Town Eclogues: Thursday; The Bassette-table Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCD EDFGGG AHHEE E IIJK A GGLL E LMMEEEE E EE A EENALLII E OPQKEEII A GGEERRLL E EEGGLLSKEELLEE A TTQQ E EEUO A EEVVWWAAWWEE E LLLLLLLLLLEE A AALL E MMEE E XXEEEESMILINDA and CARDELIA CARDELIA | A |
THE bassette table spread the tallier come | B |
Why stays SMILINDA in the dressing room | C |
Rise pensive nymph the tallier stays for you | D |
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SMILINDA | E |
Ah Madam since my SHARPER is untrue | D |
I joyless make my once ador'd alpieu | F |
I saw him stand behind OMBRELIA's Chair | G |
And whisper with that soft deluding air | G |
And those feign'd sighs that cheat the list'ng fair | G |
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CARDELIA | A |
Is this the cause of your romantic strains | H |
A mightier grief my heavy heart sustains | H |
As you by love so I by fortune cross'd | E |
In one bad deal three Septleva's I lost | E |
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SMILINDA | E |
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Is that a grief which you compare with mine | I |
With ease the smiles of fortune I resign | I |
Wou'd all my gold in one bad deal were gone | J |
Were lovely SHARPFR mine and mine alone | K |
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CARDELIA | A |
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A lover lost is but a common care | G |
And prudent nymphs against the change prepare | G |
The queen of Clubs thrice lost Oh who cou'd guess | L |
This fatal stroke this unforeseen distress | L |
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SMILINDA | E |
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See BETTY LOVEIT very agrave propos | L |
She all the pains of love and play does know | M |
Deeply experienc'd many years ago | M |
Dear BETTY shall th' important point decide | E |
BETTY who oft the pains of each has try'd | E |
Impartial she shall say who suffers most | E |
By cards ill usage or by lovers lost | E |
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LOVEIT | E |
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Tell tell your griefs attentive will I stay | E |
Tho' time is precious and I want some tea | E |
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CARDELIA | A |
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Behold this equipage by MATHERS wrought | E |
With fifty guineas a great pen'orth bought | E |
See on the tooth pick MARS and CUPID strive | N |
And both the struggling figures seem to liue | A |
Upon the bottom see the Queen's bright face | L |
A myrtle foliage round the thimble case | L |
JOVE JOVE himself does on the scissars shine | I |
The metal and the workmanship divine | I |
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SMILINDA | E |
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This snuff box once the pledge of SHARPER's love | O |
When rival beauties for the present strove | P |
At CORTICELLI's he the raffle won | Q |
There first his passion was in public shown | K |
HAZARDIA blush'd and turn'd her head aside | E |
A rival's envy all in vain to hide | E |
This snuff box on the hinge see diamonds shine | I |
This snuff box will I stake the prize is mine | I |
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CARDELIA | A |
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Alas far lesser losses than I bear | G |
Have made a soldier sigh a lover swear | G |
But oh what makes the disappointment hard | E |
'Twas my own Lord who drew the fatal card | E |
In complaisance I took the Queen he gave | R |
Tho' my own secret wish was for the Knave | R |
The Knave won son ecart that I had chose | L |
And the next pull my septleva I lose | L |
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SMILINDA | E |
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But ah what aggravates the killing smart | E |
The cruel thought that stabs me to the heart | E |
This curs'd OMBRELIA this undoing fair | G |
By whose vile arts this heavy grief I bear | G |
She at whose name I shed these spiteful tears | L |
She owes to me the very charms she wears | L |
An aukward thing when first she came to town | S |
Her shape unfinish'd and her face unknown | K |
She was my friend I taught her first to spread | E |
Upon her sallow cheeks enlivening red | E |
I introduc'd her to the park and plays | L |
And by my Interest COSINS made her stays | L |
Ungrateful wretch with mimick airs grown pert | E |
She dares to steal my favourite lover's heart | E |
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CARDELIA | A |
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Wretch that I was how often have I swore | T |
When WINNALL tallied I would punt no more | T |
I know the bite yet to my ruin run | Q |
And see the folly which I cannot shun | Q |
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SMILINDA | E |
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How many maids have SHARPER's vows deceiv'd | E |
How many curs'd the moment they believ'd | E |
Yet his known falshood could no warning prove | U |
Ah what are warnings to a maid in love | O |
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CARDELIA | A |
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But of what marble must that breast be form'd | E |
Can gaze on Bassette and remain unwarm'd | E |
When kings queens knaves are set in decent rank | V |
Expos'd in glorious heaps the tempting bank | V |
Guineas half guineas all the shining train | W |
The Winner's pleasure and the Loser's pain | W |
In bright confusion open rouleaus lie | A |
They strike the soul and glitter in the eye | A |
Fir'd by the sight all reason I disdain | W |
My passions rise and will not bear the rein | W |
Look upon Bassette you who Reason boast | E |
And see if Reason may not there be lost | E |
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SMILINDA | E |
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What more than marble must that breast compose | L |
That listens coldly to my SHARPER's vows | L |
Then when he trembles when his blushes rise | L |
When awful Love seems melting in his eyes | L |
With eager beats his Mechlin cravat moves | L |
He loves I whisper to myself He loves | L |
Such unfeign'd passion in his look appears | L |
I lose all mem'ry of my former fears | L |
My panting heart confesses all his charms | L |
I yield at once and sink into his arms | L |
Think of that moment you who Prudence boast | E |
For such a moment Prudence well were lost | E |
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CARDELIA | A |
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At the Groom porter's batter'd bullies play | A |
Some Dukes at Marybon bowl time away | A |
But who the bowl or rattling dice compares | L |
To Bassette's heavenly joys and pleasing cares | L |
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SMILINDA | E |
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Soft SIMPLICETTA doats upon a beau | M |
PRUDINA likes a man and laughs at show | M |
Their several graces in my SHARPER meet | E |
Strong as the footman as the master sweet | E |
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LOVEIT | E |
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Cease your contention which has been too long | X |
I grow impatient and the tea too strong | X |
Attend and yield to what I now decide | E |
The equipage shall grace SMILINDA's side | E |
The snuff box to CARDELIA I decree | E |
So leave complaining and begin your tea | E |
Lady Mary Wortley Montagu
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