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 XXEEEE| SMILINDA 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 |
| - | |
| 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 |
| - | |
| 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 |
| - | |
| SMILINDA | E |
| - | |
| 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 |
| - | |
| CARDELIA | A |
| - | |
| 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 |
| - | |
| SMILINDA | E |
| - | |
| 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 |
| - | |
| LOVEIT | E |
| - | |
| Tell tell your griefs attentive will I stay | E |
| Tho' time is precious and I want some tea | E |
| - | |
| CARDELIA | A |
| - | |
| 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 |
| - | |
| SMILINDA | E |
| - | |
| 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 |
| - | |
| CARDELIA | A |
| - | |
| 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 |
| - | |
| SMILINDA | E |
| - | |
| 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 |
| - | |
| CARDELIA | A |
| - | |
| 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 |
| - | |
| SMILINDA | E |
| - | |
| 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 |
| - | |
| CARDELIA | A |
| - | |
| 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 |
| - | |
| SMILINDA | E |
| - | |
| 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 |
| - | |
| CARDELIA | A |
| - | |
| - | |
| 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 |
| - | |
| SMILINDA | E |
| - | |
| - | |
| 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 |
| - | |
| LOVEIT | E |
| - | |
| - | |
| 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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About Town Eclogues: Thursday; The Bassette-table
Town Eclogues: Thursday; The Bassette-table is a poem by Lady Mary Wortley Montagu. This page includes the poem text, poet information, related topics, comments, and similar poems.
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