Lady HENRIETTA CAVENDISH-HOLLES HARLEY,
LIBRARY OF ST. JOHN'S COLLEGE,
CAMBRIDGE. November 9, 1719.
SINCE Anna vifited the Mufes' feat
(Around her tomb let weeping Angels wait!)
Hail Thou, the brighteft of thy fex, and beft,
Moft gracious neighbour*, and most welcome guest.
Not Harley's felf, to Cam and Ifis dear,
In virtues and in arts great Oxford's heir;
The Family Seat was then at Wimple.
Not He fuch prefent honour shall receive,
As to his Confort we aspire to give.
Writings of men our thoughts to-day neglects,
To pay due homage to the fofter fex:
Plato and Tully we forbear to read,
And their great followers whom this house has bred,
To ftudy leffons from thy morals given,
And shining characters, impress'd by Heaven.
Science in books no longer we pursue,
Minerva's felf in Harriet's face we view;
For, when with Beauty we can Virtue join,
We paint the femblance of a form divine.
Their pious incenfe let our neighbours bring,
To the kind memory of fome bounteous King;
With grateful hand, due altars let them raife,
To fome good Knight's * or holy Prelate's + praife:
We tune our voices to a nobler theme,
Your eyes we blefs, your praises we proclaim,
Saint John's was founded in a Woman's name.
Enjoin'd by ftatute, to the fair we bow;
In spite of time, we keep our ancient vow;
What Margaret Tudor was, is Harriet Harley now.
* Sir T. White, Founder of St. John's College, Oxon. Archbishop Laud alfo was a generous benefactor.
At HICKFORD's Dancing Room, February 2, 1720,
WHO ACTED CORDELIO THE PAGE,
WHAT! would my humble comrades have me
Gentle Spectators, pray excufe the play?
Such work by hireling actors should be done,
Whom you may clap or hiss for half a crown.
* A few lines of this Prologue occurs in another, which is printed in vol. Į.
Our generous fcenes for friendship we repeat;
And, if we don't delight, at least we treat.
Ours is the damage, if we chance to blunder;
We may
be afk'd "whofe patent we a&t under?"
How shall we gain you, A LA MODE DE FRANCE?
We hir'd this room; but none of us can dance,
In cutting capers we shall never please:
Our learning does not lie below our knees.
Shall we procure you fymphony and found?
Then you muft each fubfcribe two hundred pound.
There we should fail too, as to point of voice:
Miftake us not; we're no Italian boys.
True Britons born; from Westminster we come;
And only speak the style of ancient Rome.
We would deferve, not poorly beg, applaufe;
And fand or fall by Friend's and Bufby's laws.
For the diftrefs'd, your pity we implore: If once refus'd, we 'll trouble you no more, But leave our Orphan fqualling at your door.
Mafters of Westminster school.
W. Be ftill, you fenfelefs calf!
What if the Gods fhould make you
H. Why then I'd fing and laugh:
But, if they won't, I'll wail and cry.
W. You'll hardly LAUGH, before
NCE on a time, in fun-fhine weather, Falfehood and Truth walk'd out together, The neighbouring woods and lawns to view, As oppofites will fometimes do.
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