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 O E M, 
 
 TWELVE CANTOS. 
 
 Ridentem dicere rernm 
 Quidretat? HORAC*. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 PKINTED'FOR. J. AND B. BELL, NO. 148, OXFORD-STREET J 
 
 E. HARLOW, ST. J AMES'S-STREET ; AND 
 
 C . FORSTER, IN THE POULTRY. 
 
 M DCCXCI.
 
 ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 jfir wasfuggejled to the author of the following perform- 
 pnce y that it would be proper to enter a caution with his 
 readers y to prevent any unfavourable imprejjion y which 
 
 fome of the fentiments that occur in the toork might pof- 
 
 Jtbly leave upon the minds ofthofe to whom he has the ho- 
 nour of being perfonally known. This however was a 
 
 'fpecies of liberty which he could not by any means be per- 
 
 fuaded to take ; as he could notfuppofe any one of his readers 
 tndowed with fo fmall a degree of penetration y as not to 
 
 perceive that moji of the fentiments were introduced by 
 him merely in fupport of the character which y for the 
 
 fake of embellijhmenty he thought proper to ajfume the 
 character of a vain , petulant Jlriplingy nvhofe opinion of his 
 twn wit and abilities isfo overweening, that he thinks they 
 entitle him tofall foul of every thing that comes in his war. 
 
 A MASK, SAYS CASTIGLIONE, CONFERS A RISHT 
 
 OF SPEAKING AND ACTING WITH LESS RESTRAINT, 
 IVEN WHEN THE WEARER HAPPENS TO BE KNOWN. 
 
 JOHNSOK.
 
 I S T. 
 
 CANTO I.
 
 ARGUMENT. 
 
 Folly of writing on unfafluonable fubje&s.^-Several fa- 
 fhionable ones propofed. Whift chofen. Plan of the 
 work, and invocation to the fpirit of Hoyle,
 
 Cofa non delta in Blank-Verfo, ne'n Rima. 
 
 ARIOSTO. 
 
 LET vulgar bards fome lofty fubject chufc, 
 
 And court a dull, unfafhionable Mufe, 
 
 In fruitlefs labour wafte their weary days, 
 
 Nor folid pudding gain, nor empty praife 
 
 Let them for tragic numbers rack their brains, 5 
 
 And foar to all the pomp of epic {trains 
 
 Fools that they are ! to think their filly art 
 
 Can thaw the winter of a modern heart , 
 
 To think that thofe at fancied griefs will cry 
 
 Whofe deareft friend might drop without a figh ; 10 
 
 That thofe, whofe ev'ry ftep from felf proceeds, 
 
 Will read with pleafure of heroic deeds, 
 
 Virtues admire which never ftruck their view, 
 
 And feel for paflions which they never knew. 
 
 Let others vainly drive to mend the times, 15 
 By lafhing follies, and expofing crimes : 
 
 A 4 While
 
 * WHIST: 
 
 While I, feduc'd by no fuch idle rage, 
 
 Turn to account the foibles of the age , 
 
 Each reigning tafte with approbation feed, 
 
 And nothing write, but what the world may read. 20 
 
 Fain would I try fome fafhionable ftrain, 
 And fing the glories of NEWMARKET'S plain ; 
 Shew by what arts the well-defcended horfe 
 Is train' d, and fed, and fitted for the courfe ; 
 And paint the tumults of each jockey's foul, 25 
 When all the panting fteeds approach the goal ; 
 When now the riders' heels their fides explore, 
 And all the verdant turf is ftain'd with gore ; 
 While each with double force the fcourge applies, 
 And fhame or triumph in one moment lies. 30 
 
 Or with what pleafure could the modifh Mufe 
 Her brighteft pow'rs and nobleft efforts ufe, 
 In praife of him who firft, with happy (kill, 
 
 * Improv'd the crefted bird of clarion (lirill, 
 
 The -cock's flirill clarion, or the echoing horn. 
 
 GRAY'S ELEGY. 
 
 With
 
 CANTO I. 9 
 
 With more than nature's weapons arm'd his rage, 35 
 Taught him to death the bloody war to wage ; 
 And made what once was but a dunghill fight 
 A ftrife which Dukes can witneis with delight ! 
 
 Or, higher Pall my daring voice to raife, 
 Shall I attempt th' illuftrious boier's praife ; 49 
 Defcribe the Ihow'r of thick tempefluous blows, 
 Which on the foe his heavy hand beftows ; 
 And paint the rapture of th' admiring crowd, 
 Their eager joy, and acclamations loud, 
 When, at the laft, he knocks him fairly down, 45 
 For England's glory, and his own renown, 
 And fends him bleeding from the noble fray, 
 With batter'd bones and fldnlefs front away ? 
 
 This could I do, the bold but lucky drain 
 In time, perhaps, might royal notice gain ; . 5* 
 And forne bright year, the future years among, 
 With laureat honours might reward the fong. 
 
 But themes like thefe (tho' none could better cbufe) 
 Are much too arduous for my humble Mufe j 
 
 .Who
 
 io WHIST: 
 
 Who dares not truft her young unpra&is'd wings 55 
 To foar the height of fuch majeftic things. 
 
 An art there is, of univerfal fame, 
 Which he who treats may public honours claim ; 
 That fav'ry art which teaches how to live, 
 To ev'ry dilh its proper fauce to give, 6 
 
 Inftruts to boil, to roafl, and fricafiee, 
 And callipafh compofe, and callipee : 
 All too with which the earth and ample fides, 
 Or liquid world, the board of man fupplies, 
 This noble art directs us how to ufe, 65 
 
 And Indian Curry make, and French'ragouts. 
 But e'en this taflc my caution muft decline, 
 And leave to talents better tried than mine. 
 
 One theme remains, which, could I treat it well, 
 Might gain me credit, and perhaps might fell 70 
 A fober theme, which yet the young and gay 
 Would fcarce be mov'd to tofs with fcorn away. 
 A game I mean that grave, judicious game, 
 Which took, as all agree, its warning name 
 
 6 From
 
 C A N T O I. n 
 
 From that ftricl: filence which its rules demand 75 
 From all that play, or near the players (land. 
 To fuch a theme, the 'prentice and the peer, 
 Her grace and Betty, all would lend an ear ; 
 For fcarce one Briton, or one Briton's wife 
 Exifts within the pale of focial life, 80 
 
 But plays fuch game as gamefters reckon good, 
 Or thinks he can, or wifhes that he could. 
 Nor in thofe domes of wide-extended fame, 
 Which bear or White's, or Brookes', or Boodle's 
 
 name, 
 (Where knights, and beaux, and lords, and fharpers 
 
 run, 85 
 
 Some to undo, but more to be undone ; 
 Where all is hulh'd in trembling hope around, 
 And not one tongue emits an idle found) 
 Is this nice game (tho' higher bets are laid) 
 With deeper thought, or keener ardor play'd, 90 
 Than in the village alehoufe, where the door 
 Opes with a latch, and fand beilrc-.vs the floor ; 
 
 And
 
 12 WHIST: 
 
 And where th' excifeman lank, of brow fevere ; 
 The prieft, whofe cure is twenty pounds a-year ; 
 The farmer grave, in drugget coarfe array'd ; 95 
 And tfre gay miller, whiten'd by his trade, 
 Each ev'ning meet, to join in warm debate, 
 To drink hot punch, and regulate the ftate, 
 Some pence to flake, and o'er their pipes to rifk 
 Th' uncertain iflue of a game at Whifk. 100 
 
 WHIST, then, delightful WHIST, my theme fhall 
 
 be, 
 
 And firft I'll try to trace its pedigree, 
 And fhew what fage and comprehenfive mind 
 Gave to the world a pleafure fo refin'd : 
 Then fhall the verfe its various charms difplay, 105 
 Which bear from ev'ry game the palm away ; 
 And, laft-of all, thofe rules and-maxims tell, 
 Which give the envied pow'r to play it well. 
 
 But firft (for fuch the mode) fome tuneful fhade 
 Muft be invok'd, the vent'rous Mufe to aid. 1 1 o 
 
 Cremona's
 
 CANTO I. 13 
 
 Cremona's poet mall I firft addrefs, 
 
 Who paints with (kill the mimic war of chefs, 
 
 * And India's art in Roman accents (ings ; 
 
 Or him who foars on far fublimer wings, 
 
 Belinda's bard, who taught his liquid lay 115 
 
 f At Ombre's fludious game fo well to play ? 
 
 But why thus vainly hefitates the Mufe, 
 In idle doubt, what guardian pow'r to chufe ? 
 What pow'r fo well can aid her daring toil, 
 As the bright fpirit of immortal Hoyle ? 1 20 
 
 By whofe enlighten'd efforts Whift becatne 
 A fober, ferious, fcientific game ; 
 To whofe unwearied pains/while here below, 
 The great, th' important privilege we owe, 
 That random ftrokes difgrace our play no more, 125 
 But fkill prefides, where all was chance before. 
 
 Come then, my friend, my teacher, and my guide, 
 Where'er thy ihadowy ghoft may now refide -, 
 
 * Marci Hieronymi Vidae Scacchia, Ludus. 
 f Vide Pope's Rape of the Lock, c. iii. 25 100. 
 
 Perhaps
 
 14 WHIST. 
 
 Perhaps (for Nature ev'ry change defies, 
 
 Nor ev'n with death our ruling paflion dies) 130 
 
 With fond regret it hovers ftill, unfeen, 
 
 Around the tempting boards array'd in green -, 
 
 Still with delight its fav'rite game regards, 
 
 * And, tho' it plays no more, o'erlooks the cards. 
 
 Come then, thou glory of Britannia's ifle, 135 
 On this attempt propitious deign to fmile ; 
 Let all thy fkill th' unerring page infpire, 
 And all thy zeal my raptur'd bofom fire : 
 So (hall I not difgrace my theme fublime, ^ 
 
 Untouch'd as yet in each poetic clime, M /" 
 
 In free unfetter'd verfe, or more melodiousrhime.} 
 
 * And, tho' (he plays no more, o'erlooks the cards. 
 
 RAPE OF THE LOCK.
 
 WHIST. 
 
 CANTO II.
 
 ARGUMENT. 
 
 Introductory refle&ions on the invention of Cards 
 Difficulty of difcovering the inventor of Whifl 
 Story of Moody and his two Aunts.
 
 Sjcilicet egregii mortalem altique filenti.] 
 
 HOKACK. 
 
 HOW oft, in this capricious fcene of things, 
 Extenfive good from partial evil fprings ; 
 And that for which whole kingdoms now may mourn 
 A bleflmg proves to nations yet unborn ! 
 When frenzy's pow'r the Gallic monarch * feiz'd, 5 
 Derang'd his thoughts, and all his mind difeas'd, 
 Unhappy France contending factions tore, 
 f And drench'd her meadows and her ftreets in 
 gore : 
 
 Charles VI. 
 
 f On fe battait dans les rues, dans les eglifes, dans les mai. 
 fons, a la campagne. 
 
 VOLTAIRE, ESSAI SUR I/HIST. GEN.ch.lxxfx. 
 
 B Bv
 
 iS WHIST: 
 
 By turns me fufFer'd from the fierce alarms 
 
 Of feuds domeftic, and of foreign arms ; 10 
 
 And all-defencelefs left, an eafy prey 
 
 To our wild Hal's awaken'd fpirit lay. 
 
 But had this haplefs prince efcap'd the fpleen, 
 
 How difmal now had our condition been ! 
 
 Had med'cine's aid his fell diflemper cur'd, "15 
 
 What man of tafte could now have life endur'd ? 
 
 PofTeft of no refource, no art fublime, 
 
 To banifh thought, and kill the tedious time, 
 
 * How oft, like Job, would he have curs'd his day> 
 
 And idly yawn'd the liftlefs hours away ! 20 
 
 But chief when fabbath comes with tirefome reft 
 
 To vulgar fouls, by weekly toils oppreft ; 
 
 When cruel cuftom fhuts amufement's door, 
 
 And dancers fkip, and fingers fqueak no more ; 
 
 What languor then had all our nerves unftrung, 25 
 
 And o'er each modifh houfe what vapours hung ! 
 
 . * Ahri ken, pethah Ayub ath pieu, vikillal ath Jumu. 
 
 JOB, ch. iii. I. 
 
 7 But
 
 CANTO II. 19 
 
 But now the world is quite another thing, 
 Thanks to the madnefs of the GallicJdng ; 
 Which, tho' the caufe of temporary ftrife, 
 Produc'd the brighteft charm of modern life. ' 30 
 Some courtly fage, in that aufpicious hour, 
 Infpir'd by wifdorn's philanthropic pow'r, 
 To cheer the darknefs of his monarch's mind, 
 Some new, unbroach'd delight eflay'd to find ; 
 * And then to light that fair quaternion fprung, 35"% 
 O'er which both high and low, both old and young, > 
 Have fince, thro' ev'ry age, in rapture hung ; 3 
 Thofe pow'rful Clubs, which, ev'n when us'd in 
 
 town, 
 
 Can ftrike, at times, a rural manfion down ; 
 Thofe fatal Spades, which, wielded by a knave, 40 
 Have dug for fome poor fools an early grave ; 
 
 * Elements, the eldeft birth 
 
 Of nature's womb, that in quaternion run, 
 Perpetwal circle, multiform. 
 
 MIXTON'S PAR. LOST, v. 180. 
 
 B 2 Diamonds,
 
 zo WHIST: 
 
 i 
 
 Diamonds, which fcarce with lefs attraction fhine 
 
 Than thofe that glitter in Golconda's mine ; 
 
 And flaming Hearts, which glow with am'rous fire, 
 
 And love unfeign'd in ev'ry breaft infpire. 45 
 
 Then firft thofe wondrous forms arofe to view, 
 
 The fame for ever, yet for ever new ; 
 
 Thofe Kings in party-colour'd pomp array'd, 
 
 Who now fo long have Europe's fceptre fway'd ; 
 
 Thofe Queens, whofe charms, fuperior to decline, 50 
 
 Four ages .paft, with equal glory mine ; 
 
 Thofe who, in fraud's acknowledg'd liv'ry dreft, 
 
 Like other Knaves, are not the lefs carefl : 
 
 And, each in order due th' inferior train, 
 
 Which paint with red and blaek the verdant plain ; 55 
 
 That fpotted train, whofe amicable ftrife 
 
 With brilliant hues diverfifies our life. 
 
 But men had long thefe noblefl books perus'd, 
 And long with various games their hours amus'd, 
 Ere Whirl appear'd, the charm of ev'ry heart, 60 
 The lafl beft effort of inventive art. 
 
 Let
 
 C A N T O II. ai 
 
 * Let India vaunt her children's vaft addrefs, 
 Who firft contriv'd the warlike f fport of Chefs j 
 Let nice Picquette the boaft of France remain, 
 And ftudious Ombre be the pride of Spain ; 6- 
 
 Invention's praife (hall England yield to none, 
 While me can call delightful Whift her own. 
 
 But to what name we this diftinclion owe, 
 Is not fo eafy for us now to know : 
 The Britifh annals all are filent here, 70 
 
 Nor deign one friendly hint our doubts to clear : 
 Ev'n Hume himfelf, whofe philofophic mind 
 Could not but love a paftime fo refin'd j 
 
 Telle fut la maniere d'ecrire des Indiens. Leur efprit 
 paralt encore davantage dans lesjeuKde leur invention. Le 
 jeu que nous appellons lesEchecs, par corruption, futinvente 
 par eux ; et nous n'avons rien qui en approche ; il eft allego- 
 rique comme leurs fables ; c'eft Timage de la guerre. 
 
 VOLTAIRE, ESSAI SUR L'Hisr. GEN. ch. iii. 
 J- Ludimus effigiem belli, fimulataque verls 
 
 Prglia VID^B SCACCHXA, I. 
 
 B ^ Ungrateful
 
 2Z WHIST: 
 
 Ungrateful Hume, who till his dying day- 
 Continued ftill his fav'rite game to play* ; 75 
 Tho' many a curious fat his page fupplies, 
 To this important point a place denies. 
 
 Here might fome bards unlock their claffic (lore, 
 And deck their verfe with mythologic lore ; 
 To wifdom's Queen th' invention might affign, 80 
 Or Jove himfelf, or ev'n the tuneful Nine. 
 But I fhould fcorn my readers to deceive, 
 Or tell them aught but what they could believe : 
 And now, alas ! the whole Olympian ftate 
 Has loft its credit, and is out of date ; 85 
 
 Our wits, to whom their names are quite a bore, 
 Would only fkip fuch pretty ftories o'er : 
 
 Upon his return to Edinburgh, though he found himfelf 
 weaker, yet his checrfulnefs never abated j and he continued to 
 dirert himfelf, as ufual, with correfting his own works for a 
 new edition, with reading books ; f amufement, with the con- 
 verfation of his friem's ; and fometimes, in the evening, with 
 a party at his favourite game of whift. 
 
 LITTER FROM DR. SMITH TO WILL. STRAHAN. 
 
 For
 
 CANTO II. 13 
 
 For which good caufe no borrow'd light divine 
 Shall gild this round unvarnffh'd talc of mine ; 
 In which the doubtful voice of vague renown 90 
 The likely Sire of Whift has handed down ; 
 Which o'er its birth a glimm'ring luftre throws, 
 Nor tells, but rather guefles how it rofe. 
 
 A Yorklhire dame invok'd the midwife's care, 
 And bleft her hufband with a fon and heir. 9^ 
 
 His infant frame appear'd robuft enough, 
 But fcarcely made of penetrable fluff : 
 Nor bitter fquall, nor whimper deep and low, 
 Announc'd his entrance on the ftage of woe. 
 When on his face the facred fluid fell, loo 
 
 No cry efcap'd, his fad furprife to tell. 
 With rattling toys he ftill refus'd to play, 
 * And from his coral tore die bells away. 
 
 * I threw away my rattle before I was two months old ; and 
 would not make ufe of my coral, till they had taken away the 
 belle from it. SPECTATOR, No. i. 
 
 B 4 "When
 
 24 WHIST: 
 
 When loud or piercing founds aflail'd his ear, 
 Each look betray' d his horror and his fear : 105 
 
 But chief he feem'd to dread the ftrife of tongues ; 
 For then alone he ftrain ? d his little lungs, 
 And with a rueful face incefTant roar'd, 
 Till the dorm ceas'd, and filence was reflor'd. 
 Hard was the talk and wearifome, to teach 1 1 o 
 
 His backward tongue the mimic art of fpeech ; 
 Nor, when at laft your patience won the day, 
 Did he, like other babes, your care repay. 
 Ne'er did his prattle charm a parent's ear ; 
 He fcarcely utter'd twenty words a year. 115 
 
 Oft would he s fly to fome fequefter'd nook, 
 To pore in quiet o'er a piftur'd book j 
 Or fit whole hours immers'd in thought profound, 
 With eyes that fondly lov'd the fenfelefs ground $ 
 Till nature's wants, from which no frame is free, 1 20 
 Rous'd the young Stoic from his reverie. , f 
 
 To fchool for once he went 5 but threat nor pray'r 
 ould force his feet again to venture there ; 
 
 Not
 
 CANTO II. 25 
 
 Not that, like fome, his tafk had wrought him woe 
 (His wit was quick, altho' his tongue was flow) ; lit 
 Nor that he fear'd the mafter's awful nod 
 (Th' attentive fcholar feldom dreads the rod) : 
 His fear was only from the boift'rous noife 
 Rais'd by fo many wild unruly boys ; 
 Their favage tumult tore his tender ear, 130 
 
 Diftreft him more than what his frame could bear j 
 And, had his parents forc'd him ftill to go, 
 Might foon have fent him to the fhades below. 
 
 A grave and fober tutor next was found, 
 To lead him foftly thro' the claflic ground". 135 
 
 One charge there was he never would obey 
 A tafk of any length aloud to fay : 
 The yielding tutor took it written down j 
 But then he feldom read it with a frown. 
 
