SISLEY,

A

FRENCH LADY OF FORTUNE,

FORCED TO QUIT HER NATIVE COUNTRY, ON THE REVOLUTION, AND TO SING IN PUBLICK FOR A MORE DECENT SUBSISTENCE.

I.

MUSICK has charms (fo poets say)

"To foothe a favage breast,"

And beauty's univerfal fway

Ev'n tyrants have confefs'd.

II.

Is it then true, (what we are told)
That Frenchmen could oppress;

That Frenchmen could, unmov'd, behold
Such beauty in distress?