"Drest out with ev'ry aid that is adorning,— "Oh, if your lordship saw her in a morning! "It is no more than Fanny * once so fair; "No roses bloom, no lilies flourish there : "But hollow eyes, and pale and faded cheek, "Repentance, love, and disappointment speak."

The Gen'ral found a lucky minute now To speak-" Ah, Ma'am,you did not know Miss Howe;"+

I'll tell you all her history, he cry'd

At this Charles Stanhope gap'd extremely wide; Poor Dicky sat on thorns, her Grace turn'd pale, And Lovel trembl'd at th' impending tale. "Poor girl! faith she was once extremely fair, "Till worn by love, and tortur'd by despair :

* Alluding to Lord Chesterfield's Song, blooming fair."

"When Fanny

+ Miss Sophia Howe, maid of honour to Queen Caroline (when Princess), left Court upon an intrigue with Anthony Lowther, brother to Lord Lonsdale; Lord Hervey wrote his Epistle from Minimie to Philocles for her.-W.

"Her pining looks betray'd her inward smart; "Her breaking face foretold her breaking heart. "At Leicester-house her passion first began, "And Nanty Lowther was a pretty man: "But when the Princess did to Kew remove, "She could not bear the absence of her love; "Away she flew."-But here the clock struck three;

So did some pitying deity decree;

The Duchess rings to dress-and see her maid
With all the apparatus for her head;

Th' adoring circle can no longer stay,
Each rises, bows, and goes his different way.
To ancient Boothby's* ancient Churchill's flown;
Home to his dinner Stanhope goes alone:
Dicky to fast with her, her Grace invites,
And Lovell's coachman drives unbid to White's.t

* Mr. Boothby, friend of the General. + White's Club, St. James's-street.

AN ODE

TO THE

HONOURABLE HENRY FOX,*

On the Marriage of the Duchess of Manchester to Edward Hussey, Esq. afterwards Lord Beaulieu.

CLIO, behold this glorious day,

The zephyrs blow, the sun looks gay,

The sky one perfect blue;

Can you refuse at such a time,

When Fox and I both beg for rhyme,

To sing us something new?

* First Lord Holland, Father of Charles Fox.

The goddess smil'd, and thus begun: "I've got a fav'rite theme, my son,

"I'll sing the conquer'd Duchess;

"I'll sing of that disdainful fair,

"Who, 'scap'd from Scotch and English snare, "Is fast in Irish clutches.

"Fall'n is her pow'r, her sway is o'er,

"She'll be no more ador'd, no more

"Shine forth the public care:

"Oh! what a falling off is here,

"From her whose frowns made wisdom fear, "Whose scorn begot despair!

"Wide was the extent of her commands, "O'er fertile fields, o'er barren sands

"She stretch'd her haughty reign: "The coxcomb, fool, and man of sense, "Youth, manhood, age, and impotence,

"With pride receiv'd her chain.

"Here Leicester offer'd brutal love, "Here gentle Carberry gently strove

"With sighs to fan desire;

"Here Churchill snor'd his hours away,

"Here too Charles Stanhope every day "Sat out her Grace's fire.

"Here constant Dicky* too we saw

Kneeling with reverential awe,

"T'adore his high-flown choice; "Where you, my Fox, have pass'd whole days, Forgetting king's and people's praise,

"Deaf to ambition's voice.

"What clothes you'd made! how fine you drest! "What Dresden China for your feast!

"But I'll no longer tease you;

"Yet 'tis a truth you can't deny,

"Tho' Lady Carolinet is nigh,

"And does not look quite easy.

* Mr. Richard Bateman.

+ Lady Caroline Lenox, whom he married.