 His parents thus, of temper foft and mild, 140 
 jn all his freaks indulg'd their wayward child j 
 Not without hope that gravity fo young, 
 uchlove of filence, fuch command of tongue, 
 
 When
 
 26 WHIST; 
 
 When the wild feafon of caprice was part, 
 
 Would furely rife tofomething great at laft 145 
 
 A judge perhaps, of ftern fevere renown ; T 
 
 Perhaps a bifhop, dreft in hallow'd gown ; 
 
 Or at the worft a mayor in fome adjacent town. J 
 
 When twice nine years had thus at home been 
 
 fpent, 
 
 The grave young Moody was to Cambridge fent ; 150 
 Where, led by no temptation's pow'r aftray, 
 He pafs'd the time in his accuftom'd way ; 
 Seldom abroad, or in the common hall, 
 Read much, heard little, and fpoke none at all. 
 
 But noW flern fate his father call'd away, 155 
 And fent him home, impatient to allay 
 Maternal anguifh for a lofs fo great, 
 And take pofiefiion of his own eftate ; 
 In which he hop'd, remote from noife and ftrife, 
 To pafs in peace profound his future life 160 
 Peace, the dear idol of his floic mind, 
 Which ev'n in Cam's retreats he could not find ; 
 
 For
 
 CANTO II. 27 
 
 For there fome youths, who felt a barb'rous joy 
 Their graver neighbour's comfort to deftroy, 
 Each art employ'd that to their fancies rofe, 165 
 His ears to wound, and murder his repofe. 
 
 At home arriv'd, his father's widow'd mate 
 With tranfport fprung, to meet him at the gate j 
 But not alone with her two virgins came, 
 "Who long had kept that venerable name ; 1 70 
 
 For fluent tongues o'er all the country fam'd. 
 They both to him an aunt's relation claim'd. 
 But who can tell with what unruly joy 
 They welcom'd home the long-departed boy ; 
 From ev'ry mouth what floods of kindnefs broke ; 1 75 
 How all at once with eager fury fpoke ; 
 How each by turns" to raife their voices tried ; 
 How much was aflt'd j how little was replied ! 
 The youth, in chains of mute amazement bound, 
 And almoft deafen'd by the mighty found, 180 
 
 With patience yet the roufing larum bore, 
 In hopes its violence would foon be o'er ; 
 
 And
 
 *S WHIST: 
 
 And that the dames, before the clofe of day, 
 Would kindly take their eloquence away. 
 Impatient oft he call'd the friendly night, 1 85 
 
 * And oft with pleafure view'd the failing light : 
 But, oh, how killing was his fad furprife, 
 How much of horror fill'd his gloomy eyes j 
 What looks of dumb defpair to heav'n were caft, 
 When, after waiting long, he found atlaft 190 
 
 That both were doom'd, by fate's perverfe decree, 
 Perpetual inmates of the houfe to be ; 
 Call'd by their fitter, when me loft her mate, 
 To foothe her forrows with their charming prate ! 
 
 With fuch fair profpects op'ning to his view, 195 
 What now, alas, could lucklefs Moody do ? 
 How dire the thought, that each fucceeding day 
 In fuch a whirlwind muft be pafs'd away ! 
 Ev'n from his inmoft foul the mourner figh'd ; 
 Low funk his heart, and all his courage died. 200 
 
 * Polla pros Mellon kephalen trepe pamphaneenta, 
 Dunai epeigomenos. 
 
 HOMER'S ODYSSEY, xiii. 49. 
 
 But
 
 CANTO II. Z ) 
 
 But dill refoiv'd to fnatch from vocal ftrife 
 
 Whate'er his wayward fate allow' d of life, 
 
 A mind he feign'd on ftudious thoughts intent, "\ 
 
 Each morning duly to his chamber went, > 
 
 And there the precioushours with filence fpent. 205 J 
 
 But no excufe could fave the clofing day 
 
 From always pafling in a focial way : 
 
 His own politenefs could not this refufe, 
 
 Nor yet fo ill his mother's fitters ufe. 
 
 Then rofe the ftorm ; but ere its rage was o'er, 2 1 o*> 
 
 And left thy bark on midnight's quiet fhor, > 
 
 How much, ill-fated youth, thy patience bore ! ) 
 
 And oft aflail'd at once by all the three, 
 
 * Thy deareft foe might fure have pitied thee. 
 
 One had a fcheme to better his eftate, 215 
 
 And one advis'd him how to chufe a mate ; 
 The third, determin'd not to be outdone, 
 Would kindly teach him how to rear his fon. 
 
 J* Would I had met my deareft foe in heav'n. 
 
 SHAKESt-BAR's HAMLET, Aft I, Sc. 4. 
 
 Then
 
 3 o WHIST: 
 
 Then enter'd fell Debate, with angry face ; 
 Each eager tongue aflum'd a quicker pace, 22o 
 And Peace affrighted rofe, and fled the dang'rous 
 
 place. 
 
 A fhort-liv'd calm had now the flrife compos'd ; 
 He feiz'd the moment, and Quadrille propos'd ; 
 In hopes, when fairly once engag'd in play, 
 They could not leifure find fo much to fay. 225 
 But foon the youth thefe hopes abortive found ; 
 Ten cards to each were fcarcely dealt around, 
 When one, topafs by poverty conftrain'd, 
 Againft her luck in accents loud complain'd. 
 The next, who oft enquir'd, with anxious care, 233 
 XDf red and black how many trumps there were, 
 Remain'd awhile on doubt's uncertain ground, 
 And fought advice from all the table round : 
 If leave me ajtfd, the game was too fecure ; 
 Nor would her cards permit her to obfcure. 235 
 
 Refolv'd at lafl to win or hazard all, 
 She boldly ventur'd for a king to call. 
 
 But
 
 CANTO II. 31 
 
 But now the third, who long had fllent fate, 
 
 And heard with wicked joy the deep debate, 
 
 
 At oncefanjprendre's pow'r refifllefs claim'd, 249 
 
 And with exalted voice her trumps proclaim'd. 
 
 Thus fairly ftarted ev'ry nimble tongue, 
 
 And all the houfe with terms of fcience rung; 
 
 While now the vole was loft, and now codille, ' 
 
 And hearts, and matadores, and forced fpadille* 24$ 
 
 * The author having here adopted the French mode of 
 playing quadrille, as admitting of the greateft variety of de- 
 fcription, it will be proper to explain fomeof the terms, which 
 may not be familiar to the Englim reader. 
 
 Obfcuring (v. 235) is that mode of playing in partnership, 
 by which, when you have three good fuits in your "hand, you 
 leave the choice of trumps from amcngft them to the perfon 
 who happens to hold the king of thefouith. 
 
 Calling t or rather taking a king, (v. 237) is a cautious me- 
 thod of playing alone, by the afliftance of a king of any fuit 
 but trumps, borrowed, or rather bought from another hand. 
 See ACADEMIE DES JHWX.
 
 WHIST. 
 
 CANTO III.
 
 ARGUMENT. 
 
 Continuation of the ftory of Moody and his Aunts, 
 including the invention of the game of Whift.
 
 Not any boaft of (kill, but extreme fluft. 
 
 MILTON. 
 
 Quis potis eft dignum pollenti pe&ore carmen 
 Condere, pro rerum majeftate, hifque repertis ? 
 Quifve valet verbis tantum, qui fundere laudes 
 Pro meritis ejus pofiit, qui talia nobis 
 Peftore parta fuo, quaefitaque prremia liquit ? 
 
 LUCRXTIUS. 
 
 r OR three long winter months in chat or play 
 The focial ev'nings thus had pafs'd away ; 
 Till, once of life and all its comforts tir'd, 
 The youth indignant to his couch retir'd t 
 There to his fick'ning foul whilft all below $ 
 
 Seem'd but a weary length of hopelefs woe, 
 * In this black channel did his mufings flow. 
 
 " How have I this deferv'd, ye pow'rs divine ? 
 ** f For what offence, what grievous fin of mine, 
 
 * In this black channel would my ravings run. 
 
 YoyNG's NIGHT THOUGHTS, vii. 652. 
 f Oh> what is my fin ? what is my fm ? 
 
 B. JONSON'S SILENT WOMAN, Act 2, Sc. 2. 
 
 C 2 "Am
 
 3 6 WHIST: 
 
 " Am I condemn'd, in this terreftrial hell, I o 
 
 " This den of ftrife, this windmill dome* to dwell ? 
 '* Nor wealth nor fame hava e'er engrofs'd my care ; 
 " For peace alone I breath'd my fervent pray'r : 
 " And yet ftern fate the humble fuit denies, 
 " And ftill beyond my reach theblefling flies. 15 
 " Thrice happy fire, within thy dark retreat, 
 " Of facred reft the bleft eternal feat ; 
 " Where no rude found invades thy filence deep, 
 " Alarms thine ear, or breaks thy quiet fleep : 
 " While here thy wretched fon muft wafte hi* 
 life 20 
 
 " In the dire, whirlpool of perpetual ftrife ; 
 " And fees, alas ! no profpecl: of repofe, 
 " Till death at laft his weary eyes fhalf clofe." 
 
 While thus he lay, refign'd to grief's controul, 
 A ray of fudden light illum'd his foul ; 25 
 
 * I dwell in a windmill. 
 
 B. JONSON'S SILENT WOMAN, Aft 5, Sc. 3. 
 
 Invention's
 
 CANTO ITT. 37 
 
 nvention's godlike pow'r his breaft infpir'd, 
 And eager hope his bright'ning fpirit fir'd. 
 f< Had I the happy fkill fome game to find, 
 (f Whofe charms fo ftrongly might attach the mind 
 t( And for fuch ftricl, fevere attention call, 30 
 
 " As could not fail to flop the tongues of all. 
 " Suppofe impartial chance two pairs to bind, 
 " In leagues offenfive and defenfive join'd ; 
 " Nor fide by fide allow the friends to fit, 
 " But each in front of each at diftance fit : 35 
 
 " There while each card retain'd its native place, 
 " Unlefs the lord of all, th' imperial ace, 
 " None mould, as in Quadrille, be ufelefs found, 
 " But, one by one, the pack be dealt around ; 
 " Thirteen to each, until the laft of all, 40 
 
 " Which turning up, the dealer Trump mould call* 
 <c But when the ftrife begins, on either fide, 
 " Tricks to fecure let ev'ry art be tried -, 
 For each new ////, when fix are gain'd before, 
 *' Shall with anotlier point augment the Score. 45 
 C 3 " Nor
 
 38 WHIST: 
 
 " Nor yet alone fhould fldll the fcore advance, 
 " For fomewhat always muft be left to chance. 
 <c Before another deal, let each demand 
 " How many honours grac'd his partner's hand ; 
 " And joining flocks, proceed to reckon thofe 50 
 " By which their number overtop'd their foes : 
 *' By two and two mould fate the band divide, 
 tf Their prefence then mall better neither fide ; 
 " But three, where'er they fall, for two fliall 
 
 count, 
 
 " And four mall reckon for the whole amount. 55 
 " On fuch conditions let the ftrife proceed, 
 " And deal to deal, and trump to trump fucceed, 
 *' Till thofe of better luck, or better play, 
 " Shall reckon ten, and bear the palm away. 
 tf And at the goal mould either fide arrive 60 
 
 tf Before the others reach the point of five, 
 " The conqu' ring pair may then with juftice claim 
 ff The praife and profit of a double game. 
 
 " But
 
 CANTO III. 3$ 
 
 " But one defeat (hould ne'er the conteft clofe, 
 " Nor yet the victors from their toils repofe, 65 
 " Till they have firft a fecond game obtain'd, 
 " And count a couple for the rubber gain'd." 
 
 When Archimedes at his bathing hour, 
 Infpir'd at laft by fome propitious pow'r, 
 The knotty problem folv'd, with which in vain 70 
 He long had rack'd his geometric brain ; 
 It ftands recorded, that the raptur'd fage*, 
 To whom each little moment feem'd an age, 
 
 * Archimeden de bia ton diagrammatfin apofp6ntes funelei- 
 phon hoi therapontes. Ho de epi tes koilias egraphe ta fchemata 
 te ftlcngidi, kai louomenos, hds phafin, ek tes huperchufeos en- 
 noefas, ten tou ftephanou metrefin, hoion ek tinos katoches c 
 epipnoias, exelato boon, Hewraika. 
 
 PLUTARCH, fed ubi haud fcio. 
 
 Tune i& (Archimedes) cum haberet ejus rei curam, cafu 
 venit in Balneum, ibique cum in Jolium defcenderet, animad- 
 vertit quantum corporis fui in eo infideret, tantum aquse extra 
 folium effluere. Itaque cum ejus rei rationem explicationis of- 
 fendiiret, non eft moratus, fed exiluit gaudio motus de folio, et 
 nudus vadens domum verfus, fignificabat, clara voce, invenifle 
 quod qusereret. Nam currens identidem Graece clamabat, 
 Hewraika, Hewraika. 
 
 VITRUVIUS, lib. ix, cap. 3. 
 
 4 Till
 
 40 WHIST: 
 
 Till all the town his mental triumph knew, 
 
 While from the bath with eager hafle he flew, 7^ 
 
 Forgot he was not all compos'd of mind, 
 
 And left his breeches and his fhirt behind. 
 
 As thro' the ftreets he then henvraika* cried, 
 
 With all the ftrength of fcientific pride, 
 
 The boys and girls, attracted by the found, 80 
 
 From ev'ry lane and alley flock'd around ; 
 
 With wond'ring eyes his naked wifdom vicw'd, 
 
 And with triumphant Ihouts his flight purfu'd. 
 
 Our hero thus forgot the darken'd room, 
 
 Sprung from his couch, and ftalk'd acrofs the gloom j 
 
 But tho' perhaps with equal rapture feiz'd, 86 
 
 And ftill more juflly with his triumph pleas'd, 
 
 Could yet in decent bounds his joy reftrain, 
 
 And very wifely went to bed again. 
 
 * A Greek vyord, which fignifies, / have it. This is by no 
 means the firft time in which it has appeared in Englifh poetry 
 
 " Cries, Ejjjca ; the mighty fecret's found.'' 
 
 DRYD*.N'S RELIGIO LAICI, 43. 
 
 7 One
 
 CANTO HI. 41 
 
 One fleeplefs night had pafs'd entire away, 93 
 And more than half of the fucceeding day, 
 Before the youth, by dint of patient thought, 
 His noble fcheme to full perfection brought. 
 But when aniufement's hour arriv'd again, 
 And cards, as ufual, took their turn to reign, 95 
 He kept no longer to himfelf confin'd 
 The bright conception ofhisplaftic mind: 
 But (while exulting hope and confcious pride 
 Unwonted boldnefs to his fpeech fupplied) 
 Declar'd, that if the, venerable three loa 
 
 Would deign his pupils for a time to be, 
 He could a game unfold entirely new, 
 Yet practis'd only by a chofen few ; 
 And which he trufted would amufe them more 
 Than any other they had play'd before. 105 
 
 A point like this our hero gain'd with eafe ; 
 For novelty is fure the fex to pleafe. 
 With foft addrefs, and fafcinating art, 
 Behold him next perform the tutor's part. 
 
 Hard
 
 4 i WHIST; 
 
 Hard was the tafk, ideas to explain, no 
 
 Which yet but vaguely floated thro' his brain ; 
 And paint the changing hues of fhadowy thought, 
 Not yet by practice to confidence brought. 
 But this he did as far as words could do : 
 A gentle hint was flily added too, 1 1 5 
 
 On ftricl: attention, and referve of tongue, 
 How greatly here the hopes of triumph hung. 
 
 Now Chance, invok'd, a mate afiign'd to each, 
 And three fat down to learn, and one to teach. 
 The nimble cards around the table ran ; I2 
 
 The trump look'd upward, and the ftrife began. 
 In that propitious hour the world's delight, ^,; , ' 
 
 The game of filence, firft beheld the light ; 
 Not the rude light of nature's glaring ray, 
 But art's politer, more congenial day ; 1 25 
 
 From tapers planted thick the table round, 
 Or pendent lamps, with flaming radiance crown'd. 
 Each future age mail blefs that golden hour, 
 And hail with rapture its extenfive pow'r, _ 
 
 Which
 
 CANTO III. 43 
 
 Which came, our life withluftre to adorn, 13* 
 
 Big with the fate of gamefters yet unborn. 
 
 The fifterhood at firft forgot the change, 
 And ftill, as ufual, left their tongues to range } 
 For pow'rful habit is not foon fuppreft, 
 And female tongues were never form'd for reft. 135 
 But when they found, feverely to their coft, 
 That they were fure to lofe who fpoke the moft, 
 That potent voice, which feldom pleads in vain, 
 Regard to int'reft, and the love of gain, 
 By flow degrees fuppreft each idle found, 140 
 
 And cv'ry lip with chains of filence bound. 
 Some torrent thus from wint'ry mountains long 
 With foam and fury pours its waves along, 
 And rolling onward with impetuous found, 
 O'erflows its banks, and deafens all around : 145 
 
 But when the fummer comes, and with him brings 
 The thirfty fpirit on his glowing wings, 
 By flow degrees the liquid ftores decay, 
 And the rough roar in murmurs dies away ; 
 Until, at laft, its voice is heard no more, 150 
 
 And filence reigns where all was noife before.
 
 WHIST. 
 
 CANTO IV.
 
 ARGUMENT. 
 
 Sequel of the ftory of Moody and his Aunts ; including 
 the laws of the game of Whift.
 
 L.V-VS. wife as nature, and as fixt as fate. 
 
 Porz. 
 
 BUT tho' confufion's voice was heard no more, 
 
 And filence reign'd where all was noife before ; 
 
 Yet ftill at times occafions would arife, 
 
 Where all reftraint the fillers could defpife ; 
 
 And ftill difturb the youth's unlucky ftate $ 
 
 With all the violence of keen debate. 
 
 Perhaps die dealer might the cards confufc, 
 
 Nor yet her privilege could bear to lofe : 
 
 Perhaps a card might on the table fall 
 
 Its miftrefs never meant to play at all ; 10 
 
 Who then her error might lament in vain, 
 
 And urge her right to take it up again : 
 
 Perhaps her hafte a trick with trumps had gain'dr 
 
 While of the fuit her hand a card retain'd 
 
 A fa
 
 48 W H I S T : 
 
 A fad miftake ; which, when it once was found, 1 $ 
 In endlefs ftrife embroil'd the table round : 
 Or, worfe than all, perhaps oblivion's pow'r 
 Had mifs'd entirely /coring s proper hour j 
 And now too late thofe honours rofe to mind, 
 Which to their tricks they might have juftly join'd; 20 
 A lofs which never pafs'd from mem'ry's fight, 
 But clouded Hill each after triumph bright, 
 And fill'd with murmur's voice die whole repin- 
 ing night. 
 
 All this young Moody with difpleafure faw, 
 And vainly ftrove to keep the ftorm in awe : 25 
 
 From this he found, that, tho' fo much was done, 
 He had not wholly yet the battle won ; 
 From this he knew, that fomewhat flill remain'd, 
 Ere fiience here a perfect triumph gain'd. 
 Oft had he read that tracks of fertile ground, 30 
 
 With lavifh nature's richeft bounty crown'd, 
 In rude neglecl and favage wildnefs lay, 
 To defolation and to wafle a prey ; 
 
 For
 
 CA.NTO IV. 49 
 
 For this one fingle but important caufe, 
 
 The want of regular and wholefome laws. 35 
 
 And, fince capricious fortune's blind controul 
 
 Had thus already made his favourM foul 
 
 The bold difcov'rer of a region new, 
 
 Refolv'd to prove its legiflator too. 
 
 Nor did the ftrength of his inventive mind 40 
 This fecond talk an afduous duty find : 
 For two fhort hours of one tempeftuous day 
 Suffic'd to range his laws in neat array ; 
 And, left his fubjecls might, perhaps, difdain 
 The recent offspring of his youthful brain, 45 
 
 His prudent art a cautious method chofe, 
 And feign'd (for fiftion well each lawyer knows) 
 That he thefe laws had in the pages found 
 Of one whofe genius had been long renown'd. 
 Succefs, as ufual, crown'd his artful plan, 5 
 
 And, leave of reading gain'd, he thus began. 
 
 D I. The
 
 5 WHIST: 
 
 I. 
 
 The cards to muffle long as may him fuit, 
 Is ev'ry player's right, without difpute : 
 But when this right thro' all the hands has pafs'd, 
 Still with the dealer it fhould reft at laft ; 55 
 
 Who, ere he deals, fhould have the painted band "\ 
 Cut by the perfon on his better hand -, > 
 
 As elfe th' unlawful deal will never ftand. J 
 
 II. 
 
