CARDELIA.

Is this the cause of

your Romantic strains?

A mightier grief my heavy heart sustains.
As You by Love, fo I by Fortune crois't;
One, one bad Deal, Three Septleva's have lost.

SMILINDA.

Is that the grief, which you compare with mine?
With ease, the similes of Fortune I refign:

Would all my gold in one bad Deal were gone ;
Were lovely SHARPER mine, and mine alone.

CAR DE LIA.

A Lover loft, is but a common care;

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And prudent Nymphs against that change prepare: The KNAVE OF CLUBS thrice loft: Oh! who could

guess

This fatal ftroke, this unforeseen Distress?

SMILIND A.

See BETTY LOVET! very a propos,

She all the cares of Love and Play does know:
Dear BETTY fhall th' important point decide;
BETTY, who oft the pain of each has try'd;
Impartial, fhe fhall fay who fuffers moft
By Card's Ill Ufage, or by Lovers loft.

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LOVET.

Tell, tell your griefs; attentive will I ftay, Tho' Time is precious, and I want fome Tea.

CARDELIA.

Behold this Equipage, by Mathers wrought,
With Fifty Guineas (a great Pen'worth) bought, 30
See on the Tooth-pick, Mars and Cupid strive;
And both the struggling figures feem alive.

Upon the bottom fhines the Queen's bright Face;
A Myrtle Foliage round the Thimble-Cafe.
Jove, Jove himself, does on the Scizars shine;
The Metal, and the Workmanship, divine!

SMILIND A.

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This Snuff-box,-once the pledge of SHARPER'S love,

When rival beauties for the Present ftrove;

At Corticelli's he the Raffle won;

Then firft his Paffion was in public shown:

HAZARDIA blush'd, and turn'd her head afide,

A Rival's envy (all in vain) to hide.

This Snuff-Box,- -on the Hinge fee Brilliants fhine: This Snuff-Box will I ftake; the Prize is mine.

CARDELIA.

Alas! far leffer loffes than I bear,

Have made a Soldier figh, a Lover swear.

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And Oh! what makes the disappointment hard,
'Twas my own Lord that drew the fatal Card.
In Complaifance, I took the Queen he gave;
Tho' my own fecret wifh was for the Knave.
The Knave won Sonica, which I had chofe;
And the next Pull, my Septleva I lofe.

SMILIND A.

But ah! what aggravates the killing smart,
The cruel thought, that stabs me to the heart;
This curs'd OMBRELIA, this undoing Fair,
By whofe vile arts this heavy grief I bear;

She, at whofe name I fhed these spiteful tears,
She owes to me the charms fhe wears.

very

An aukward Thing, when first she came to Town;
Her Shape unfafhion'd, and her Face unknown:
She was my friend; I taught her first to spread
Upon her fallow cheeks enliv'ning red :

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I introduc'd her to the Park and Plays;
And by my int'reft, Cozens made her Stays.
Ungrateful wretch, with mimic airs grown pert, 65
She dares to steal my Fav'rite Lover's heart.

CARDELIA.

Wretch that I was, how often have I swore,
When WINNALL tally'd I would punt no more?
I know the Bite, yet to my Ruin run:
And fee the Folly, which I cannot shun.

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SMILIND A.

How many Maids have SHARPER'S vows deceiv'd? How many curs'd the moment they believ'd? Yet his known Falfhoods could no Warning prove: Ah! what is warning to a Maid in Love?

CARDELIA.

80

But of what marble must that breast be form'd, 75 To gaze on Baffet, and remain unwarm'd! When Kings, Queens, Knaves, are fet in decent rank; Expos'd in glorious heaps the tempting Bank, Guineas, Half-Guineas, all the shining train; The Winner's pleasure, and the Lofer's pain: In bright Confufion open Rouleaus lye, They strike the Soul, and glitter in the Eye. Fir'd by the fight, all reafon I difdain; My Paffions rife, and will not bear the rein, Look upon Basset, you who Reason boast; And fee if Reason must not there be loft.

SMILIND A.

85

What more than marble must that heart compofe, Can hearken coldly to my SHARPER'S VOWS? Then, when he trembles! when his Blushes rife! When awful Love seems melting in his Eyes! With eager beats his Mechlin Cravat moves: He Loves,-I whisper to myfelf, He Loves!

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Such unfeign'd Passion in his Looks appears,
I lofe all Mem'ry of my former Fears;
My panting heart confeffes all his charms,
I yield at once, and fink into his arms.
Think of that moment, you who Prudence boast;
For fuch a moment, Prudence well were loft.

CARDELIA.

At the Groom-Porter's, batter'd Bullies play, Some DUKES at Mary-Bone bowl Time away. But who the Bowl, or ratt'ling Dice compares To Ballet's heav'nly Joys, and pleasing Cares?

SMILIND A.

Soft SIMPLICETTA doats upon a Beau; PRUDINA likes a Man, and laughs at Show. Their feveral graces in my SHARPER meet; Strong as the Footman, as the Mafter sweet.

LOVE T.

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Ceafe your contention, which has been too long; I grow impatient, and the Tea's too ftrong. Attend, and yield to what I now decide; The Equipage fhall grace SMILINDA's Side: The Snuff-Box to CARDELIA I decree, Now leave complaining, and begin your Tea.

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