CORINNA, pride of Drury-lane,
For whom no shepherd sighs in vain;
Never did Covent-Garden boast
So bright a batter'd strolling toast!
No drunken rake to pick her up;
No cellar where on tick to sup;
Returning at the midnight hour,
Four stories climbing to her bower;
Then, seated on a three-legg'd chair,
Takes off her artificial hair;
Now picking out a crystal eye,
She wipes it clean, and lays it by.
Her eyebrows from a mouse's hide
Stuck on with art on either side,
Pulls off with care, and first displays 'em,
Then in a play-book smoothly lays 'em.
Now dextrously her plumpers draws,
That serve to fill her hollow jaws,
Untwists a wire, and from her gums
A set of teeth completely comes;
Pulls out the rags contriv'd to prop
Her flabby dugs, and down they drop.
Proceeding on, the lovely goddess
Unlaces next her steel-ribb'd bodice,
Which, by the operator's skill,
Press down the lumps, the hollows fill.
g by;
ncy runs and duns,
n frequent rubs; lubs. to find, ll in kind. dful sight!
Or Chloe all the town has ru
By every size of poets sung:
So beautiful a nymph appears
But once in twenty thousand
By Nature form'd with nicest
And faultless to a single hair.
Her graceful mien, her shape
Confess'd her of no mortal ra
And then so nice, and so gen
Such cleanliness from head to
To re-collect the scatter'd parts?
Or show the anguish, toil, and pain,
Of gathering up herself again?
The bashful Muse will never bear
In such a scene to interfere.
Corinna, in the morning dizen'd,
Who sees, will spew; who smells, be poison'd.
Of Chloe all the town has rung,
By every size of poets sung :
So beautiful a nymph appears
But once in twenty thousand years;
By Nature form'd with nicest care,
And faultless to a single hair.
Her graceful mien, her shape, and face,
Confess'd her of no mortal race:
And then so nice, and so genteel;
Such cleanliness from head to heel;
h dry would melt.
trous maid,
r trade.
can reign.
re now in,
ng, vowing!
t flames and darts !'
ling hearts!
poetic strains!
uded canes!
loud and strong,
ng;
vals down,
house in town.
more withstands,
commands.
Conducted by their squire, A
Then Mercury with silver ton
And Hebe, goddess ever your
Behold, the bridegroom and h
Walk hand in hand, and side
She, by the tender Graces dres
But he, by Mars, in scarlet ve
The nymph was cover'd with
And Phoebus sung th' epithala
And last, to make the matter s
Dame Juno brought a priest d
Luna was absent, on pretence
Her time was not till nine mo
The rites perform'd, the parso
In state return'd the grand pa
With loud huzzas from all the
That now the pair must crown
But still the hardest part re
Sirephon had long perplex'd I
How with so high a nymph h
Demean himself the wedding
For, as he view'd his person
Mere mortal flesh was all he
His hand, his neck, his mout
Were duly wash'd, to keep th
With other parts, that shall b
The ladies else might think
Then Mercury with silver tongue;
And Hebe, goddess ever young.
Behold, the bridegroom and his bride,
Walk hand in hand, and side by side;
She, by the tender Graces drest,
But he, by Mars, in scarlet vest.
The nymph was cover'd with her flammeum,
And Phoebus sung th' epithalamium.
And last, to make the matter sure,
Dame Juno brought a priest demure.
Luna was absent, on pretence
Her time was not till nine months hence.
The rites perform'd, the parson paid,
In state return'd the grand parade;
With loud huzzas from all the boys,
That now the pair must crown their joys.
But still the hardest part remains:
Strephon had long perplex'd his brains,
How with so high a nymph he might
Demean himself the wedding-night:
For, as he view'd his person round,
Mere mortal flesh was all he found:
His hand, his neck, his mouth, and feet,
Were duly wash'd, to keep them sweet;
With other parts, that shall be nameless,
The ladies else might think me shameless.
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