 If in the pack a card difplay its face, 
 * He muft begin again in fuch a cafe : 60 
 
 And mould he one in dealing chance to turn, 
 The foes, if fo inclin'd, that deal may fpurn. 
 
 III. 
 
 But if he gives not each his number due, 
 To one too many, or to one too few, 
 
 * Vide Hoyle, chap, xviii. laws xi. and ix. 
 
 He
 
 >pofe L 
 - J 
 
 CANTO IV. 
 
 * He then muft be content the deal to lofe, 
 Unlefs his luck fupplies the fole excuse, 
 That, while he dealt, by either of the foes 
 The cards were touch'd ; for then we fA*y fuppofe 
 From them, and not from him, the fault arofe. 
 
 IV. 
 
 Still on the board, the whole commencing round, 
 f Let his trump card expos'd to view be found : 7 1 
 Nor, after that, tho' you may trumps enquire, 
 Can you of it another fight defire. 
 
 V. 
 
 Let each, before he play, his hand review, 
 
 And mark if he poflefs the number due ; 75 
 
 | For fliould he not, and yet proceed to play, -\ 
 
 Till he perceives at laft a card away, I 
 
 He muft for each revoke the forfeit pay. J 
 
 * Vide Hoyle, chap. xxii. law xiii. 
 |* Id. chap, xviii. law xviii. 
 J Id. ibid, law xii. 
 
 D 2 VI. Le
 
 $2 WHIST: 
 
 VI. 
 
 Let each with conftant eye the board furvey, } 
 * Nor afk another what he chanc'd to play, 80 > 
 Tho* he may bid him draw his card away, J 
 
 VII. 
 
 Nor here, as In your former game, Quadrille, 
 May one examine all the tricks at will : 
 The lateft can alone return to fight j 
 The reft muft ne'er again behold the light. 8 5 
 
 VIII. 
 
 The card which once has fairly touch'd the board, 
 Muft never more be to the hand reftor'd. 
 
 IX. 
 
 When, from miftake, as it at times proceeds, 
 The one rafh partner for the other leads ; 
 f Then may the foes ajuft occafion feize, 90 
 
 To make his brother play what fuit they pleafe ; 
 
 * Hbyle, chap. xxii. law viii. 
 \ Id, chap, xviii. law K 
 
 Antl
 
 CANTO IV, 
 
 And for that card, which was fo keen to fall, 
 
 / . , 
 They have a right at any time to call. 
 
 X. 
 
 For each revoke your foe may chance to make, 
 From his colle&ed tricks you three can take ; 9$ 
 Or from his fcore (if tricks he yet has none) 
 * Take down three points, or add them to your own ; 
 But this to do you ne'er can urge the right, 
 Until the trick is turn'd, and out of fight ; 
 Tho' then its influence boafts a fairer claim 100 
 
 Than any other fcore in all the game. 
 
 XI. 
 
 The tricks, fair children of fuperior (kill, 
 Before the cafual honours reckon ftill. 
 
 XII. 
 
 Remember always, when the hand is o'er, 
 f At once your honours and your tricks to fcore ; r o 
 
 : Hoyle, chap, xviii. laws Hi. and ii. 
 f Id. ibid, law vi. 
 
 D for
 
 54 WHIST: 
 
 For mould you wait till trumps be turn'd again, 
 Your right you then may claim, but claim in vain. 
 
 XIII. 
 
 But if beyond the truth you chance to go, 
 Your fcore diminifti'd muft enrich the foe. 
 
 XIV. 
 
 The proper feafon on your friend to call y Ho 
 * Is jufl before your hand a card lets fall ; 
 A moment later, and you lofe the claim, 
 And ev'n a moment fooner is the fame. 
 
 XV. 
 
 f But when the trump has once appear'd in fight, 
 Let none remind his friend of calling's right. 115 
 
 XVI. 
 
 Altho' of tricks one fide mould make them all, 
 That rareft triumph which zjlam we call, 
 
 * Hoyle, chap, xviii. law xxii. 
 J- Id. ibid, law v. 
 
 Yet
 
 CANTO IV. 55 
 
 Yet they from this no profit e'er muft claim, 
 Which would not fuit the fpirit of the game. 
 
 Such were the Laws, which now to all appear 120 
 
 So juft, fo ufeful, fo concife, and clear, 
 
 That one confenting voice, without delay, 
 
 Engag'd their future influence to obey : 
 
 And (hould he doubt their word, for fanc"lion's > 
 
 fake, 
 
 They proffer'd too, that very hour, to take 125 I 
 Whatever oath he might be pleas'd to make. 
 
 The youth delighted made a penfive paufe, 
 And rifing to their fight difplay'd the laws : 
 Then the three fitters held their hands on high, 
 While each upon the ceiling fixt her eye ; 130 
 
 And, all in decent order thus difpos'd, 
 He then in folemn tone his oath propos'd. 
 
 " By Tea and Scandal's ever dear delights , 
 " By Liberty of fpeech, that firft of rights ; 
 
 D 4 " That
 
 56 WHIST: 
 
 " That right which virgins, wives, and widows 
 
 claim, 
 
 *' To ufe all freedom with their neighbour's fame j 
 te By all the Joys that penfive mem'ry knows, 
 " When to that glorious time flie backward goes, 
 *' When o'er your days the pow'r of courtfhip 
 
 threw 
 
 " The magic luflre of his brilliant hue ; 140 
 
 " Whofe muflcy breath perfum'd each precious 
 
 hour 
 
 ** With the fweet fcent of pleafure's myrtle bow'r : 
 " By thofe Regrets which now your bofoms feel, 
 " That virgin pride had arm'd your hearts with 
 
 fteel, 
 
 And made you deaf to ev'ry lover's pray'r, 14 
 < Till they at laft refign'd the fruitlefs care, 
 ' And left you to repentance and defpair : 
 And by thofe Hopes which yet your fancies fill, 
 " That, aided by your own alluring (kill, 
 11 Propitious fortune will permit you ilill 
 
 n With
 
 CANTO IV. 57 
 
 " With feftlve pomp to deck the bridal day, 
 " And pafs the night in nuptial joys away." 
 
 Such was thatOath,of ftrength unknown before;- 
 
 By whofe emphatic words the fifters fwore : 
 
 Nor need I furely add, that they tranfgrefs'd no 
 
 jnore. 155.
 
 WHIST. 
 
 CANTO V.
 
 ARGUMENT. 
 
 Whift long of coming into repute.- Comparative eflimate 
 of its beauties. Firft excellence, its promotion of 
 filence. Digreffive excurfion to the play-houfe ; and 
 fcheme for the improvement of theatrical entertain* 
 jnents.
 
 Ma, d'un parlar ne 1'altro, ove fon ita 
 Si lungi dal cammin ch'io facev' ora ? 
 Kon lo credo pero fi aver fmarrito, 
 Ch'io non lo fappia ritrovare aacora. 
 
 ARIOSTO. 
 
 HOW flow, at firft, is ftill the growth of fame, 
 
 And what obftruclions wait each vifing name ! 
 
 The brightefl efforts of invention's brain, 
 
 Can ne'er at once extenfivo notice gain. 
 
 Our ftupid fathers thus neglected long 5 
 
 The glorious boaft of Milton's epic fong ; 
 
 While Waller's weak, and Cowley's rugged line 
 
 Were read with rapture, and pronounc'd divine. 
 
 And thus, when this our century was young, 
 
 (If we may truft what comic bards have fung*) 10 
 
 Vide Congrevc, Vanbrugh, Cibbcr, Farquhar, Centlivrc, &c. 
 paiF.m- 
 
 V Whilft
 
 62 WHIST 
 
 * Whilft Ombre and Quadrille at court were us'd, 
 
 f And Baflet's pow'r the city dames amus'd, 
 
 Imperial Whift was yet but light efleem'd, 
 
 And paftime fit for none but nifties deem'd. 
 
 J When Sullen's wife bewails her wretched ftate, 15 
 
 Condemned for life to fuch a furly mate, 
 
 * Ombre (fays Sir Francis Wronghead) is a geam at cards, 
 that the better fort of people play three together at. 
 
 PROVOKED HUSBAND, Aft a, Sc. 7. 
 To Ipoilthe nation's laft great trade, Quadrille. 
 
 POPE'S MORAL ESSAYS, iiK 76. 
 
 t Vide Centlivre's Baflet-Table, and Vanbrugh's City 
 Wives' Confederacy. 
 
 J DORINDA. You fliare in all the pleafures that the country 
 affords. 
 
 MRS. SULLEN. Country pleafures ! racks and torments ! 
 Doftrthink, child, that my limbs are made for leaping of ditches, 
 and clambering over ftyles ? or that my parents, wifely forefeeing 
 my future happinefs in country pleafures, had early inftrufted 
 me in the rural accomplifhments of drinking fat ale, playing at 
 Whiik, and fmoaking tobacco with my hufband. 
 
 EAUX STRATAGEM, Aft 2,Sc. i. 
 
 She
 
 CANTO V. 6$ 
 
 She hints, that, had her parents wifer been, 
 
 And all the rigour of her fate forefeen, 
 
 They ihould have taught her, with an early care, 
 
 In all the country's vulgar joys to (hare ; 2o 
 
 Acrofs a five-barr'd gate her neck to rifque, 
 
 To drink fat ale, to fmoak, and play at Whi/k. 
 
 But Milton's mufe at laft a critic* found, 
 Who fpread his praife o'er all the world around ; 
 And Hoyle at length for Whift perform'd the fame, 
 And prov'd its right to univerfal fame. 26 
 
 What game indeed, of all the num'rous lift, 
 In point of beauty, can compare to Whift ? 
 Or which, of all where gold was ever loft, 
 So rich a catalogue of charms can boaft ? 30 
 
 And firft, how great its pow'r, in chains of gold, 
 Without conftraint, the willing tongue to hold ! 
 That nimble, wicked, wild, rebellious thing, 
 Which reafon feldom can to order bring, 
 
 Vide AdJilbn's Critique on the Paradife Loft. 
 
 When
 
 64 WHIST: 
 
 When ladies fair convene, their tea to fip, 3$ 
 
 And fcandal's fpirit fits on ev'ry lip, 
 
 Impatient fits, until its turn arrive, 
 
 Then burfls like bees impetuous from their hive, 
 
 (Alas ! that words which bear a mortal fling 
 
 * From fuch a charming honied houfe mould fpring !) 
 
 How fatal then the vile malicious rage, 41 
 
 Which fpares nor rank nor merit, fex nor age 5 
 
 That rage, whofe direful havock to reftrain, 
 
 Virtue is weak, and friendfhip pleads in vain ! 
 
 But now let Whift appear, in regal tone, 45 
 
 Commanding filence from his verdant throne j 
 
 And, lo ! at once the vocal florm fubfides ; 
 
 Each accent now in gentle whifpers glides j 
 
 The harm difcordant notes of rancour ceafe, 
 
 And all is love, and unity, and peace. 50 
 
 When frefh from college, in the crowded pit, 
 I us'd at firft with panting heart to fit j 
 
 Javabi telkhi mizcibed lebi lali flickerkhara ? 
 
 HAFEZ. 
 
 Whilft
 
 C A N T V. 65 
 
 Whilfl all the charms theatric pleafures boaft 
 Had not as yet their virgin graces loft j 
 And ev'ry word I from the ft age could hear 5 5 
 
 Was boundlefs rapture to my youthful ear ; 
 How often have I curs'd the buzzing found, 
 "Which flow'd continual from the boxes round ! 
 And wifh'd our fine folks would adopt the mode, 
 Which travellers report prevails abroad* j 60 
 
 Where 
 
 * The Opera at Florence is a place where the people of qua- 
 lity pay and receive vifits, and converfe as freely as at the Cafino 
 above-mentioned. This occafions a continual paffing and re- 
 paffing to and from the boxes, except in thofe where there is a 
 party of cards formed ; it is then looked on as a piece of ill 
 manners to difturb the players. I never was more furprifed, 
 than when it was propofed to me to make one of a whift party, 
 in a box which feemed to have been made for the purpofe, with 
 a little table in the middle. I hinted that it would be full as con- 
 venient to have the party fomewhere elfe : but I was told, good 
 mufic added greatly to the pleafure of a whift party ; that it in- 
 creafed the joy of good fortune, and foothed the affliftion of bad. 
 As I thought the people of this country better acquainted than 
 myfelf with the power of mufic, I conteftcd the point no longer ; 
 E but
 
 66 WHIST: 
 
 Where "\VTiift thro' all the night in filence reigns, 
 And ev'ry box a gaming fet contains ; 
 Who, while more ferious fcenes their thoughts en- 
 gage, 
 Have feldom leifure to regard the flage. 
 
 But now (for time increafe of wifdom brings) 65 
 How widely diff'rent is my fenfe of things ! 
 Since knowledge of the world enlarg'd my mind, 
 And knowledge of the town my tafte refin'd : 
 Yet ftill I curfe but not the charming found 
 Which flows continual from the boxes round ; 70 
 I curfe thofe rants of wild unmeaning rage, 
 Which rife inceflant from the noify flage ; 
 Which o'er the found of modilh tongues prevail, 
 Deprive me oft of many a curious tale, 
 And drown the fmooth addrefs of many a peer, 75 
 Before its meaning reach my anxious ear. 
 
 but have generally played two or three rubbers at whift in the 
 ftage-box every opera night. 
 
 Dr. MOORE, Lett. Ixxiii. 
 
 Here
 
 CANTO V. 67 
 
 Here let me paufe, a project to explain, 
 
 "Which more than once has ftruck my fertile brain j 
 
 And which, to publifh, my impatient mind 
 
 May ne'er perhaps a fitter feafon find. 8e 
 
 That dome, whofe managers inceflant flrive 
 To keep the public appetite alive, 
 And feed their guefts, on each returning night, 
 With varied treats of ever new delight ; 
 Where yet delight is often fought in vain, 8^ 
 
 And languor and difguft too often reign ; 
 One fimple change might to a temple turn, 
 Where pleafure's lamp could never fail to burn. 
 How rich a feaft would ev'ry play become, 
 If, like a pantomime, the fcenes were dumb j 90 
 
 And liberty of fpeech to none allow'd, 
 But thofe diftinguifh'd from the vulgar crowd ; 
 Who, thron'd betwixt the galleries and pit, 
 In vaulted cabinets of fplendor fit ! 
 We mould not then frequent the Jioufe to know 95 
 What Hamlet faid a thoufand years ago : 
 
 E 2 But
 
 68 WHIST: 
 
 But flock to catch, in the politeft way t 
 The news and fcandal of the prefent day. 
 What perfect blifs from fuch a fcheme appears 
 * To all our faculties of eyes and ears ! 100 
 
 The one delighted with the charms that flow 
 From graceful a&ion, and the pomp of fhow ; 
 The other ravim'd with the full difplay 
 Of all that wit and elegance could fay. 
 
 A plan which promis'd thus their toils to eafe, 105 
 The flothful players could not fail to pleafe ; 
 Nor would it coft them one triumphant hour, 
 Or circumfcribe their fafcinating pow'r. 
 For fure the SIDDONS, whofe expreffive eye 
 Each paufe of language can fo well fupply, 1 1 o 
 
 Requires no fuccour from poetic art 
 To roufe, to foften, or to tear the heart ; 
 Which, were it made of penetrable ftuff, 
 Would find her geftures and her looks enough. 
 
 * The very faculty of eyes and ears. 
 
 SHAKSPEAR'S HAMLET, Act 2, Sc. 8. 
 
 Nor
 
 CANTO V. 69 
 
 Nor lefs applaufe would crown the graces wild 115 
 Of fportive JORDAN, Nature's charming child ; 
 Whofe romps*, tho' mute, would be refiftlefs Hill, 
 f And all the houfe with endlefs laughter fill. 
 
 But much as thofe would love the change who fit 
 Or in the boxes, or the crowded pit ; 1 20 
 
 I fear thofe vulgar fouls, who perch'd on high } 
 Behold improvement with a jealous eye, > 
 
 Would loudly all againft the motion cry. J 
 
 But managers would from their duty ftray, 
 Did they to fuch a voice attention pay ; 125 
 
 Or rifque offending the politer few, 
 To pleafe the tafte of fuch a taftelefs crew. 
 Befides at times, or even once a week, 
 A play for them might be allow'd to fpeak. 
 
 Vide Prifcilla Tomboy, Mifs Hoyden, Mifs Prue, Peggy, 
 the Virgin Unmafk'd, &c. 
 
 t Afbeftos d'ar enorto Gel6s, makareffi Theoifin. 
 
 HOMER'S ILIAD, i. 599. 
 
 E 3 Tfc*
 
 7 o WHIST : 
 
 * The Orphan then, or fome fuch vulgar thing, 1 30 
 Might 'prentice girls and country boobies bring ; 
 f Who there might all in maudlin concert whine, 
 And wet their handkerchiefs at ev'ry line ; 
 
 '* The tender poet of domeftic woe, 
 Whofe Orphan, wedded in a lucklefs hour, 
 Oft as her ftory on the fcene appears, 
 In all the native eloquence of grief, 
 Spite of that monfter Fafliion's impious rage, 
 Calls from the gen'ral eye a vulgar tear. 
 This unfafhionable rant is taken from a late poem, entitled,The 
 Choice (c. iii. 114) ; which is full of affectation, bombaft, and 
 romauticity j which abounds with antediluvian notions about love 
 and friendfliip, virtue and tafte; and in which there is not the 
 fmalleft knowledge of the world, nor the leaft attempt at wit or hu- 
 mour. But what makes the paflage above quoted ftillmore ridi* 
 culous than it would otherwife have been, is its being put into the 
 mouth of Avarice ; a perfonage, who, though none of the votaries 
 of fafhion, was never remarkable, fo far as I have heard, for being 
 fond of dropping the tears of fenfibility : a ftriking proof into 
 what grofs blunders thqfe authors are apt to fall, who give them- 
 felves up to the guidance of enthufiafm, and allow their fancy t 
 run away with their judgment. 
 
 f No crowds may be let in, no maudlin gazers, 
 To wet their handkerchiefs, and make report, 
 How like a faint flie ended. 
 
 RowE'sL. JANE GRAY, Aft 5 , Sc. i. 
 
 And
 
 CANTO V. 71 
 
 And (filly fouls !) to mew their forrow, ftrive 
 That flie fhould die who never was alive : 135 
 
 While we devoted the remaining nights 
 To thofe refin'd and elegant delights, 
 Which none can relifh but the chofen band, 
 The flow'r and cream of each admiring land ; 
 Who down the fmooth expanfe of faftiion's tide 
 In pleafure's painted barge fecurely glide, 141 
 And o'er the glitt'ring wave in fplendid triumph 
 
 ride. 
 
 Perhaps the furly critic here will fay, 
 That I have grofsly wander'd from my way ; 
 And aflc me what connection can fubfift 145 
 
 Betwixt my project and the game of Whift ? 
 But moft of thofe who may the fong perufe, 
 That public fpirit will, I truft, excufe, 
 Which led me thus the rules of art to fpurn, 
 And leave my theme to which I now return 5 150 
 But in another Canto, if you pleafe, 
 Both for my own, and for the reader's eafe : 
 
 E 4 For
 
 72 WHIST. 
 
 For this, tho' fhort, too much of fenfe contains, 
 Not to be kept apart from lighter flrains j 
 And having from the point fo far digrefs'd, 155 
 * My wearied mufe requires a little reft. 
 
 * Non piu, Signer, non piu di qucfto canto, 
 Ch'io Con gia rauco, e vo' pofarmi alquanto. 
 
 ARIOSTO, ORLANDO FURIOSO, xiv* 134.
 
 WHIST. 
 
 CANTO VI.
 
 ARGUMENT. 
 
 Comparative eftimate of Whiil refumed. Second excel- 
 lence, its fuperiority of intereft. Third, its inde- 
 pendence on the principle of avarice j and, in confe- 
 quence of this, its connection with economy. Story 
 of Cardelia and Sir John Gormaw.
 
 No hay que dudar, lino que efta arte y exercicio excede a todas aquellat 
 y aquellos que los hombrcs inventaron. 
 
 CERVANTES. 
 
