The First of April | Page 4

_Melancholy_ came, with solemn pace;?A purple veil o'er-spread her moisten'd face.?And now she fix'd her eyes upon the ground;?Now with dejected air, she turn'd around,?As if to view the sad approaching Train,?Degraded by unfeeling FOLLY'S chain.?Pale _Science_ follow'd;--to the sky she bore?Her fasten'd looks, as eager to explore?Some great design; nor did she seem to hear?The cruel scoffings, and th' insulting sneer,?Of brazen Ignorance and her foul-mouth'd crew,?Who at the Holy Maid their venom threw.?Grave _Wisdom_, next, with wrinkled brow appear'd,?White was his head, and white his flowing beard.?By the right hand _Religion_'s self he led;?Who, as she pass'd along, devoutly read?In that _Celestial Book_, whose sacred page?Shall pass unhurt through every distant Age.?Meek _Resignation_ with her Mistress came,?And gentle _Patience_, and unsullied _Fame_:?Onward they went, nor fear'd the assailing cry?Of frontless _Vice_ and barking _Calumny_.
I mourn'd the piteous fight, and curs'd the hour?When FOLLY first assum'd her fatal power:?And much I sorrow'd that she dare maintain?The shameful show of her fantastic reign.?But as I wip'd away the silent tears,?With rout and revelry the QUEEN appears.?On a gay car the painted _Mischief_ rode,--?Her pride a _Feather_, and her grace a _Nod_.?A flaunting, party-colour'd vest she wore,?With many a glittering star bespangled o'er.?Upon her cap, in order, plac'd around,?The bells send forth an emblematic sound.?Her right-hand did a wooden sword embrace,?Known to the Chiefs of _Pantomimic_ Race;?Whose magic powers, to please a silly Age,?She first encourag'd on the _British_ Stage;?And, driving _Sense_ and _Reason_ to despair,?Her _duteous Delegates_ continue there.?Her eyes no penetrating gleam betray'd,?Upon her face no gentle graces play'd.?The _Harlot_'s smile,--the _Ideot_'s vacant stare,?And _Baby_ vehemence, were blended there.?An _Ostrich_ drew the gilded weight along,?Whose harness'd plumage charm'd th' admiring Throng.?Methought I saw her from the car descend,?While her surrounding vot'ries lowly bend;?And, with loud, pealing bursts of laughter, own?Their Monarch seated on her _Annual Throne_.
And now, in crowds, press'd through the yielding doors, High Lords, deep Statesmen, Dutchesses, and Whores;?All ranks and stations, Publicans and Peers,?Grooms, Lawyers, Fiddlers, Bawds, and Auctioneers;?Prudes and Coquettes, the Ugly and the Fair,?The Pert, the Prim, the Dull, the Debonnair;?The Weak, the Strong, the Humble and the Proud,?All help'd to form the motley, mingled Crowd.
With curious eye, attentive I survey'd?Each busy Figure of the Masquerade.?A Mask it might be call'd, tho', free from shame,?All shew'd their Faces, and each told his Name.?For FOLLY's presence spoils the attractive grace?That plays around the most bewitching face.?Where'er she reigns, beneath her magic sway?Each charm, each envied beauty melts away.?Where'er she governs, WISDOM will descry?In the fair form a foul deformity.?--There tottering Old Age essay'd to prance?With feeble feet, and join'd th' imperfect dance.?There supercilious Youth assum'd the air?And reverend grace which hoary Sages wear.?There I beheld full many a youthful Maid,?Like colts for sale to public view display'd,?Shew off their shapes and ply their happiest art,?While the old Mother acts the Jockey's part;?Who, well-instructed in the World's great School,?Knows how to trap the rich and noble Fool.?Bold Prostitution look'd with downcast eye,?And veil'd her painted cheeks with modesty;?While wedded Dames a bold demeanour wear,?And think their eyes resistless when they stare.?The shameless Gamester shook the loaded die, }?Nor fear'd the Stripling's unsuspecting eye, }?That knows not to discern th' approaching ruin nigh. }
Old powerless _S----_ still essay'd to charm?The Whore that dangled on the Dotard's arm.?Bold _P----_ made Appointments with the Fair,?Certain he should not meet his _Countess_ there.?Pale _G----_, as he stroll'd about to chuse?Some _unbroke Filly_ for his favourite _Meuse_,?Where faithful _W----n_ for his ---- _ship's gain_,?With pliant hand breaks in th' unruly Train,?Fix'd on his _frisky Wife_,--and, in her eye,?Saw the _mild beams of artless Modesty_.?--There _H----'s Countess_ views the _ducal Heir_, } With silent caution does the toils prepare, } And with her _raw-bon'd_ Daughters baits the _snare_. } The wretched _B---- sneaks_ behind to wait?The doubtful progress of his _S----r's fate_.[a]?The Maiden's Piety,--the boasted smiles?Of Royal Favour, and the secret wiles?Of hoary Artifice, at length, succeed;?And _the flow_[b] _L----_ to the Altar lead.?--There filly D---- mourn'd, in briny floods,?His lessen'd Household, and diminish'd Woods.
Thus as I gaz'd,--the Hautbois shrieking sound,?With swelling Clarions through the Dome resound;?And, in brisk, airy, measure, lightly play?A Prelude to the business of the day.?The Music ceas'd--and, in a treble tone,?Thus spake the Royal Puppet on the Throne:
"Ye High, ye Low,--ye Vulgar and ye Peers!?Ye youthful Dames, and you of riper Years!?Ye longing Maids, who heave the midnight sigh?Beneath the burthen of Virginity!?Or you, ye stray'd ones, who, unblushing, boast?Your Virtue sullied, and your Honour lost!?Ye _Pidgeons_, who hold forth the Golden Plume?For Knaves to pluck, and Harlots to consume!?Ye wedded Fair, who, splenetic at home,?Think it the duty of a Wife to roam!?Ye Husbands, from whose cold neglect proceeds?The Cuckold sproutings of your aching heads!?Ye _City Wights_, who feel it pride to trace?The faded manners of