Poor, but experienced in the world, she knew
What others did, and judged what she conld do;
Beauty she justly weigh’d, was never blind
To her own interest, and she read mankind :
She view'd my person with approving glance,
And judged the way my fortune to advance;
Taught me betimes that person to improve,
And make a lawful merchandize of love;
Bade me my temper in subjection keep,
And not permit my vigilance to sleep;
I was not one, a miss, who might presume
Now to be crazed by mirth, now sunk in gloom ;
Nor to be fretful, vapourish, or give way
To spleen and anger, as the wealthy may;
But I must please, and all I felt of pride,
Contempt, and hatred, I must cast aside.

“ Have not one friend,” my mother cried, “not one; “ That bane of our romantic triflers shun; Suppose her true, can she afford

you

aid? “ Suppose her false, your purpose is betray'd; “ And then in dubious points, and matters nice, “ How can you profit by a child's advice? “ While you are writing on from post to post, • Your hour is over, and a man is lost;

“ Girls of their hearts are scribbling; their desires, “ And what the folly of the heart requires,

Dupes to their dreams—but I the truth impart, “ You cannot, child, afford to have a heart; “ Think nothing of it; to yourself be true, “ And keep life's first great business in your view;“ Take it, dear Martha, for a useful rule, “ She who is poor is ugly or a fool; “ Or, worse than either, has a bosom fill'd “ With soft emotions, and with raptures thrill’d.

• Read not too much, nor write in verse or prose, “ For then you make the dull and foolish foes ; “ Yet those who do, deride not nor condemn, “ It is not safe to raise up foes in them; “ For though they harm you not, as blockheads do, ". There is some malice in the scribbling crew."

Such her advice; full hard with her had dealt
The world, and she the usage keenly felt..

" Keep your good name," she said, "and that to keep « You must not suffer vigilance to sleep: " Some have, perhaps, the name of chaste retain'd, “ When nought of chastity itself remain'd;

“ But there is danger—few have means to blind “ The keen-eyed world, and none to make it kind.

with boys,

“ And one thing more—to free yourself from foes “ Never a secret to your friend disclose; “ Secrets with girls, like loaded guns “ Are never valued till they make a noise; • To show how trusted, they their power display; “ To show how worthy, they the trust betray; “ Like pence in children's pockets secrets lie • In female bosoms—they must burn or fly.

“ Let not your heart be soften'd; if it be, “ Let not the man his softening influence see; - For the most fond will sometimes tyrants prove, “ And wound the bosom where they trace the love. “ But to your fortune look, on that depend your

life's comfort, comforts that attend “ On wealth alone-wealth gone, they have their end.”

- For

Such were my mother's cares to mend my lot,
And such her pupil they succeeded not.

It was conceived the person I had then
Might lead to serious thoughts some wealthy men,

VOL. II.

Who having none their purpose to oppose
Would soon be won their wishes to disclose :
My mother thought I was the very

child
By whom the old and amorous are beguiled;
So mildly gay, so ignorantly fair,
And pure, no doubt, as sleeping infants are:
Then I had lessons how to look and move,
And, I repeat, make merchandize of love.

Thrice it was tried if one so young could bring
Old wary men to buy the binding ring;
And on the taper finger, to whose tip
The fond old swain would press his withering lip,
Place the strong charm :-and one would win my heart
By re-assuming youth-a trying part;
Girls, he supposed, all knew the young were bold,
And he would show that spirit in the old;
In boys they loved to hear the rattling tongue,
And he would talk as idly as the young ;
He knew the vices our Lotharios boast,
And he would show of every vice the ghost,
The evil's self, without disguise or dress,
Vice in its own pure native ugliness ;
Not as the drunkenness of slaves to prove
Vice hateful, but that seeing, I might love.

He drove me out, and I was pleased to see
Care of himself, it served as care for me;
For he would tell me, that he should not spare
Man, horse, or carriage, if I were not there:
Provoked at last, my malice I obey'd,
And smiling said, “ Sir, I am not afraid.”

This check’d his spirit; but he said, “ Could “ Have charge so rich, you would be careful too."

you

And he, indeed, so very slowly drove,
That we dismiss'd the over-cautious love.

My next admirer was of equal age,
And wish'd the child's affection to engage,
And keep the fluttering bird a victim in his cage:
He had no portion of his rival's glee,
But gravely praised the gravity in me;
Religious, moral, both in word and deed,
But warmly disputatious in his creed :
Wild in his younger time, as we were told,
And therefore like a penitent when old.
Strange! he should wish a lively girl to look
Upon the methods his repentance took.

F 2