 LET all the games that afk but little (kill, 
 
 Loo, Commerce, Comet, Baffet, and Quadrille, 
 
 Like twinkling ftars that dimly gild the night, 
 
 Shrink from the blaze of Whift's refulgent light : 
 
 Nay more, let thofe that higher rank may claim, 5 
 
 Let nice Fiquette, and Ombre's ftudious game, 
 
 (Tho' each has charms) the fruitlefs conteft yield, 
 
 And to the filent fport refign the field. 
 
 For which of thefe can boaft the pow'r to bind 
 
 In chains of equal ftrength the captive mind ? 10 
 
 Can each, or all, fuch anxious thought infpire, 
 
 Or with fuch ardour keen the fpirit fire ? 
 
 Can they fo much the lofer's peace deftroy, 
 
 Or fill the winner's breaft with equal joy ? 
 
 4 Can
 
 76 W H I S T : 
 
 Can, at Piquette, the huitieme and qtiatorzc ; 15 
 
 Quadrille's triumvirate of mat adores j 
 
 Fifteens at Cribbidge, or thepam at Loo ; 
 
 With fuch ecftatic rapture blefs the view, 
 
 As when at Whift the firm quadruple band 
 
 Of honour'd chiefs enrich a fmgle hand ? 20 
 
 Or, what is oft of more importance found, 
 
 When .ftrength of cards with ftrength of trumps i* 
 
 crown'd ? 
 
 But fome will here object, that fuch applaufe, 
 So far from helping, rather hurts the caufe ; 
 Since all will grant that paftimes were defign'd, 25 
 * Not to employ, but to relieve the mind ; 
 And therefore thofe that leave it moft at eafe 
 Have furely far the faireft claim to pleafe. 
 But they tl\at argue thus from fenfe depart, 
 And know but little of the human heart ; 3 o 
 
 * Cards were at firft for benefits defign'd ; 
 Sent to amufe, and not enflave the mind. 
 
 EPILOGUE TO THE GAMESTER, 30. 
 
 Which
 
 CANTO VI. 77 
 
 Which not in pleafure's felf can pleafure find, 
 
 Unlefs it comes with agitation join'd ; 
 
 Which bafldng warm in fortune's fun-mine clear, 
 
 Sighs for the fhifting clouds of hope and fear ; 
 
 And tir'd with looking on the liftlefs deep, 35 
 
 When lull'd by fummer gales to filver fleep, 
 
 Would rather far the tempeft's fury brave, 
 
 When danger rides on ev'ry foaming wave. 
 
 Let Ombre then amufe the fons of Spain, 
 And {till Piquette the Frenchman's game remain ; 
 Let Brag be left to Newgate's brazen crew, 41 
 
 To children Commerce, and to footmen Loo , 
 While ev'ry Briton, who to manly fenfe, 
 To tafte, or breeding has the leaft pretence, 
 His fportive hours to Whift alone confines, 45 
 
 And other paftimes all for this refigns. 
 
 How oft with indignation have I feen 
 The tables fet two taftelefs fools between ; 
 Who, tho' in all the rational delight 
 Of peaceful Whift they could have pafs'd the night j 50 
 
 Yet
 
 ?8 WHIST: 
 
 Yet (ftrange to tell !) preferr'd Backgammon's noife, 
 
 Its artlefs efforts, and its (lender joys ; 
 
 And fate them down, their flupid fkill to try, 
 
 * Regardlefs of the pair that waited by, 
 
 Left to the fport of betting who fhould win, 55 
 
 And lift'ning to the dice's rattling din ; 
 
 Or, fhould that paftime not amufe them long, 
 
 To yawn, to barter fnuff, or hum a fong. 
 
 * A fimilar pifture of negligent impolitenefs, and a fimilar 
 inftance of depravity of tafte (fubftituting only Piquette for 
 Backgammon), occurs at the end of the firft chapter of Mrs. 
 Smith's new novel, the Reclufe of the Lake : " Mifs Newenden 
 and Davenant then fat down to Piquette ; and Sir Edward and 
 Ethclinde were left tc entertain each other with a book, or 
 fuch converfation as the occurrences or remarks of the day 
 alTorclccl them.'' 
 
 But I would not advife any future Bifhop, who may think 
 proper to write upon the Marks of Imitation,- to produce as an 
 example this acknowledged refemblunce ; as the author of this 
 poem is ready to make oath, before any critical court in Chrif- 
 tcndom, that the lines upon Backgammon are entirely original ; 
 and that it was nearly four months after they were written, be- 
 fore he knew that Ethelinde had a being. 
 
 Long
 
 CANTO VI. 79 
 
 Long has the mufe eflay'd her voice to raife, 
 And reach the height of Whift's tranfcendent praife ; 
 And yet the fubjecl. muft not be refign'd, 6 1 
 
 While much its proudeft boail remains behind 
 A boafl furpafling far each rival dow'r, 
 The boafl of pleafure's independent pow'r i 
 Whilft all the games that for precedence ftrive 65 
 From avarice alone their charms derive. 
 For who is he, without an ample (lake, 
 To play Piquette could e'er the trouble take, 
 Tho' fure, each other deal y repiqtie to find, 
 Or with a humbler pique, capot conjoin'd ? 70 
 
 And at Quadrille, how carelefs and how cool, 
 Without the profpeft of a tempting pool t 
 Would ev'n the man remain, whofe brilliant hand 
 Could ft\\\ faufprendre, or the vole command! 
 But he whom Whift's bewitching fpirit fires, 75 
 From mercenary hopes no aid requires ; 
 But fits with patience, night fucceeding night, 
 And deals the cards with ever new delight ; 
 
 (Tho'
 
 WHIST: 80 
 
 (Tho* barren conqueft no reward can claim, 
 
 And only differs from defeat in name) 80 
 
 Bleft in the pow'r his victories to tell, 
 
 And in the confcious pride of playing well. 
 
 Seems it not clear, from what has juft been faid, 
 That all profeflbrs of the rhyming trade, 
 Whofe pockets now (whatever elfe they hold) 85 , 
 Are feldom loaded with a weight of gold, 
 And who for paftime rarely much can pay, 
 At independent Whifl fhould learn to play ; 
 And grateful flill each fair occafion feize, 
 To celebrate with zeal its pow'r to pleafe ? 93 
 
 And yet that bard, whofe fweet defcriptive tongue 
 "With fuch applaufe the varying feafons fung, 
 Has dar'd with Scottifh rancour to defame, 
 * And tax as dull, this animated game. 
 
 * To cheat the thirfty moments, Whift awhile 
 Walks his dull round, beneath a cloud of fmoke, 
 Wreath'd, fragrant from the pipe. 
 
 THOMSON'S AUTUMN, 524. 
 
 This
 
 CANTO VI. _ 81 
 
 This One rafh word has all his fame defac'd, 95 
 
 And robb'd his mufe of ey'ry claim to tafte. 
 
 And thus can Whift, with pleafure's richeft dow'r> 
 Conjoin the boaft of economic pow'r 
 No fingle boaft ; but one whofe fkilful ufe, 
 At times, in various ways, can thrift produce. 100 
 And now let all who hold their money dear, 
 Lend to my frugal tale a ferious ear. 
 
 Cardelia at the age of forty-one 
 Was left a widow by her honeft man ; 
 Who long, in fondnefs, had indulg'd his dear i< 
 * In drums, and routs, and fuch expenfive gear, 
 Beyond the rate his income well could bear. 
 But when th' uxorious fool his life refign'd, 
 The cruel income would not ftay behind. 
 So faithful to the hufband all his life, 1 1 o 
 
 'Twas furely fhabby to defert the wife, 
 
 * But mice, and rats, and fuch fmall gear. 
 
 SHAKES PEAR'S LEAR, Aft 3, Sc. 7. 
 
 F At
 
 82 WHIST: 
 
 At fuch a time, when all was dark around, 
 And hope or comfort nowhere to be found ; 
 And well it knew, the vile malicious thing, 
 That it alone could folid comfort bring. 1 1 5 
 
 Misfortunes here come always in a train : 
 Two fuch at once what mortal could fuftain ? 
 " Alas !" (he cried, in hopelefs forrow loft, 
 " Was ever woman thus by Fortune crofs'd ? 
 " To wed a hufband who could pleafe his wife, 120 
 " And make her happy only all his life ! 
 " How bleft is flic, to whom her wealthy mate, 
 (s Whenever fummon'd by the call of fate, 
 " The pangs of feparation to relieve, 
 " Some folid tokens of his love can leave ! 125 
 
 *' To her perhaps devolves, in full command, 
 u Some livelong property of jointure land j 
 " Where thro' the gloom of many a fhady grove 
 <f The penfive mourner may fecurely rove ; 
 w And where her eye, when fpent with wafting grief, 
 *' From many a verdant lawn may find relief. 131 
 5 " But
 
 CANTO VI. 83 
 
 " But my ambition would not foar fo high j 
 
 " Far lefs to me would happinefs fupply ; 
 
 " Whofe fober wifhes aflt from fate no more, 
 
 " Than juft to live as I have liv'd before -, 135 
 
 " And ftill at times my focial band invite, 
 
 *' To pafs in charming Whift the tedious night, 
 
 " And when the bus'nefs of the night was paft, 
 
 " Repay their pvefence with a flight repaft. 
 
 " But hopes like thefe, tho' humble in their kind, 140 
 
 " Muft now, alas ! for ever be refign'd ; 
 
 " Since Fate's malignant pow'r my life purfues, 
 
 " And dooms the fad alternative to choofe 
 
 11 At home no more my fav'rite game to play, 
 
 " Or fend my party fupperlefs away." 145 
 
 In deep defpondence funk, thus long (he lay, 
 Till hope at laft reveal' d a glimpfe of day, 
 And touch'd her fancy with his golden ray : 
 Some friendly pow'r difpell'd the mift of fear, 
 And kindly whifper'd in her drooping ear 150 
 
 F 2 The
 
 84 WHIST: 
 
 The falutary truth that womankind, 
 
 By all the malice of their fates combin'd, 
 
 Of Fortune's gifts could ne'er be quite bereft, 
 
 While art or ingenuity Was left. 
 
 'Twas now the queftion, how fhe fliould behave, 155' 
 
 To keep her party, and her fupper fave. 
 
 In this refearch her waking hours were fpent, 
 
 And all her eager dreams on this were bent. 
 
 At laft fhe found it ; for a woman's brain, 
 
 That fought devices, never fought in vain. 1 60 
 
 Tranfported now, her cards again fhe fends 
 To all the circle of her gaming friends ; 
 Where courtly words, arrang'd in order due, 
 Invited ftill to Whift, and fupper too. 
 They come, obedient to the welcome call, 165 
 
 And, compliments difpatch'd, to bus'nefs fall. 
 Succeffive rubbers lengthen'd out the night, 
 And ftill the fupper was not ready quite. 
 Till tir'd at laft with one accord they rife, 
 With aching heads, and fleep-defiring eyes. 170 
 
 And
 
 CANTO VI. 85 
 
 And now th' aftonim'd lady ftrives in vain 
 
 Her guefts a little longer to detain ; 
 
 In vain regrets her good provifion loft, 
 
 And fomewhat mentions of a tedious roaft ; 
 
 While each, politely hurrying down the ftairs, 1 7 
 
 A total want of appetite declares. 
 
 Thus far fuccefs her vent'rbus fcheme had crown'd, 
 And art's fair laurels wreath'd her temples round j 
 And yet me fear'd that, were me ftill to ufe "\ 
 
 The fame contrivance, and the fame excufe, i8o> 
 They might at laft the fruitlefs call refufe. ) 
 
 But thofe whom cards with genuine paflion fire 
 Can ftill with eafe fupprefs each low defirc j 
 And ev'n fubmit (to be indulg'd in play) 
 To faft, or, what were harder ftill, to pray : 1 85 
 
 And thus, regardlefs of her fober cheer, 
 True to the hour, Cardelia's guefts appear. 
 For many a night the felf-fame farce was play'd } 
 Some crofs event the banquet ftill delay'd j 
 
 F 3 And
 
 86 WHIST: 
 
 And ftill the lazy cook, tho' warn'd before, i $a 
 The blame of all, with little juftice, bore ; 
 Who would indeed have mighty wonders done, 
 Could (he have finiih'd what was ne'er begun. 
 But all was manag'd with fo much addrefs, 
 That none appear'd the humbling truth toguefs; 195 
 Or, if they did, would not the fraud proclaim, 
 As fupper was not that for which they came. 
 
 Long might fhe thus have fhewn fuperior fenfe, 
 By keeping company without expence, 
 Had not a member of her gaming band 200 
 
 Yielded to give a baronet her hand j 
 And eager to difplay her fov'reign pow'r, 
 Brought her new hufband in an evil hour 
 For poor Cardelia. Well the widow knew 
 Sir John Gormaw had come with grofler view 205 
 Than did the reft : and, tho' he thought that play 
 Did well enough to pafs the night away, 
 Was not the man to run fo great a rifque, 
 As lofe a fupper for a game at Wbijk, 
 
 But
 
 CANTO VL 87 
 
 But flill flie hop'd, whatever he might feel, 210 
 
 He would at leaft his difcontent conceal j 
 
 Nor fingly dare, in fuch a public way, 
 
 His vile difgraceful paffion to difplay ; 
 
 Or, finding nothing could be got to eat, 
 
 He would at worft his vifit ne'er repeat. 815 
 
 They came us ufual at the hour of feven, 
 And all went fmoothly on till near eleven ; 
 When at the table where Cardelia fate, 
 Againft the bridal pair in keen debate, 
 The well-fought rubber happen'd to be done, 22Q 
 And flraight another was of courfe begun 
 A flep not greatly to Sir John's content, 
 Whofe mind was now on other objects bent ; 
 Who thought, whate'er the friends of Whift might 
 
 fay, 
 
 That knife and fork was much fuperior play ; 225 
 And would at fuch an / hour have rather feen 
 One feoard in white, than fix array' d in green : 
 
 F 4 And
 
 88 WHIST: .. 
 
 And yet, tho' fuch ideas fill'd his mind, 
 He ftill could keep them to himfelf confin'd. 
 But when at laft he faw the rubber o'er, 230 
 
 And matters {landing as they ftood before, 
 He thought it could not be a mighty crime, 
 Were he to hint that it was fupper time. 
 To this was ftraight a ready anfwer made, 
 That one more rubber might with eafe be play'd : 235 
 And poor Gormaw, tho' fore againfl his will, 
 Was forc'd, inftead of rifmg, to fit ftill.- 
 But that he did it with an aukward grace, 
 Appear'd too.plainly from his troubled face ; 
 Where difcontent in ev'ry feature frown 'd, 240 
 
 And hungry fury lour'd on all around. 
 -But time on ev'ry grief an end beftows, 
 And brought at length this rubber to a clofe 5 
 And then indeed he deem'd relief was near, 
 And vow'd in fecret that the lady's cheer 245 
 
 Thro' each fucceflive difli fijould richly p 
 For fuch abfurd, fuch barbarous delay. 
 
 Yet
 
 CANTO VI. 89 
 
 Yet vain the hope j for, to his fad furprife, 
 
 The thoughtlefs widow ftill forgot to rife. 
 
 But when {he took the cards again to deal, 256 
 
 The knight no longer could his foul conceal : 
 
 The fierce impatience of his craving maw 
 
 Forgot politenefs, decency, and awe ; 
 
 And, darting from his feat, he roundly fwore 
 
 He could not fupper want one moment more ; 255 
 
 Refolv'd that inflant to defcend, and know 
 
 What curfed reafon made the cook fo flow ; 
 
 And rather than the thing mould longer ftand, 
 
 That he himfelf would lend a helping hand. 
 
 Cardelia then, with vifage pale as death, 260 
 
 While gafping terror almoft ftopt her breath : 
 
 " Dear fir you muft not, cannot think to go ; 
 
 " Be feated, fir the maid will let us know." 
 
 Nor did his lady fail her aid to join, 
 
 And caught his fleeve to flop his flrange defign : 26*5 
 
 * ( Oh fie ! Sir John ; could you fo vulgar be ? 
 
 f( Demean your dignity to that degree ?" 
 
 But
 
 $o WHIST: 
 
 But all unmov'd Sir John their efforts bore, 
 
 Broke from them both, and hurried to the door. 
 
 As down the fleps with eager hafte he goes, 270 
 
 No fav'ry fcent regales his gaping nofe ; 
 
 No merry jack, ftill whirling round and round, 
 
 Salutes his ear with banquet-boding found. 
 
 But when at laft the kitchen door he gains, 
 
 Surprife and horror thrill his fhiv'ring veins : 275 
 
 Nought there one fign of preparation gave> 
 
 But all was dark, and quiet as the grave -, 
 
 Save what the glimm'ring moon reveal'd to view, 
 
 Which thro' the panes a faintifh luftre threw, 
 
 And fhew'd the drowfy, long-expec~ling maid, 280 
 
 Half naked, nodding by the fire decay'd ; 
 
 Where fcatter'd embers feelingly declare 
 
 That one poor egg could fcarce be roafted there. 
 
 As when fome youth of firm and conftant mind, 
 Who long in climes remote had abfent pin'd j 285 
 And, after many a year of toil and care, 
 Returns impatient to review the fair, 
 
 Whom
 
 CANTO VI. 91 
 
 Whom ftill he fondly hopes to find the fame 
 
 Frefh blooming objet of his youthful flame ; 
 
 But fees, alas' ! that time's relentlefs pow'r 290 
 
 Has chang'd the bloflbm to a faded flower } 
 
 For radiant locks, that wav'd in ringlets gay, 
 
 Sees rugged trefles verging faft to gray ; 
 
 For eyes, whofe glance illumin'd all around, 
 
 Dull lifelefs lamps, in wat'ry dimnefs drown'd ; 295 
 
 For cheeks, which glow'd with beauty's rofy pride, 
 
 A wan complexion, and a fhrivell'd hide 
 
 One tender word he fcarce has pow'r to fay, 
 
 But turns with horror from the fight away. 
 
 His back Gormaw with equal horror turn'd ; 300} 
 
 With equal grief his difappointment mourn'd, V 
 
 And mutt'ring curfes to the room return'd. J 
 
 Cardelia there had funk into a chair, 
 In fpeechlefs agony, and blank defpair ; 
 On whom, the moment that me ftruck his view, 30$ 
 A Hern, indignant, furious glance he threw ; 
 
 Nor
 
 92 WHIST. 
 
 Nor deign'd to fpeak, but with his angry eyes, . 
 
 While thus impatient to his wife he cries : 
 
 " Come, come, my lady, let us hafte away, 
 
 * Nor longer in this houfe of famine ftay j 310 
 
 " In fome cold vault, with duft and darknefs lin'd, 
 
 " We might as well a fupper hope to find. 
 
 ** 'Tis all a curfed, vile, infernal plan j 
 
 " But henceforth let her cheat us if fhe can." 
 
 Thus all came out ; and with a gen'ral fneer 3 1 5 
 They thank'd their hoftefs for her princely cheer ; 
 111. u hurried off, and left the dame behind, 
 Not in the moft contented frame of mind. 
 She curs'd Gormaw ; fhe fainted, rag'd, and cried ; 
 Nay, fome will go fo far to fay fhe died 320 
 
 (It hurt her vanity to that degree) : 
 And if fhe did why fo fhe might for rne.
 
 W H I S T. 
 
 CANTO VIL
 
 ARGUMENT. 
 
 Apparent facility, and real difficulty of Whift. Memory, 
 Judgment, and Temper the three principal requifites. 
 Memory divided into four degrees : I. Memory of the 
 fuits ; 2. of the honours ; 3. of the fmall trumps j 
 and 4. of the fmall cards. Reafons for rejecting artifi- 
 cial memory. Wonderful memory of an old man.
 
 Memoria excolendo- tugetun 
 
 QUINT i LI A*. 
 
 iHIS curious game when firft a novice tries, 
 He wonders where its difficulty lies : 
 The cards are all arrang'd in order due, 
 And its peculiar phrafes are but few : 
 Not like thofe terms which might a volume fill, 5 
 The jargon of Piquette, or cramp Quadrille j 
 Where />0// andjeqttetice, tierces and qnatofze t 
 Spadille, manillio, bafto, matadores, 
 And twenty more exotic words combin'J 
 Perplex the ear, and ftupify the mini 13 
 
 But honeft Whift, with native graces crown*d, 
 Difdains the foppery of foreign found ; 
 And for a thoufand rules prefcribes but one, 
 To make ofev'ry card the mo/l you can. 
 
 Bat
 
 9 6 f WHIST: 
 
 But let fuch poor, fuch {hallow reas'ners know, ! 5 
 What feems the eafieft is not always fo : 
 Whene'er the trial conies, they foon (hall find "% 
 That their ideas muft be much refin'd, s. 
 
 And many a maxim fink into their mind, ) 
 
 Ere from their gr-ofleft errors they be cur'd, 20 
 
 And play fo well as ev'n to be endur'd. 
 *Tis thus with Xenophon's and Tully's ftyle, 
 As fweet as honey, and as fmooth as oil ; 
 Tis thus with Addifon, our moral guide, 
 And gay Voltaire, the Gallic profe's pride : 25 
 
 Their art without furprife the reader fees, 
 And toil and ftudy takes for carelefs eafe ; 
 * Perfection's arduous fteep he deems a plain, 
 And fondly fancies his unpraUs'd brain, 
 
 -Ut fibi qui 
 
 Speret idem : fudet multum, fruftraque laboret 
 Aufus idem. . 
 
 HORACE, IN ARTE POETICA, 240. 
 
 Cicero quodam loco fcribit, id efle optimum, quod cum te fa- 
 cile credideris confequi imitatjone, uon poflis. 
 
 QuiNTILIAN,l.xi. c. i. 
 
 Without
 
 CANTO VII. 97 
 
 Without refearch (were he inclin'd to try) 30 
 
 Could equal happinefs of phrafe fupply. 
 
 The man who wifhes well at Whift to play, 
 To three propitious pow'rs muft homage pay : 
 To Mem'ry firft, whofe faithful mirror clear 
 Before our fight bids all the paft appear ; 35 
 
 To Judgment next, whofe lamp's unerring ray 
 Guides thro' the mazes of the doubtful way j 
 To Temper laft, whofe cool and wholefome breeze 
 From noxious mifts the mind's horizon frees. 
 
 Queen of the fhadowy paft, to thee belong 40 
 The firft exertions of didactic fong. 
 Thine is the magic wand, whofe potent fway 
 Recalls its faded forms in juft array. 
 Each art from thee, divine, hiftoric maid, 
 And ev'ry fcience, borrows pow'rful aid ; 45 
 
 Nor could that fcience robb'd of thee fubfift, ^ 
 
 Which yields to none of all the num'rous lift, > 
 
 The fplendid fcience of delightful Whift. ) 
 
 G The
 
 98 WHIST: 
 
 The queen of cities, whofe immortal name 
 Yet fills the mouth of univerfal fame, 50 
 
 Imperial Rome (as antiquarians fay) 
 Was not begun and finifh'd in a day. 
 And well we know that there was once a time, 
 When he who now on learning's height fublime 
 Commands Parnaffus with defpotic fway, 55 
 
 Could fcarcely Hammer out the letter A. 
 Let no one then henceforth prefume to fay 
 That he {hall never learn at Whift to play ; 
 Or think, becaufe his memory is bad, 
 That one much better is not to be had. <5o 
 
 What floth muft dictate fuch a poor pretence ! 
 What fhameful want of courage and of fenfe ! 
 The fons of hope are heaven's peculiar care ; 
 Whilft life remains 'tis impious to defpair. 
 For he who now, with all his pow'rs combin'd, 65 
 Can fcarce one moment keep the trumps in mind, 
 May climb at length perfection's lofty tree, 
 And play the game as well as Hoyle, or me. 
 
 The
 
 CANTO VII. 99 
 
 The taflc at firft appears not mighty hard, 
 To keep in mind the fate of ev'ry card ; 70 
 
 Since ev'ry card, when play'd with quicknefs due, 
 In two fliort minutes pafles in review ; 
 And one mould think, that ev'n the weakeft brain 
 So long with eafe might ev'ry trace retain. 
 * And yet how few, how very few we fee, 75 
 
 That reach in this perfection's laft degree ! 
 Ev'n I, who play fo oft the ftudious game, 
 And like it better than I care to name ; 
 Ev'n I, bewilder'd in a maze of doubt, 
 At times foi-get how many trumps are out ; 80 
 
 When wayward fancy leads my thoughts aftray, 
 To love, or verfe, or fome fuch idle way. 
 
 Is it not then from this example clear, 
 That ftricl attention is the virtue here ? 
 
 1 Pauci, quos aequus amavit 
 
 Jupiter, aut ardens evexit ad aethera virtus, 
 Dis geniti, potuere. 
 
 VIRGIL, JNEII>, vi. 149, 
 
 G 2 O
 
 ioo WHIST: 
 
 On which alone (whatever floth pretends) 85 
 
 The whole great art of memory depends : 
 From which disjoin'd, the mod retentive brain 
 That ever nature gave, is giv'n in vain ; 
 But which poflefling, in a length of days 
 The moft forgetful may afpire to praife. 90 
 
 Let all who fit them down at Whirl to play, 
 From foreign objects turn their eyes away ; 
 And to the verdant board's illumin'd round 
 Their fears, their profpe&s, and their wifhes bound. 
 Let vulgar cares that inftant be refign'd, 95 
 
 And vulgar pailions banifh'd from the mind : 
 There let the cit his golden views forget, 
 And the poor bankrupt drop his load of debt : 
 There let the bard his rage for rhyming lofe, 
 And meditate no more the thanklefs mufe : ico 
 
 Let Flavia there her artful plans forfake, 
 Nor count the conquefts fhe intends to make : 
 Let Harpax there forget th' approaching treat, 
 K JTC unt the difhes he intends to eat: 
 
 There
 
 CANTO VU. tor 
 
 There let the recklefs youth, who weds to-morrow, 
 And buys his pleafures with an age of forrow, 1 06 
 From eager thoughts abftraft his mental fight, 
 And pant no longer for the bridal night : 
 There let the haplefs youth, who hangs* to-morrow, 
 Drop for a while his penitence and forrow j I lo 
 
 From anxious feelings turn his eyes away, 
 And fhrink no longer from the public day. 
 
 But left in fancy's maze we rr3ve too long, 
 To drifter method let us call the fong ; 
 And fince we thus fo evidently find 1 15^ 
 
 That conftant practice, with attention join'd, > 
 
 Will ftrengthen by degrees the weakeft mind, .;'. :Jr 
 Proceed we now to fhew by what degrees 
 The progrefs may be made with greated eafe. 
 
 : It goth by deftenye 
 
 To hange or wed ; both hath one houre ; 
 And whether it be, I am well Cure 
 Hangynge is better of the twayne ; 
 Sooner done, and fliorter payne. 
 
 SCOLE HOVVSB, 1542. 
 
 G 3 Let
 
 102 WHIST: 
 
 Let each new votary at mem'ry's fhrine 1 20 
 
 His firft attention to thefuits confine, 
 In quick fucceffion as they rife to view, 
 And paint the board with red or fable hue. 
 Let him obferve from whom they firft proceed, 
 And mark the fate of each peculiar lead ; 125 
 
 If royal cards by vulgar trumps be won, 
 And by what hand the daring deed was done : 
 So (hall he ftill thofe adverfe fuits avoid, 
 Which give advantage to the hoftile fide ; 
 So fhall he ftill difcernhis partner's mind, 130 
 
 And feldom fail his ftrength at home to find ; 
 So {hall he ne'er, at fome oblivious time, 
 Be charg'd with that unpardonable crime, 
 Which Paflion's eye with darkeft fury views, 
 And Patience ev'n herfelf can fcarce excufe 135 
 The crime of fending to the hoftile fhore 
 The fame unlucky bark that fplit before ; 
 Or, when he fees his friend a fuit refufe, 
 Of failing to affift his cruel views. 
 
 So
 
 CANTO VII. 103 
 
 So much for lefibn firft ; whofe height to gain 
 Is fcarce too arduous for an infant brain ; 141 
 
 And yet infallible in which to be 
 Confers in mem'ry's fchool no mean degree ; 
 But one with which full many reft content, 
 Who half their ftupid lives at Whift have fpent. 145 
 
 But let not this with pride inflame your mind : 
 Think only what a tafk remains behind ; 
 See from the pack how each peculiar card 
 Impatient ftarts, and claims your next regard ; 
 In number equal to the weeks, that here 1 50 
 
 In rings of Jewifh work divide the year. 
 
 When firft a ftudent (whether old or young) 
 Sees in a Lexicon* fome foreign tongue, 
 So many words to ev'ry letter fall, 
 He thinks no mem'ry can contain them all. 155 
 
 But when that regular and rigid maid, 
 Pedantic Grammar, lends her pow'rful aid, 
 
 :F Lexicon , a poetical phrafe for a didtionaiy. 
 
 G 4 And
 
 i4 WHIST: 
 
 And from the mafs of words afligns to each 
 
 Its proper rank among the parts of fpeech ; 
 
 With eager joy he then his error fees, 160 
 
 And learning's lofty ladder mounts with eafe. 
 
 And thus at Whift the party-colour'd crew, 
 
 Which ftrikes with fuch defpair the hafty view, 
 
 In mem'ry's eye will lefs terrific be, 
 
 By fkill divided into fquadrons three ; 165 
 
 Where honours firft, then vulgar trumps appear, 
 
 And bafe plebeian cards bring up the rear. 
 
 And firft, the band of honour' d chiefs appears, 
 In number equal to the Scottifh peers ; 
 Who not, like ours, from an illuflrious race 179 
 In Britain's fenate take their deftin'd place j 
 But, like the meaneil of the burgher train, 
 By vile dependent votes their feats obtain, 
 
 O'er cards like thefe to fix her firm command, 
 Will not from mem'ry much of toil demand ; 175 
 So much their gaudy forms attral the view, 
 And fuch effects their pow'rful fteps purfue. 
 
 This
 
 CANTO VII. 105 
 
 This point obtain'd, you need no 'farther go, 
 Of ev'ry fuit the reigning pow'rs to know ; 
 And whether thofe yourfelf have kept in ftore 180 
 Are Hill as feeble as they were before j 
 Or if they now can march, in bold array, 
 Triumphant forth, and fweep the tricks away. 
 Ne'er (hall you then a guarded monarch fend, 
 From fome fell ace to meet his fruitlefs end ; 1 85 
 Nor, when in rank of play you fecond ftand, 
 Permit a guarded queen to quit your hand, 
 Till fummon'd by the third, concluding round, 
 Or till both ace and king their fates have found. 
 
 Now to the vulgar trumps, in number nine, ipo 
 Our whole attention let us next confine ; 
 That fo with certainty we flill may know 
 How far in ftrength we overmatch the foe ; 
 And ne'er permit him, when our hand is in, 
 With an inferior trump a trick to win. 195 
 
 But mould we find, when we have drawn the reft, 
 That our poor trump is but the fecond-beft, 
 
 So
 
 io6 WHIST: 
 
 So mall we ftill the firft occafion take 
 Of fuch a trembling card a trick to make. 
 
 But fome, who think of Whift they fomething 
 know, ' 200 
 
 Will here refufe another ftep to go ; 
 And now to mem'ry's voice attend no more, 
 Since here her ufeful leflbns all are o'er ; 
 And that uncommon reach of ample mind, 
 Where all the vulgar cards a flation find, 205 
 
 Down from the ten inclufive to the deuce, 
 But very feldom will be found of ufe. 
 But thofe that entertain fuch narrow views, 
 Muft here the freedom of my fpeech excufe, 
 If I aflert (whatever fkill they claim) 2io 
 
 They are as yet but pupils in the game ; 
 For no good player deems the fmalleft card 
 That meets the board unworthy his regard ; 
 Since well he knows that ev'n the paltry deuce, 
 Ey art and judgment, may be turn'd to ufe. 2 1 5 
 
 Nor
 
 CANTO VII. i7 
 
 Nor is there in the whole extent of play 
 A brighter gleam of rapture's golden ray, 
 Than his, whom Whift with genuine fpirjt fires, 
 Whene'er in this he gains his full defires ; 
 When in the harmlefs houfe no trumps remain, 22O 
 Or none at leaft that will his courfe reflrain ; 
 And forth he pours, with exultation mute, 
 The weakeft children of his darling fuit ; 
 And from the foes, who fcarce their temper keep, 
 Continues ftill the carelefs tricks to fweep ; 225 
 
 Till ev'ry card be fpent ; and, laft of all, 
 In vain referv'd, their ufelefs honours fall. 
 One trick, when feiz'd in this triumphant ilyle, 
 Rewards with more delight the player's toil, 
 And is by him with far more joy furvey'd, 230 
 
 Than half a fcore by kings and aces made. 
 When thefe plebeian cards together join, 
 They make three times the facred number nine } 
 But think not therefore their extent to gain, 
 A tafk too arduous for a common brain. 235 
 
 5 Divifion
 
 io WHIST. 
 
 Divifion here again his aid will lend, } 
 
 And make your fteps with gradual eafe defcend, > 
 Or (if you better like the phrafe) afcend. ) 
 
 Three {lately tens the long proceflion lead ; 
 Nines, eights, and fev'ns, and fixes next fucceed ; 240 
 Then fives, and fours, and trays ; till frequent ufe 
 At laft acquaint you with the humble deuce ; 
 Which, tho' the meanefl of the painted train, 
 Is here the pinnacle of mem'ry's fane. 
 
 But ere from mem'ry's fchool we fet you free, 245 
 Two more important points muft mention'd be ; 
 Which fome, who are in fkill furpafs'd by few, 
 At times will fuffer to efcape their view : 
 The point of knowing, when the hand is o'er, 
 How many honours either fide can fcore ; 250 
 
 And that which gives to mem'ry's full command 
 The royal cards turn'd up on either hand : 
 'Twere lofs of time the former's ufe to tell, 
 . Nor on the latter need we lorg to dwell j 
 
 Since
 
 CANTO VH. 109 
 
 Since all will grant, in ev*ry common cafe, 255 
 
 To play were madnefs,in an honour's face ; 
 And that to lead thro' trumps of high degree, 
 The firft of duties muft for ever be. 
 
 But fome will wonder, that, tho* here the mufe 
 On mem'ry's chapter has been thus diffufe, 260 
 She has not yet the flighteft mention made 
 Of that contrivance to afford her aid, 
 Her load to lighten, and abridge her toil, 
 Found by the genius of immortal Hoyle* ; 
 By which arrangement's artful methods try 265 
 
 The want of recollection to fupply j 
 And each event that pafles on the board 
 Engage by diff'rent fymbols to record. 
 But I muft venture here to quit my guide, 
 And, urg'd by reafon, for myfelf decide, 270 
 
 ' See Hoyle, chap. xxi. intitled, An Artificial Memory, or 
 *r Ea<y Method of aflifting the Memory of thofe that play at 
 the Game ofWhift
 
 no WHIST: 
 
 Whofe faithful voice, by mighty names unfway'd, 
 
 Condemns the impotence of foreign aid ; 
 
 And loudly calls on ev'ry manly mind, 
 
 Itsbeft refources in itfelf to' find. 
 
 Oh, be not then, ye pupils of my mufe, 475 
 
 Induc'd by floth fuch dang'rous aids to ufe : 
 
 Seek not on bladders weak as thefe to fail, 
 
 Whofe falfe aflurance rauft fo often fail ; 
 
 But plunge with boldnefs in, all help difown, 
 
 And to your native vigour truft alone; 280 
 
 When perfevering labour's years are paft, 
 
 Secure to reach perfection's port at laft. 
 
 * A man of burgher blood I chanc'd to know, 
 Whofe head was white with fourfcore winters' fnow ; 
 His frame was weaken'd by the weight of years, 285 
 And blunting deafnefs had aflail'd his ears ; 
 
 * I chanc'd an old Corycian fwain to know. 
 
 DRYDEN'S GEORGICS, iv. 188. 
 
 Namque fnb Oebalis memini me turribus altis, 
 Qua niger humeftat flaventia culta Galefus, 
 Corycium vidifTe fenem. 
 
 VIRGIL, GEORG. iv. 125. 
 
 But
 
 CANTO VII. in 
 
 But ftill with keeneft glance his eagle eye 
 
 Could all that pafs'd upon the board defcry ; 
 
 And daily practice, and inceflant thought, 
 
 Had mem'ry's pow'r to fuch perfeUon brought, 290 
 
 That not a deuce from any quarter fell, 
 
 But he thro' all the hand its fate could tell. 
 
 Accept, thou hoary fage, this feeble praife, 
 
 Which now to thee thy grateful pupil pays: 
 
 If he of {kill can boaft a decent {hare, 295 
 
 And plays his cards with tolerable care, 
 
 Be all the glory thine, whofe precepts kind 
 
 Enlarg'd his knowledge, and his views refin'd ; 
 
 And whofe example firft his fpirit fir'd, 
 
 And emulation's ardour firft infpir'd ; 30* 
 
 Who taught him firft (whate'er the pedant fays) 
 
 That {kill at Whift confers no vulgar praife ; 
 
 And that the man who could not play it well "\ 
 
 (Howe'er he might in other arts excel) 304 > 
 
 To each politer fcene muft bid at once farewell. J
 
 WHIST.- 
 
 As there are many people who are fonder of Truth 
 when fhe appears in the humble fimplicity of profe, 
 than when {he is decked out in the trappings of 
 poetry, the author thought it might not be amifs, at 
 the end of this and the two following cantos (which 
 are the only didactic parts of the work), to fubjoin 
 the principal maxims they contain, in the fober ha- 
 biliment of profaic plainnefs. The Appendix to the 
 eighth and ninth cantos will naturally fall into 
 the form of a commentary : but the prefent, being 
 but half didactic, will only fupply a few practical 
 
 I. Never return the adverfaries' lead. v. 128. An 
 exception to this rule you will find in Canto IX. 66. 
 
 II. Always return your partner's lead. v. 130. 
 
 III. Never lead to the adverfaries' ruff. v. 1 36. 
 
 IV. Always return your partner's ruff, when you 
 fee that he plays for it. v. 138. See Canto IX. 
 v. 52. 
 
 V. When you know that you hold the beft of two 
 trumps, never fail to draw the other, v. 194. 
 
 VI. But when you know that yours is the worft, 
 never lofe an opportunity of trumping with it. v. 196. 
 
 VII. Never play in the face of an honour, v. 256. 
 
 VIII. Always play through an honour* v. 257.
 
 WHIST. 
 
 CANTO VIII.
 
 ARGUMENT. 
 
 Judgment, the fecond requifite at Whift. Rules under 
 this head almoft innumerable. Firft, of the duties of 
 the leading hand. Do&rine of trumps, and of the 
 ftrong fuit.
 
 Mt atrevo a dar Presttos. 
 
 LOJE DX VCA, 
 
 BUT much as Whift on mem'ry's pow'r depends, 
 
 You muft not think that there the labour ends; 
 
 For were it thus, the man who knew it moil 
 
 Could but the merit of a fchool-boy boaft,. 
 
 A far fuperior pow'r his aid muft join, 5 
 
 And make the charming fcience quite divine ; 
 
 Unerring Judgment, whofe fupreme command 
 
 In ev'ry nicer cafe dire&s the hand. 
 
 But here fo wide a profpec"l meets the fight, 
 
 That ev'n my daring mufe recoils with fright : 10 
 
 So many p*oints for her attention call, 
 
 She knows {he never can difpatch them all. 
 
 As well might me attempt to reckon o'er 
 
 Each grain of fand on Ocean's founding fhore, 
 
 H 2 Each
 
 u6 WHIST: 
 
 Each flow'r whofe beauty paints the vernal ground, 
 Each ftar that glitters in the azure round ; 16 
 
 Or, dyed in glofiy jet, each filken thread, 
 Whofe rich profufion decks my charmer's head. 
 For this good caufe it is her fage defign 
 To fome few rules her leflbns to confine ; 20 
 
 Whofe great importance is by all confels'd, 
 And then to time and practice leave the reft. 
 
 The various duties of each difFrent hand, 
 Arrang'd in order as at firft they (land, 
 Or as they fhift about in courfe of play, 25 
 
 The fkilful verfe mall now at large difplay. 
 
 On him, who, feated by the Dealer's fide, 
 Enjoys his privilege with confcious pride, 
 Firft from the barrier's bound to ftart away, 
 And open to the reft the lifts of play 30 
 
 On him all eyes with fixt attention wait, 
 And trembling hope to fee the birth of fate. 
 A youth juft ent'ring on the ftage of life, 
 And keen to ftruggle in preferment's ftrife, 
 
 By
 
 CANTO VIII. 117 
 
 By one ram ftep may hurt his fortune more 35 
 
 Than all his future prudence can reftore. 
 
 Thus will it fare with him whofe want of heed 
 
 Sets off at firft with fome imprudent lead ; 
 
 His influence loft he never may regain, 
 
 But oft his overfight lament in vain ; 40 
 
 Whofe dire effecT: may give the foe command, 
 
 And fpoil the profpels of the faireft hand. 
 
 Stop then, my fon, and, ere thy card defcend, 
 
 Reflect how much may on its fate depend ; 
 
 Nor venture thus, by ram and wanton play, 45 
 
 The hopes of two at once to caft away. 
 
 Firft then, with careful eye your force review, 
 And range the various yw/fr in order due j 
 Confider next, amid die painted throng, 
 If your appointed band of trumps be ftrong ; 50 
 Since to begin with them, whene'er you can, 
 Is (tho' the boldeft) ftill the fafeft plan ; 
 For nought can here fuch want of fkill betray, 
 Or give fuch evidence of wretched play, 
 
 H 3 As
 
 u8 WHIST: 
 
 As when of trumps you hold a decent {hare, 55 
 To keep them prifon'd up with cow'rdly care, . 
 Till they at laft their forc'd appearance make, 
 At times conftrain'd your partner's tricks to take. 
 
 Some aflc why women here fo oft go wrong, 
 And like to keep them in their hands fo long ? 6$ 
 To me the caufe of this was always plain ; 
 They love to keep th' authority they gain. 
 
 When firft in queft of trumps you fearch your 
 
 hand, 
 
 Should five, or more than five, in waiting (land, 
 Oh, do not then one precious moment lofe, 65 
 
 To draw the reft their envied pow'r to ufe. 
 What tho' your other cards are all fo poor 
 That they one fingle trick can fcarce enfure ; 
 Remember {till (nor keep, with felfifh mind, 
 Your whole attention to yourfelf confin'd) 70 
 
 How much your fending thus the trumps away 
 May chance to benefit your partner's play ; 
 
 Remember
 
 CANTO VIII. 119 
 
 Remember too, the weaker you may be, 
 
 For ftrength of cards the greater chance has he. 
 
 But if, turn'd up, a trump of high command 75 
 In threat'ning attitude againft you ftand, 
 You then had better change your mode of play, 
 And (for a time at leaft) the trumps delay. 
 Until your partner chance the lead to gain, 
 With patience wait-^-nor {hall you wait in vain 5 8$ 
 For he who trumps can lead with greater eafe, 
 Will fure for that the firft occafion feize, 
 "VJThile you behind the foe fecure remain, 
 And thus your point with lefs of danger gain. 
 
 But now perhaps of trumps you hold but four, 
 And yet of cards can boaft a decent (lore ; 86 
 
 If with thefe cards you tricks intend to win, 
 Prevent renounces, and with trumps begin. 
 And yet from lefs than four you muft not lead, 
 Unlefs your hand of cards be great indeed. 90 
 
 But here obferve,that mould your trumps be three, 
 And each of thefe an honour chance to be ; 
 
 H 4 Knave,
 
 120 \^HIST: 
 
 Knave, queen, and king ; or king, with queen and 
 
 ace; 
 
 It will be then a very different cafe ; 
 For cards like thefe, of fuch fupreme command, 95 
 You ne'er fhould keep one moment in your hand ; 
 But fend them forth the meaner troops to draw, 
 To fweep the board, and keep the world in awe. 
 But knave and queen, when with an ace conjoin'd, 
 Will thrive much better when at home confin'd, 100 
 For reafons good ; which if you wim to know, 
 Attempt to guefs, or feek them out below*. 
 
 But when your hand for its appointed mare ~\ 
 Of powerful trumps receives a royal pair, ' > 
 
 Your play will then demand peculiar care : 105) 
 Since this, when all the diff'rent pairs you take, 
 No lefs than fix varieties will make ; 
 From three of which you ne'er mould fail to lead, 
 Tho' fome than others better will fucceed ; 
 
 v See below, at verfe 231. 
 
 Ace,
 
 CAN TO ill. 121 
 
 Ace, king the bed ; then king with queen conjoin'd, 
 
 While queen and knave muft follow far behind. 1 1 1 
 
 And yet this pair a better chance will have, 
 
 Than knave with king, or ev'n than ace and knave. 
 
 But (far the worft of all the royal band) 
 
 Allow not ace and queen to quit your hand. 1 1 5 
 
 On this, however, at another time 
 
 * We mean to lavim greater length of rhyme. 
 
 Whene'er of honour'd chiefs you hold but one, 
 To fend him forth is ftill the fafeft plan. 
 Let then your ace, of trumps difpatch a round ; 1 20 
 For him no better ufe could e'er be found. 
 And ev'n the other chiefs, of lefs degree, 
 Will thus by far of more advantage be ; 
 While from the foe they force fupreme command, 
 And ferve to ftrengthen too your partner's hand. 1 25 
 
 But fhould your lucklefs hand ftill weaker be, 
 And hold but one poor trump of low degree, 
 
 * See below, at verfe 231. 
 
 With
 
 |2i WHIST: 
 
 With which you mark but little chance to rttff, 
 
 To play it out may oft do well enough ; 
 
 For then your partner will the lead return, i j<j 
 
 And thus to good account your weaknefs turn ; 
 
 While he purfues your but-commencing plan, 
 
 And takes at ev'ry round two trumps for one. 
 
 But this, altho' at times it mould be done, 
 
 At other times 'twere better far to fhun j 13^ 
 
 For you may judge it will not always do. 
 
 So foon your weaknefs to expofe to view. 
 
 For making trumps the firft commencing round 
 Another reafon good may ftill be found ; 
 Which, tho' but half deriv'd from Judgment's fchool, 
 Has yet the force of univerfal rule ; 141 
 
 That when you know not well what elfe to play, 
 To lead from trumps is ftill the fafeft way ; 
 As that great fuit (howe'er it chance to fall) 
 Can hurt your partner's hand the lead of all. 145 
 
 So much for trumps whofe doctrine to explain, 
 With more than common labour racks the brain : 
 
 But
 
 CANTO VIII. 113 
 
 But which to know, profeflbrs all agree 
 The moft important point at Whift to be. 
 
 But when from trumps debarr'd, without difpute, 
 The next beft lead is from the ftrongeft fuit ; 151 
 Not from that fuit which higheft cards can boaft, 
 But ftill from that whofe number counts the moft. 
 And here the player of fupreme degree 
 Will from the novice beft diftinguifh'd be ; 155 
 
 Who early tricks is anxious ftill to take, 
 And ev'ry king and ace at firft to make j 
 As if the cards which once dominion gain, 
 The fame fuperior pow'r could not retain. 
 But he who plays with more extenfive views, 160 
 A widely diff'rent courfe from this purfues ; 
 And ftrives of ev'ry fuit within his hand 
 As long as poffible to keep command. 
 From four, and five, and fix, and deuce, and tray, 
 Will he much rather than from honours play : 1 65 
 For thefe, tho' now fo weak and poor they be, 
 Jie hopes in time of greater force to fee : 
 
 But
 
 124 WHIST: 
 
 But cautious ftill, he wilhes firft to know 
 Of thisbeft fuit what cards his friend can fhew , 
 Whofe ftrength if there he likewife find to lie, 170 
 To draw the trumps he boldly means to try, 
 That when at laft their fuit's oppofers fall, 
 "Without difturbance they may make them all. 
 
 But from the ftrongeft fuit if thus to lead, 
 Can only from fuperior {kill proceed, 175 
 
 What words will ferve our cenfure to convey 
 Of thofe who always from their weakeft play ! 
 Who, when of any fuit they hold but one, 
 With ftupid rapture hug the darling plan, 
 That one immediate from their hand to fpurn, 1 80 
 And eager wait to trump its next return ! 
 What folly mufl infpire the wretched tafte, 
 So many precious trumps on ritjfs to wafte ! 
 With what fell weapons of indignant rage 
 Shall I this vile, pernicious pow'r engage, 1 85 
 
 Which leads fo far from judgment's paths aftray, 
 And combats ev'ry rule of wholefome play ? 
 
 Not
 
 CANTO VIII. 125 
 
 Not for this purpofe has indulgent Heav'n 
 
 Such ftrength of trumps to favour'd mortals giv'n : 
 
 That very trump you madly caft away, 190 
 
 Might have in time obtain'd imperial fway ; 
 
 From all offence your better fuits fecur'd, 
 
 And three good tricks befides its own procured 
 
 But mould your fortune be fo very low, 
 That r tiffs are all the hope your hand can mew, 195 
 Remember ftill that it is dang'rous play, 
 Thus at the firft your weaknefs to betray ; 
 And tho' a ruff would fuit your lucklefs ftate, 
 At leaft with patience for its coming wait ; 
 Nor be like thofe who ftill impatient fit, 200 
 
 To wound their comrades with the darts of wit 9 
 While wit that lacks occalion's fair excufe, 
 Muft much of force, and much of beauty lofe. 
 
 If no flrong fuit, on which your hopes to place,"} 
 Your fate affords, in that unlucky cafe, 20 5/ > " 
 
 The next bed lead is from a king and ace. ) 
 
 But
 
 t26 WHIST: 
 
 But if my counfel you will here obey, 
 
 I would not have you both at once to play ; 
 
 Make but one ftep no farther then proceed, 
 
 But try your partner on another lead : 210 
 
 So mall you keep the fuit's command ; and fo 
 
 Your friend inftrutled fhall hereafter know 
 
 In what good quarter fits your faireft wind, 
 
 And ilill be fure your ftrength at home to find. 
 
 Next to the fuit, where ace and king are join'd, 
 The fuits of each apart you beft will find j 216 
 For if you here with fome fmall card begin, 
 Your partner's queen may chance a trick to win j 
 But if one card alone your king defend, 
 Be ne'er induc'd that card abroad to fend ; 22O 
 
 For very feldom will the ace be found 
 To leave his palace the commencing round. 
 
 From king and queen is but a forry lead, 
 And will be found but feldom to fucceed j 
 For both conjoin'd, if either firft advance, 2*5 
 
 To make two tricks have but a {lender chance j . 
 
 And,
 
 CANTO VIII. 127 
 
 And, if you fport a card of low degree, 
 The knave will probably the gainer be. 
 
 To lead from knave and ace, or king and knave, 
 1 hope you feldom (hall occafion have. 130 
 
 But when a queen attends an ace's fide, 
 That worft of all the fuits with care avoid j 
 At leaft till fate a better lead refufe, 
 And of two evils force the leaft to choofe. i 
 And thus to wait you muft not reckon hard, 235; 
 Since patience here will be its own reward ; 
 For if upon the left that fuit begin, 
 Then both your ace and queen are fure to win : 
 But fhould your friend, or on the right your foe, 
 Attempt that fuit, then on your queen muft go ; 240 
 Ev'n then you have the chance of two to one, 
 To make them both by this advent'rous plan. 
 
 I told you once, as you remember may, 
 * Of trumps a fmgle honour ftill to play ; 
 
 * See above, at verfe 118. 
 
 2 Let
 
 128 WHIST: 
 
 Let it be knave, or queen, or king, or ace ; 245 
 
 But other fuits make quite a diff'rent cafe : 
 
 To keep them up is here the better plan *, 
 
 A fmgle ace v/ill Hill command the clan ; 
 
 And ev'n the reft, if they in hand remain, 
 
 Have ftill fome flender chance their tricks to gain. 
 
 But now the fuit is fix'd what fingle card 251 
 Of each to play demands your next regard j 
 An eafy point, on which my hafty fong 
 Conceives it needlefs to detain you long ; 
 For that the lowed ftill fhould firft appear, 255 
 
 Admits but only one exception here. 
 Qifequence, upwards from the number three, 
 Be fure to lead the higheft in degree ; 
 Which to your partner, if he bear a brain*, *\ 
 
 "Will ftill the nature of your hand explain, 260 > 
 And fave his better cards from being fpent in vain. ) 
 
 * Nay, I do bear a brain. 
 
 SHAKESPEAR'S ROMEO AND JULIET, Aft i, Sc. 4. 
 
 How
 
 CANTO VIII. 129 
 
 How bleft is he, who can, when elder hand, 
 With reafon hope to gain the game's command ; 
 Who ftrength of trumps with joyful eye beholds, 
 And of each other fuit the ten ace holds ! 365 
 
 He fearlefs ftill can with his. trumps begin, 
 Nor cares he much what hand the trick may win j 
 Secure of this, where'er the lead remain, 
 That he his former pow'r (hall foon regain. 
 
 COMMEN-
 
 WHIST: 
 
 COMMENTARY ON CANTO VIII. 
 
 DUTIES OF THE LEADING HAND. 
 Query i. What fuit to lead ? 
 Anfwer. Lead always trumps when you can. v. 51. 
 
 DOCTRINE OF TRUMPS. 63 to 145. 
 
 Lead always from five or more trumps, however weak your 
 hand of cards may be, unlefs an honour be turned up againft 
 you. 631084. HoYLE,chap.i. rule 2. 
 
 Lead from four trumps with a tolerable hand. 85 to 88. 
 
 You muft not lead trumps from lefs than four, unlefs in the 
 two following cafes : 
 
 I. If your hand of cards be very great. 90. 
 
 II. If your trumps be honours. 
 
 Of three honours, lead always from ace, king, and queen ; or 
 king, queen, and knave : but not from ace, queen, and knave, 
 r. 91 to 102. 
 
 Of two honours, lead always with ace and king, king an 
 queen, and even queen and knave ; but feldom with ace and 
 knave, or king and knave ; and never with ace-queen, v. 103 
 to 117. 
 
 Lead always with a fingle honour, whatever it be ; which 
 ferves to ftrengthen your partner's hand. v. 118 to 125. 
 
 Leading with a fingle fmall trump, with which you have no 
 chance of ruffing, will not unfrequently be found eligible ; as it 
 
 has
 
 CANTO vm. is 
 
 has the effect, when returned, of drawing two for one. The 
 chief obje&ion is, that it expofes rather too foon the'weaknefs 
 of your hand. 12$ to 137. 
 
 There is (till another reafon for leading trumps ; when yo'i 
 have no other good fuit 5 tiumps being always the leaft danger- 
 ous lead. 13810 145 . 
 
 DOCTRINE OF THE STRONG SUIT. 150 to 204. 
 
 The next eligible lead to trumps, is your ftrongeft fuit; net 
 that of which you have the belt, but that of which you have the 
 moft cards. Bad players are anxious to make their great cards 
 at firft, as if they would not be good at any time. Gcod ones, 
 on the contrary, wilh to keep the command of a fuit as long as 
 they poffibly can. By playing from your ftrongeft fuit, you 
 have always the chance of making a trick or two on it at the 
 end of the hand ; and you difcover, at the fame time, how your 
 partner ftands with regard to it, and whether it will be worth 
 while to play trumps on its account, v. 150 to 173. 
 
 But if playing from the ftrongeft fuit be thus eligible, how 
 foolifh and abfurd muft be the conduft of thofe who always 
 chufc to play from the weakeft, and who never are happy but 
 when fiftiing for a ruff! Befides the danger of expofir.g their 
 weaknefs, they thus wafte thofe precious trumps, which were 
 intended for a very different purpofe. Even if your hand be fo 
 low that a ruff is almoft your only hope, you ihould at leaft 
 wait with patience till it come. 1 74 to 203 . 
 
 Next to a ftrong fuit is one with ace and king ; but you fhould 
 
 ftop after playing one of them, and try your partner with another 
 
 ' I z lead ;
 
 133 WHIST. 
 
 lead ; who will thus know afterwards where to find you at home. 
 204 to 214. 
 
 Next to the fuit of ace and king together, is that in which they 
 are each apart. By leading a fhiall card from either, your partner 
 has a chance of making the queen if he has her. But if your 
 king be but once guarded, avoid that as a very dangerous lead. 
 215 to 222. 
 
 King and queen is but a bad lead j for if you begin with either 
 of them, you may chance to make but one trick of the fuit; and 
 if you lead a fmall one, you will moft probably give one to the 
 knave. 22310228. 
 
 King and knave is alfoabad lead. 229-30. 
 
 But of all the leads ace and queen is the worft ; which there- 
 fore mould be avoided as long as you can : for if it is led to you 
 from the left hand, you cannot fail to make them both ; and even 
 ihould the fuit be begun by either of the other two players, by 
 venturing your queen the firft round, your chance for two tricks is 
 not inconfiderable. 23 i to 242. 
 
 Never lead with a fingle honour of any fuit except tramps ; 
 for even a guardlefs king, queen, or knave, when kept up, have 
 ibme chance of making a trick. 243 to 250. 
 
 Query IT. What particular card of the fuit to lead ? 
 
 Anfwer. In general the loweft ; but where you hare fe. 
 quence of three or more, then always begin with the higheft- 
 25 1 to 24 1. See HOY IE, chap. xiv.
 
 i:c>xr.>r:K 
 
 WHIST. 
 
 CANTO IX.
 
 ARGUMENT. 
 
 Judgment continued. Duties of him who recovers the 
 lead. Duties of the fecond in hand. Of the third, in- 
 cluding the do&rine of fineffing. Duties of the laft in 
 hand. Do&rine of calling, and of playing by the 
 ftages of the game.
 
 Immcr welter kommich, auf meinem furchtbaren Wege. 
 
 KLOPJTOCK. 
 
 BUT tho', when once a hand is well begun, 
 
 Half of the player's taflc, and more, is done ; 
 
 Yet muft he never think of paufmg there, 
 
 But watch its progrefs with unceafing care ; 
 
 And when his luck obtains the lead anew, 5 
 
 His former plans with vigour dill purfue. 
 
 If trumps to'play be firft expedient found, 
 Then let him now difpatch another round ; 
 And ftill more keenly urge the daring plan, 
 When he has hopes of taking two for one. 10 
 
 But fhould in trumps a difPrent fate prevail, 
 And not his partner, but his foe fhould fail, 
 'Twere better then to change his mode of play, 
 And (for a time at leaft) his fcheme delay. 
 
 I 4 But
 
 ij6 WHIST j 
 
 But if his hand of cards be great indeed, 15 
 
 At all adventures let him then proceed ; 
 And, rather than his fuits were kept in awe, 
 Rifque from his friend the laft of trumps to dfaw. 
 But when two trumps alone remain behind, 
 Should he the higheft ftill againft him find, 20 
 
 From his ftrong fuit fome potent card to play, 
 May chance to force it from the field away. 
 And here the fame deliv'rance to produce, 
 A thirteenth card will oft be found of ufe, 
 
 The lead of trumps was not at firft your view, 25 
 But fome ftrong fuit- then ftill that fuit purfue ; 
 By which, when doubt and danger's hour is paft, 
 You oft a trick or two may catch at laft. 
 
 But fhould you fail in ev*ry darling plan, 
 And fhould your wretched hand afford not one, 3* 
 Be then content a fecond part to play, 
 And yield entirely to your partner's fwaj j 
 To him alone your whole attention turn, 
 And ftill, whene'er you can, his leads return. 
 
 But
 
 CANTO IX. 137 
 
 Bfct if he twice has led, nor both the fame, 35 
 
 Still let the firft* your firft obfervance claim ; 
 Left from the next you ftiould receive a bite, 
 And find it was involuntary quite. 
 
 But more than all, that worft of faults avoid, 
 "Which ev'n to wrath might move 1 a ftoic's pride ; 43 
 When your friend's eyes with keen impatience, 
 
 burn, 
 
 From all the houfe the hoftile trumps to turn, 
 Inftead of trumps, his weaknefsf to return. 
 For the poor torch, that burns at either end, 
 To ruin's dreary gulph muft foon defcend j 45 
 
 And ev'n the ftrongeft hand will foon decay, 
 When both conftrain'd to trump, and trumps to play. 
 
 And yet you muft not think at ev'ry time, 
 To lead your partner's 'rttjfy a mortal crime ; 
 
 * You are to make a wide difference between a lead of choice 
 and a forced lead of your partner's. 
 
 HOYLE, chap. xii. art. 3. 
 
 f Hii -u>Afcf<!/r, poetically, for his weak fuit. 
 
 7 For
 
 138 W. HIST: 
 
 For I can cafes four before you lay, 50 
 
 In all of which it is the beft of play. 
 
 "When from his conduct you can clearly fee 
 
 That fuch a ftep will acceptable be : 
 
 Or when yourfelf a pow'r of trumps can boaft, 
 
 And ere your rage attacks the rival hoft, 55 
 
 Your eyes for him a likely chance furvey, 
 
 With one or two of his to fleal away : 
 
 Or when you hope (the hope is here enough) 
 
 To treat his malice with an over-rtiff ' : 
 
 Or laft of all, but highefl in degree, 6 
 
 If fortune mould fo favourable be, 
 
 In both your hands at once a ruff to place, 
 
 Fail not the faiv* that inftant to embrace ; 
 
 Which you fhall ftill of fuch advantage find, 
 
 That all your former plans were well refign'd. 65 
 
 * Whenever you gain the advantage of eftablifhing of a.fa<w, 
 it is your intereft to embrace it. 
 
 HOYLE, chap. viii. 
 
 But
 
 CANTO IX. 139 
 
 But he whofc breaft a chriftian fpirit bears 
 No more at Whift than other great affairs, 
 Will ever choofe to keep, with felfifb mind, 
 His whole attention to his friends confin'd ; 
 Since (ftrange to tell) it may at times fucceed, 70 
 Ev'n to return your enemies their lead. 
 When he upon the right too weak is found 
 To raife his partner's firft commencing round, 
 So (hall that foe, the lead at firft who plann'd, ^ 
 Be forc'd at once to quit the fuit's command, 75 f 
 Or with an eafy trick oblige your partner's hand. J 
 And yet this fcheme you never ought to try, 
 Unlefs your own no better lead fupply ; 
 For danger often waits that fuit's return, 
 And flighted weaknefs may to malice turn. 80 
 
 But having now difpatch'd the elder hand, 
 The fecond's duties next our care demand ; 
 Which as they ftand, the firft commencing round, 
 No very arduous talk will fure be found ; 
 
 6 Since
 
 I 4 WHIST: 
 
 Since all the fecret then, without difpute, 85 
 
 Is but to play the worft of ev'ry fuit. 
 
 Yet in each gen'ral rule, however plain, 
 Some few exceptions there muft dill remain. 
 If both your hand contain, or king, or ace 
 Should fhew without delay his honeft face. 90 
 
 Remember too, as you before* were told, 
 To play your queen, if ace and queen you hold. 
 
 Yours is the king, and but one fmgle card 
 By fate beftow'd the monarch's fide to guard : 
 Let then his royal figure firfl advance, 95 
 
 Which-ftill for fafety is his fairefl chance j 
 Tho' this too often proves a cruel cafe, 
 And leads him forth to meet the fatal ace. 
 
 Put up, when guarded once, or queen or knave, 
 For both the fairefl chance their lives to fave. 100 
 
 In all the following rounds, the fecond hand 
 Requires from judgment no precife command : 
 
 * See above, Canto VIII. 240. 
 
 Or
 
 CANTO IX. 141 
 
 Or fhould the pupil afk a certain rule, 
 
 We then muft fend him back to mem'ry's* fchooL 
 
 And yet, before we quite this chapter leave, loj 
 One ufeful caution let him firft receive : 
 When any fuit, of which his hand is out, 
 To trump or not to trump he ftands in doubt, 
 If he can caft a lofing card away, 
 To pafs the trick is always better play, * 10 
 
 (Which ftill his partner has a -chance to gain) 
 Than rifque the wafting of his trumps in vain.. 
 
 Nor think that here too great a length I go, 
 For one poor trump fuch anxious care to (hew 5 
 For, were I urg'd fome (ingle rule to find, 115 
 
 Where Whift's true eflence moft mould meet the 
 
 mind, 
 
 My maxim mould be ftill in fuch a cafe, 
 A proper value on the trumps to place \ 
 
 We taught forbearance to the fecond hand, 
 But give the third an oppofite command ; 120 
 
 * See abovl, Canto VII. 178 189. 
 
 And
 
 142 WHIST: 
 
 And recommend to him the daring plan, 
 To play at ev'ry round the beft he can : 
 Unlefs the cards that meet his judging eye 
 Permit his fkill the fecond-beft to try ; 
 With queen and ace, to venture firft the queen, 1 25 
 And rifque the royal fire that lies between ; 
 With king and knave, to rifque the royal dame ; 
 With queen and ten, with knave and nine the fame. 
 Nor need we here much farther down to go, 
 Becaufe importance feldom dwells below. 130 
 
 Such is the doctrine of fmefling's* art ; 
 A ftrong temptation to the daring heart ; 
 To which no tricks more pleafure can convey, 
 Than thofe obtain'd in this advent'rous way. 
 
 * Fineffing, fays Hoyle, means the endeavouring to gain an 
 advantage by art and {kill, which confifts in this : when a card is 
 Jed, and you have the beft and third-bell card of that {bit, you 
 judge it beft to put youfthird-beft card upon that lead, and run 
 the rifque of your adverfary's having the fecond-beft of it; that 
 if he has it not, which is two to one againft him, you are then fure 
 of gaining a trick. Chap. xx. 
 
 And
 
 CANTO IX. 143 
 
 And yet the danger it defies is fuch, 135 
 
 I fear it ought not to be pra&is'd much j 
 
 Unlefs of trumps you boaft the full command, 
 
 Or have already quell'd the hoftile band : 
 
 And if your plan fucceeds, you then could claim 
 
 To fave your lurch, or reckon up the game. 140 
 
 But ftill remember this, my docile fon, -| 
 
 That you in trumps much greater rifques may run I 
 Than with another fuit could well be done : J 
 
 For trumps will ftill their native pow'r retain, 
 Nor can by other trumps be render'd vain. 145 
 
 The laft in hand has fure the eafieft plan ; 
 Only to catch whatever tricks he can. 
 And yet at times ev'n he might errors make, 
 And for a paltry trick his game forfake, 
 If, while fome trumps againft him ftill remain, 150 
 His own beft trump he thus fhould wafte in vain. 
 
 But fome will here, I know, with boldnefs fay, 
 " To pafs a trick is always wretched play." 
 
 And
 
 144 WHIST: 
 
 And yet I will aflert, in fpite of fuch, 
 
 That ev'n a trick at times may coft too much ; 155 
 
 Should it from all reftraint the foe relieve, 
 
 Or in your hand a guardlefs honour leave. 
 
 But oh, what words can paint the dire difgrace, 
 
 The fhameful crime, of trumping with an ace, 
 
 Until it lofe its relative degree, 160 
 
 And chance the fole furviving trump to be ! 
 
 As well might George, when he in ftate appears, 
 
 Enthron'd with fplendor in the Houfe of Peers, 
 
 Were fome ram knave fo daring then to be, 
 
 As make with honourable pockets free ; 165 
 
 As well might he, whene'er the fac~l was known, 
 
 Jump down indignant from his royal throne, 
 
 And feizing by the neck without delay, 
 
 Himfelf to Newgate haul the wretch aWay : 
 
 Nor would he thus a flranger figure cut, 17* 
 
 Than ace of trumps to fuch an office put. 
 
 Sometimes the perfon who is laft in hand 
 Is eager to obtain the lead's command. 
 
 That
 
 13 
 
 } 
 
 . CANTO IX. 145 
 
 That he may then purfue fome darling plan, 
 Which his friend can't, or will not if he can. 1 75 
 'Twere better far than thus to wait in vain, 
 To take at once his partner's trick again, 
 To rout the routed, and to flay the (lain. 
 
 Thus have we now difpatch'd the difPrent hands, 
 And Calling's art fome notice next demands : 1 80 
 That right which thofe the point of eight that reach, 
 Have dill to make invocatory fpeech ; 
 That when the one two honours holds in hand, 
 He mould aloud his partner's aid demand j 
 That fo their forces join'd may game fupply, 185 
 And all the rifque of adverfe trichdefy. 
 
 But tho' a game may thus be gain'd with eafe, 
 The tempting chance you fliould not always feize ; 
 For how muft you the difappointment mourn, 
 Whene'er your queftion meets with no return ! 190 
 How much would fuch a ftep your hand expofe 
 To all the malice of your cruel foes ! 
 
 K Let
 
 1 4 6 tVHIST: 
 
 Let ev'ry player then this pow'r decline, 
 Save at the adverfe points of four and nine ; 
 The one to bar the trick's uneven claim, 19$ 
 
 The other to fecure a double game j 
 Unlefs in Scotia's land he chance to play, J 
 
 Where I am told by fome, that travelers fay, S 
 They have in playing Whift a difPrent way. J 
 
 That when the foes are love t or none at all, 200 
 To gain a triple game they always call. 
 That greedy race, who, for the love of gold, 
 In days of yore their lucklefs monarch fold ; 
 Who ftill unchang'd, the fame defires obey, 
 And ev'n at Whift their avarice betray. 205 
 
 Now hear, before you part from Judgment's fchool, 
 The laft, but not the lead important rule , 
 That ftill before you dare a card to play, 
 You with attention muft your fcore furvey ; 
 And never fail to regulate your game, 2lo 
 
 By what the nature of that fcore may claim. 
 
 At
 
 CANTO IX. 147 
 
 At different times the fame identic hand 
 
 Will different modes of management demand. 
 
 When firft you enter on the doubtful way, 
 
 You then fhould ftill with vcnt'rous courage play i 
 
 Then is the time with boldnefs to firiefle, 216 
 
 And for a greater good to rifque a lefs. 
 
 But when at laft you to the goal draw near, 
 
 A very different courfe you then mould fteer ; 
 
 By flow but certain ileps to conqueft creep, 22 
 
 And take no trick you are not fure to keep. 
 
 And here the price of long laborious years, 
 The end of all your toils at laft appears. 
 You now on fair perfection's fummit ftand, 
 And can with eafe the vulgar world command ; 225 
 Secure of this, that but a very few 
 To fuch a' height will e'er your fteps purfue. 
 For moft, enflav'd by floth's deftru&ive fway, 
 Advance no farther than the middle way ; 
 Nor think, by reaching fuch exalted praife, 230 
 To what a glorious pitch they might their natures 
 raife. 
 
 K 2 Let
 
 14? WHIST: 
 
 Let others ftill with admiration view 
 Pedantic learning's fcientific crew ; 
 Whofe eyes the fecrets of the heav'ns explore, 
 Or found the depths of geometric lore ; 235 
 
 Let them with wonder look on thofe that reign, 
 Or guide the havock of th' embattled plain ; 
 On thofe whofe Ml direds the helm of ftate, 
 Or fways at will the fenate's fierce debate. 
 To me, nor ftudy, fenate, throne, nor field, 24* 
 
 Of man's fuperior foul fuch proofs can yield, 
 As that dear place, the firft in reafon's eye, 
 Where Whift's profeflbrs meet their {kill to try , 
 Where order ftill her ftri&eft pow'r maintains, 
 And almoft univerfal filence reigns j 245 
 
 Where great events on ev'ry moment wait, 
 And ev'ry motion is the (lamp of fate : 
 While Judgment there, thro' each important hour, 
 Difplays the triumphs of his godlike pow'r ; 
 And clearly (hews to what a height refin'd, 250^ 
 Attention's force with perfeverance join'd, > 
 
 Above the vulgar crew can raife the human mind.)
 
 CANTO IX. i 149 
 
 COMMENTARY ON CANTO IX. 
 
 DUTIES OF HIM WHO RECOVERS THE LEAD. V. I 80. 
 
 He fhould pufli the trumps which he has already begun ; efpe- 
 cially if he thinks he (hall take two for one. The contrary fuf- 
 picion is the only reafon for making him difcontinue trumps : 
 but if he has a very great hand of cards, it will then be proper to 
 run all rilques ; even that of drawing the laft trump from his 
 partner. But when there are only two trumps in the houfe, and 
 he finds that the beft is againft him, let him force it out with a 
 card of his ftrong fuit ; even a thirteenth card is often ufcful 
 upon fuch an occafion. v. 7 24. 
 
 Next to the duty of pufhing trumps, is that of continuing your 
 ftrong fuit ; by which you will probably make a trick or 'two at 
 laft. v. 4528, 
 
 But if you find that you cannot accomplish your plan, or if your 
 hand be fopoor that you have none toaccomplifh, you muft then 
 be entirely fubfervient to your partner, and lofe no opportunity of 
 returning his leads ; but if he has led to you from two fuits, be 
 fure to give always the preference to the firft, as the other may 
 probably have only been forced. Above all, never lead to his 
 ruff, when you hav^ reafon to imagine that he wifties for trumps: 
 but more efpecially if he has played for them. There are indeed 
 only four cafes in which you fhould lead to your partner's re- 
 nounce : i. When you fee that he exprefsly defires it. a. When 
 K 3 you
 
 3 5 o WHIST: 
 
 you are very ftrong in trumps, and wifh, before you begin to draw 
 them from the enemy, to give him an opportunity of making one 
 of his. 3. When you think that he has a chance of an over- 
 run . And 4. When you can eftablifh between you a fee-faw, 
 which is fo advantageous, that every other plan fhould be re- 
 nounced to embrace it. v. 29 65. 
 
 When the right-hand adverfary is unable to raife his partner's 
 lead, it will be very proper for you to return it, as it will give your 
 partner an opportunity of making a trick cheaply, or force from 
 your left-hand adverfary the command of the fuit* This, how. 
 ever, fliould never be preferred to a good lead, either of your own 
 or your partner's, efpecially as there is frequently a rifque of th c 
 right-hand adverfary trumping that fuit. v. 66 80. 
 
 DUTIES OF THE SECOND HAND. v. 81 ut. 
 
 Thefe at firft are a very eafy matter, being only playing always 
 the worft of the fuit j except, i . When he has ace and king ; in 
 which cafe one of them muft be played, z. When he has ace and 
 queen ; where the queen fhould be put on. 3. When his king 
 is but once guarded, where he ought always to put him on; as 
 the chance is, that the fuit was led from an ace. 4. When either 
 his queen or knave happens to be but oace guarded ; in which 
 cafe, putting them up is almoft their onlj^hance for a trick. 
 v. 81 too. 
 
 When a fuit is led, of which he has none, and he is doubtful 
 whether to trump it or not 5 if he has a lofing card to throw away,
 
 C A N T O IX. 151 
 
 it willgenerally be the better play to pafs it, efpecially as there i 
 a chance of its being taken by your partner, v. 105 nz. 
 
 Themoft important of all maxims at Whift, is to fet a proper 
 value upon the trumps. 113 118. 
 
 DUTIES OF THE THIRD HAND. v. 119 145. 
 
 The general rule is here the reverie of that of the fecond hand; 
 being to put on the beftof the fuit. An exception to this is in. 
 the cafe of fineffing , when you hold ace-queen, king-knave, 
 queen-ten, knave- nine, or the like j and put on the loweftof the 
 two cards, in hopes that the intermediate one lies not behind you. 
 The temptation to fineffing is very great, and yet it is fuch a dan- 
 gerous practice, that it ought but rarely to be ventured, unlefs 
 when you are very ftrong in trumps, and have a chance, by gain- 
 ing the fineffcd trick, of faving your lurch, or of getting the game. 
 Still, however, you may venture more in trumpsthanin any of the 
 other fuits. 
 
 DUTIES OF THE LAST HAND. v. 146 178. 
 
 Thefe are in general theeafieft of all, being only to take the 
 trick if he can. And yet he fhould never, for the fake of a trick, 
 part with the beft ljump in the houfe, or leave an honour guard- 
 lefsinhis hand. But, above all, he fhould never trump with 
 an ace, unlefs when it happens to be the laft trump, v. 146 1 7 1. 
 
 It may fometimes be proper to take his partner's trick, when 
 K 4 he
 
 15* WHIST. 
 
 he is very defirous o getting the lead, to execute any particular 
 project, which he fufpefts that his partner either cannot, or will 
 not humour, v. 171 178. 
 
 DOCTRINE OF CALLING. 
 
 This is rather a dangerous expedient j as it runs a rifque, if un- 
 fuccefsful, of expofing the hand j and ought therefore never to 
 be attempted, unlefs when the adverfaries are at nine, or upon the 
 ve of faving their lurch, v, 179 *?$. 
 
 DOCTRINE or PLAYING BY THE STAGES OF THE 
 GAME. v. so6 zzi. 
 
 At the beginning of the game you, fhould play with boldnefs j 
 but when it comes near a clofe, with caution and forbearance.
 
 WHIST. 
 
 CANTO X.
 
 ARGUMENT. 
 
 Temper, the third requifite at Whift. Three caufes of 
 lofs of temper, i. Bad luck. 2. Crofs play. And 
 3. A bad partner. Cards, a terrible trial for the tem- 
 per. Story of Smilinda and her lover Pufillo.
 
 What do you think it was all about ? -It was all about a game of 
 
 cards. MURPHY. 
 
 THUS far the mufe has urg'd her daring toil, 
 Beneath the guidance of immortal Hoyle : 
 But here, alas ! his guardian pow'r is o'er, 
 His voice {hall animate the ftrain no more ; 
 Whofe efforts now muft his protection lofe, 5 
 
 And for themfelves another mailer choofe. 
 
 Come, then, thou fpirit, whofe delightful pow'r 
 Infpir'd fo late, in fancy's faireft hour, 
 Serena's bard ; and taught 'his liquid lays 
 
 To reach the fplendid heights of Temper's praife ; 
 Come, then, and pour on me propitious too 1 1 
 Some precious drops of infpiration's dew j 
 
 * Hayley, the author of the Triumphs of Temper. 
 
 6 For
 
 156 WHIST: 
 
 For I can juftly now thy favour claim, 
 Since now my fubje& is with his the fame : 
 That fo the mufe, by thy affiftance ftrong, 15 
 May lead with eafe the tuneful ftream along, 
 And with redoubled vigour clofe the fong. * , 
 In vain has Mem'ry's ftrength enlarg'd your- 
 
 mind, 
 
 In vain has Judgment's force your flcill refin'd, 
 Unlefs a third propitious pow'r be join'd. 20. 
 
 For mould you not with cooleft Temper play, 
 You muft be always in a lofing way i 
 Since paffion ruffles and difturbs the mind, 
 And makes the keeneft judgment weak and blind \ 
 Ev'n mem'ry's mirror too, however fair, 25 
 
 It clouds, and fcatters all the traces there. 
 
 * The ftorms which ruffle Temper's placid lak<r, 
 And oft on Whift fuch frightful havock make, 
 Diftort his features, and inflame his eyes, 
 From three important caufes take their rife. 30 
 
 * Che nel Lago del Cuor m'eradurata. 
 
 DANTE'S INFERNO, c.i.ao. 
 
 -The
 
 CANTO X. 157 
 
 The firft Is want of luck, a pow'rful caufe, 
 When fortune from your fide entire withdraws ; 
 And tho' invok'd the whole complaining night, 
 With fcarce one decent hand will blefs your fight ; 
 But ftill goes on inverted knaves to fend, 35 
 
 Or acelefs, facelefs cards without an end. 
 And yet tho' this may feem a fair excufe, 
 For weaker minds their temper's pow'rto lofe ; 
 Ne'er do thou yield to paflion's wild controul, 
 Nor let his influence warp thy firmer foul. 40 
 
 But one poor trump your prefent cards contain, 
 And fcarce an honour there, one trick to gain ; 
 But let not then your looks of wild defpair 
 This ftate of weaknefs to the foes declare ; 
 Next hand may give you fix, to make amends, 4$ 
 And put four kings and aces in your friend's. 
 But mould your fate its malice ftill purfue, 
 And bar from ev'ry hope your anxious view, 
 Get up, and fmiling fay, You'll play no more } 
 You won't be beaten till your bones are fore ; 5 o 
 
 And
 
 158 WHIST: 
 
 And rather fnatch the very worft excufe, 
 Than both your temper and your money lofe. 
 
 Of temper's lofs, another cruel caufe, 
 Untoward play, our next attention draws ; 
 When all your kings and aces, as they rife, 
 Are feen, by turns, with horror and furprife 
 In pieces cut before your angry eyes j 
 Or when, malignant fate's fevereft frown, 
 A dire fee-faiv, fends all to ruin down ; 
 And tho* you might with eafe the foe reftrain 
 Command's returning hour you wait in vain, 
 And never till too late the lead regain. 
 And here, indeed, in this vexatious cafe, 
 I could at times excufe a troubled face. 
 But let not ftill each adverfe pow'r combin'd 65 
 Rob you of that you muft fo ufeful find, 
 The firm pofleffion of your manly mind. 
 For then perhaps your violent defpair 
 May blunt the quicknefs of your wonted care ; 
 
 And
 
 / 
 CANTO X. 159 
 
 And while the mift of paffion blinds your views, 70 
 Some fair occafion you may chance to lofe 
 To check, tho' late, the crofs career of play, 
 And turn the fortunes of the doubtful day. 
 Of caufes not the leaft, tho' lad in place, 
 Is that unlucky, crofs, provoking cafe, 7$ 
 
 When in an evil hour, yourfelf conjoin'd 
 With fome unfldlful wretch you chance to find ; 
 With one perhaps who never look'd in Hoyle, 
 Or, if he did, who might have fpar'd the toil : 
 Who neither memory nor judgment ftiews, 89 
 
 And of the plaineft rules who nothing knows : 
 Whofe thoughtlefs king, with firm undaunted face, 
 Comes frequent forth to meet the cruel ace ; 
 And who, in fpite of warning, Hill proceeds 
 To play his foe's, and trump his partner's leads. t 
 And here again, while fuch a caufe I view, 
 I could at times excufe a curfe or two. 
 But ftill remember, that on fuch a brain 
 The ftorm of paffion muft be fpent in vain ; 
 
 Or,
 
 160 WHIST: 
 
 Or, what is worfe, the very pains you take pt 
 
 May dill more ftupid chance his mind to make ; 
 
 May darken quite what was not clear before, 
 
 And from one blunder propagate a fcore. 
 
 Much better had you then fubmit to fate, 
 
 And ftill with patience your deliv'rance wait ; 95 
 
 From his fupport all hopes at once refign, 
 
 And to yourfelf alone your thoughts confine ; 
 
 Without complaint his grofieft faults endure, 
 
 And bear in filence what you cannot cure : 
 
 And this, when plac'd on fuch unlucky ground, 100 
 
 The fkilful player's mode will ftill be found ; 
 
 Ev'n were he leagu'd with that illuftrious dame, 
 
 Of whofe nice judgment I have heard the fame ; 
 
 To which her partner, when the hand was o'er, 
 
 In thefe emphatic words his witnefsbore : 105 
 
 " Of all the cards that thro' your fingers pafs'd, 
 
 " But one you play'd aright, and that the laft." 
 
 Oft have I feen fome matrimonial dove, 
 Who, fram'd alone fortendernefs and love, 
 
 Some
 
 CANTO X. ' 161 
 
 Some two-fold game, perhaps, could better play, 1 16 
 Where nought occurr'd to lead her thoughts aftray. 
 Oft have I feen her with apparent fear 
 Cut in, reluctant, with her furly dear ; 
 Who moft politely curs'd his wayward fate, 
 That then had fent him fuch a ftupid mate ; 115 
 Nor thought that fault which now his temper crofs'd, 
 Was the beft virtue that a wife could boaft. 
 At firft the hufband peaceful meafures tries, 
 And warns her only with his hands and eyes ; 
 Then gentle language " Pray, my dear, take care 
 " Do think a little What have you put there ?" 1 2 1 
 It rifes next to " Play not then fo quick 
 " The trick was mine why did you trump my trick ?" 
 Then, " Blefs me, girl, you're always going wrong 
 " If thus you play, we cannot ftand it long." 125 
 And laft of all, while ftarting up, he cries, 
 
 " Death, hell, and fury ! has the b no eyes ?" 
 
 Reverfe the picture now, and view the ftrife 
 Of henpeck'd hufband, and imperious wife. 
 
 L Her
 
 162 WHIST: 
 
 Here not by flow degrees the tempeft grows, 130 
 But burfts at once, and like a whirlwind blows ; 
 While the poor, timid, meek, domeftic thing 
 Runs cow'ring off, and hangs his flagging wing. 
 No proof, perhaps, fo much can temper try, 
 As that which gaming's eager hours fupply ; 135 
 And therefore none, with thofe whofe beft regard 
 They wifh to keep, mould ever touch a card : 
 But chief, ye melting maids, whofe conftant care 
 Spreads out for man the matrimonial fnare, 
 Left ye your temper's fecret faults betray, 14 
 
 At Whift but feldom with your lovers play : 
 Take timely warning from Smilinda's fate, 
 Whofe haplefs ftory I (hall now relate ; 
 For truth's beft habit is a pleafing tale, 
 And oft example moves where precepts fail. 145 
 
 Pufillo now had reach'd the prime of life, 
 And long had look'd about to find a wife : 
 Small was his fize, but ample was his ftore, 
 And ampler ftill the character he bore* 
 
 What
 
 CANTO X. . 163 
 
 What wonder then that ev'ry prudent maid 150 
 
 With fecret joy his entrance flill furvey'd ; 
 
 And tried unwearied ftill each female art, 
 
 To gain an int'reft in the pigmy's heart ? 
 
 But young Smilinda was the deftin'd fair 
 
 To prove the fweets of his peculiar care : 15; 
 
 Her form was caft in that enchanting mould 
 
 Which love with moft delight will ftill behold ; 
 
 And frniles complacent, with eternal grace, 
 
 Illum'd the fweetnefs of her angel face. 
 
 " Unmingled blifs (if fuch on, earth there be) 160 
 
 " Muft fure, fair virgin, be to live with thee." 
 
 Such the conclufion which, at ev'ry view, 
 
 From her foft eyes the fond Pufillo drew. 
 
 And yet fufpicion kept his hopes in awe, 
 
 Nor could he wholly truft to what he faw. 165 
 
 He knew that ftill before the lover's eyes 
 
 The fimpleft beauty wears a flight difguife ; 
 
 And, ere he ventur'd boldly to demand 
 
 The rich donation of her virgin hand ; 
 
 L 2 To
 
 164 WHIST: 
 
 To which, from many figns, he well could fee i / 
 
 That neither fhe nor hers averfe would be ; 
 
 He thought it beft fome farther care to take, 
 
 And one more nice experiment to make ; 
 
 By which he might the certain knowledge gain, 
 
 If fhe her temper could at cards retain : J 7S 
 
 Refolv'd that, if (he well this trial bore, 
 
 He then would vainly hefitate no more ; 
 
 Would freely then declare his nuptial view, 
 
 And bid fufpicion and diftruft adieu. 
 
 For this, occafion foon the pow'r fupplied, 1 80 
 And plac'd him oppofite his deflin'd bride, 
 One vernal ev'ning, in an eafy way, 
 A fingle rubber's length at Whift to play : 
 While coufm Booby's fon, a country 'fquire, 
 And aunt Rebecca made the fecond pair. 185 
 
 But ere the firft commencing game was won, 
 Our artful lover had his fchemes begun j 
 Some flight miftakes he had already made, 
 And then with anxious gaze her eyes furvey'd : 
 
 5 But
 
 CANTO X. 165 
 
 But ftill thofe eyes their placid charm retain, 190 
 And all her features ftill unmov'd remain ; 
 A peace that div'd no deeper than the (kin, 
 For fierce contending paflions rag'd within i 
 Some fad wrong word was oft upon her tongue, 
 Came to the tip, and there a moment hung ; 195 
 Dut when reflection darted thro' her brain, 
 She gave a gulp and down it went again. 
 
 Nor was the conteft long, till each could claim 
 The fruitlefs triumph of a double game : 
 Thus far did chance her equal fmiles divide ; 200^ 
 And ftill {he feem'd unwilling to decide, S 
 
 Or give pre-eminence to either fide ; J 
 
 For, in the clofing game, they both at once 
 Within one ftep of conqueft's goal advance : > 
 And now Pufillo thought the time was nigh, 205 
 The utmoft fufPrance of her foul to try ; 
 For then each heart with greater zeal proceeds, 
 And each occurrence more emotion breeds j 
 
 L 3 Nor
 
 1 66 WHIST: 
 
 Nor did he grudge (to gain his curious views) 
 
 The rubber's praife and profit both to lofe. 210 
 
 Smilinda now divides the cards with grace, 
 And Scotia's curfe difplays his nine-ey'd face ; 
 " Diamonds again !" cried all that form'd the ring ; 
 " I think we feldom have another thing." 
 The 'fquire leads clubs, and aunt Rebecca's queen 2 1 5 
 Retires in triumph from the level green : 
 But when Ihe tried the fuit another round, 
 Fate was not then fo favourable found ; 
 For fcarce had Booby's king difplay'd his face, 
 Ere feiz'd and butcher'd by Pufillo's ace. 220 
 
 And now Pufillo's Pam, the prince of Loo, 
 In broad and brazen beauty meets the view : 
 To him on either hand fmall clubs are play'd, 
 While his renouncing partner drops a fpade : 
 Than try the ten he could not now do lefs, 225 
 
 And fortune crown'd his hopes with full fuccefs ; 
 And from the trumps drew forth Rebecca's eight, 
 But from Smiiinda's nine to meet its fate. 
 
 She
 
 CANTO X. 167 
 
 She now with careful eye her hand furveys, 
 
 And from the knave a heart unwilling plays ; 230 
 
 A vile, unlucky lead in ev'ry view 
 
 (And yet what better could the virgin do ? 
 
 Her king of fpades but once defended lay, 
 
 And could not to the ace be left a prey : 
 
 Her trumps, the laft refort, were now too few, 235 
 
 Since one from four her former triumph drew) 
 
 A vile, unlucky lead ; for full command' 
 
 Lay couch'd in ambufh in Rebecca's hand. 
 
 Pufillo's king now mows his honeft face, 
 
 A haplefs victim to her cruel ace : 240 
 
 And now Rebecca's queen a trick to gain 
 
 Had fanguine hopes ; nor did me hope in vain. 
 
 The lead mould ne'er be chang'd without a caufe * , 
 
 So from her hand another heart me draws. 
 
 * There is nothing mere pernicious at the game of Whift, 
 thin tn change fuits often, bccaufe in every new fuit you run 
 tht riik of giving your'adverfary the tenace. 
 
 HoYLE, chap. xii. 
 
 L 4 " Th: s
 
 168 WHIST: 
 
 This trick from fair Smilinda's lucklefs knave 245 
 Young Booby's deuce of trumps fuffic'd to favc. 
 And now another fuit, the fpades, he tries, 
 And views his partner's ace with joyful eyes : 
 The lead's return Smilinda's monarch drew 
 'Twas both his int'reft, and his duty too. 250 
 
 But now the nymph no longer would delay, 
 Tho' rather weak, her fuit of trumps to play : 
 But here her partner lent her pow'rful aid, 
 By whofe good king the doubtful trick was made , 
 And fo next round (he thought it no difgrace, 255 
 That her own queen (hould fall to Booby's ace. 
 The fov'reign pow'r (he now at length had gain'd, 
 For tho' the queen was loft, the knave remain'd : 
 And now a lady rais'd to full command, 
 The queen of fpades, appear'd from Booby's hand. 260 
 With but two fpades Pufiilo's hand begun, 
 And fix of trumps might now the trick have won ; 
 (Three trumps were yet furvivors after all, 
 For poor Rebecca flinch'd the fecond call) 
 
 And,
 
 CANTO X. 169 
 
 And, had he fo inclin'd, his chance was fure 265 
 This trick to conquer, and the game fecure ; 
 Since Booby's ten, the lafl concluding round, 
 Would from Smilinda's knave its fate have found. 
 But thoughts of diff'rent hue his mind engrofs ; 
 His am'rous heart contemns the rubber's lofs ; 27* 
 With wilful error flips the trump to play, 
 And throws at one ram ftroke their all away. 
 
 But when the falling cards the veil withdrew, 
 Which hid the groflhefs of his fault from view, 
 The gentle creature could endure no more, 275 
 She ftarted up, (he ftamp'd, me rag'd, fhe fwore ; 
 Proclaim'd her wrongs, and threw the cards away, 
 Nor longer in his prefence deign'd to flay. 
 
 A work, alone by length of ages done, 
 Is oft by ruin in an hour undone ; 280 
 
 And thus that flame, which had for years endur'd, 
 In one Ihort minute was entirely cur'd : 
 No longer now the youth attentive paid 
 His daily vifits to the charming maid, 
 Who found, too late, me had herfelf betray'd 
 
 And 
 
 r'd;28 5 )
 
 17> WHIST: 
 
 And ev'ry female art eflay'd in vain, 
 Her former empire o'er his heart to gain. 
 
 At laft, with hopes refulting from defpair, 
 She fate her down, to vent her cruel care ; 
 While anxious fear fuppreft her virgin pride, 290 
 And all the eloquence of love fupplied. 
 She firfl befought him for fweet pity's fake 
 No longer to refent the rude miftake, 
 Which pafiion's pow'r had forc'd her once to make; 
 And next in blufhing words me let him know 295 
 How much his abfence fill'd her breaft with woe ; 
 With what affection and efteem combined 
 S~he view'd his perfon, and beheld his mind ;* 
 And mould his bofom feel an equal care, ~\ 
 
 Siie hinted, that he might his foul declare, 300 % 
 And need not of a juft return defpair. J 
 
 Such was the fcope on which her fyren tongue 
 Full many a note of foft allurement fung ; 
 Concluding thus : that tho' they both were 
 young, 
 
 It
 
 CANTO X. 
 
 It was not right in ufelefs, vain delay 
 
 To wafte the prime of life's uncertain day. 
 
 With trembling hope fhe fent the billet ftrait, 
 Whofe doubtful iflue was to fix her fate ; 
 Nor for an anfwer had fhe long to wait : 
 Th' important note a yellow wafer feal'd, 3 ic 
 
 'Twas brief, but yet his mind enough reveal'd : 
 " When cards and dice are banifh'd from the land, 
 " Pufillo then will afk Smilinda's hand."
 
 WHIST: 
 
 IN order that the defcription of a hand at Whift, which has 
 been attempted in this Canto, may be the more eafily compre- 
 fe-iBikdby the reader, I fhall fubjoin both a view of the different 
 hands, and a fcheme of the cards in the order they were 
 played. 
 
 BOOBY'S, THE ELtiER HAND. 
 
 Ace, ten, tray, and deuce of trumps king and three fmall 
 dubs queen and two finall fpades t\\o fmall hearts. 
 
 PlISlLLo's, THE SECOND HAND. 
 
 King, fix, and fca.tr of trumps ace, knave, ten, and a frnal! 
 club king and three fmall hearts t\vo fmall fpades. 
 
 REBECCA'S, THE THIRD HAND. 
 
 Eight and five of trumps ace, knave, and three fmall 
 fpadts ace, queen, and a fmall heart queen and two fmall 
 rfabs. 
 
 SsilLIN'DA's, THE LAST HAND. 
 
 Q^crcn,. knave, nine, and fcven of trumps knave and three 
 fccnll hearts king and two fmall fpades two fmall clubs. 
 
 S ARE TRUMPS AND THE NINE TURNED UP 
 
 BY SM.H.INDA. 
 
 Round I. 
 
 Booby's deuce of clubs Pulillo's tray Rebecca's queen 
 di'i fjur. 
 
 Pvund
 
 CANTO X. 173 
 
 -Round II. 
 
 Rebecca's five of clubs Smilinda's fix Booby's king 
 and Puiillo's ace. 
 
 Round III. 
 
 Pufillo's knave of clubs Rebecca's fevcn Smilinda's dcuct 
 of fpades and Booby's eight of clubs. 
 Round IV. 
 
 Pufillo's ten of clubs Rebecca's eight of trumps Smiliuda'* 
 nine and Booby's nine of clubs. 
 
 Round V 
 
 Smilinda's deuce of hearts Booby's tray Pufillo's king 
 and Rebecca's ace. 
 
 Round VI. 
 
 Rebecca's queen of hearts Smilinda's four Booby's five 
 and Pufillo's fix. 
 
 Round VII. 
 
 Rebecca's feven of hearts Smilinda's knave Booby's deuce 
 f trumps and Pufillo's eight of hearts. 
 
 Round VIII. 
 
 Booby's tray of fpades Pufillo's four Rebecca's ace and 
 Snulinda's five. 
 
 Round IX. 
 
 Rebecca's fix of fpades bmilinda's king Booby's fevcn 
 and Pufillo's eight. 
 
 Round X. 
 
 Smilinda's feven of trumps Booby's tray Pufillo's king 
 and Rebecca's five.
 
 174 WHIST. 
 
 Round XI. 
 
 Pufillo's four of trumps Rebecca's nine of fpades Smi- 
 linda's queen of trumps and Booby's ace. 
 
 Round XII. 
 
 Booby's queen of fpades Pufillo's nine of hearts Rebecca's 
 ten of fpades and Smilinda's knave of trumps. 
 
 Round XIII. 
 
 Smilinda's ten of hearts Booby's ten of trumps Pufillo's 
 fix and Rebecca's knave of fpades. 
 
 Smilinda three tricks, and Pufillo three Booby three tricks, 
 but Rebecca four.
 
 WHIST. 
 
 CANTO XL
 
 ARGUMENT. 
 
 The Author's complaint againft his Father; who oblige* 
 him to clap to the end of his work, a Ledure againft 
 Gaming, of hi dilating.
 
 We think our fathers fools, fo wife we grow. fort. 
 
 Difficilis, querulus, laudator temporis afti 
 
 Se puero, cenfor, caftigatonjue vinorum. Ho RACE. 
 
 GOOD Lord ! what arrant fools fome people are, 
 
 With all their ftuffof prudence, fenfe, and care ! 
 
 In vain old father Time his influence tries ; 
 
 He makes them proud, but never makes them wife. 
 
 They fondly think that they fhould all things know, 
 
 Becaufe they liv'd fome fifty years ago ; 
 
 Nor once reflect, this age has other rules, 
 
 And other maxims than thefe formal fools. 
 
 Were it not grofsly to abufe my pow'r, 
 
 I could rail on, and curfe them by the hour : ut 
 
 For pure vexation I could almoft cry ; 
 
 But liften, reader, and I'll tell you why. 
 
 A fire I have (fo much the worfe for me), 
 As great a pedant as you'd wiih to fee j 
 
 M Morofc
 
 1 
 
 178 WHIST: 
 
 Mcrfofe, ill-natur'd, rigid, and fevere \ 
 Sententious, dull, old-faftiion'd, ftiff, and queer : 
 In fhort, a foul that hates each cuftom new, 
 And cenfures all that youngfters like to do. 
 Thofe fchemes of mine which have to him been 
 
 fhewn, 
 
 He feldom praifes but in fneering tone, 20 
 
 And likes no wit or wifdom but his own. 
 Without his knowledge then I Whilt began, 
 And ftill from him conceal'd the darling plan ; 
 For, ev'n without a proof, I could have guefs'd 
 That fuch a proj eel: would not hit his tafte. 
 
 Now when thus far I had the drain put fuect, 
 I paus'd, and what was done with joy review'd ; 
 And thought it (if I here the truth may tell) 
 Hit off upon the whole exceeding well, 
 And only wanting for a fmart farewell. 30 . 
 
 But whilft I thus indulg'd a poet's pride, 
 And fondly fail'd on fancy's golden tide, 
 I little thought Papa was at my fide. 
 
 For 
 
 J 
 }
 
 CANTO XL 179 
 
 For his ftern eyes I was but ill prepar'd, 
 And could have gladly then his vifit fpar'd : 35 
 
 But vile, malignant chance would have it fo, 
 And I with patience now muft bear the blow. 
 At once, with looks which dark fufpicion wore,-\ > 
 He from my trembling hand the papers tore, 
 And ran, with fullen glance, the fprightly pages f 
 o'er* 40 J .. 
 
 Ev'n thofe I thought, while I purfued the toil, 
 That none could e'er perufe without a fmile, 
 Had not die pow'r his anger to beguile. 
 Unalter'd ftill his awful face remain'd, 
 And all its native rigour ftill retain'd : - 4 - 
 
 Nay worfe ; a darker hue his front embrown'd, 
 Or (not to fpeak in poetry) he frown'd. 
 
 Thus thro' the work with hafty glance he ran, 
 And thus his ftern, defpotic fpeech began : 
 
 " So fo, young gracelefs ; now your fluff is done, 
 ** You think, no doubt, you have a triumph won 5 5 1 
 " You think, no doubt, that all is mighty fine, 
 " "Wit, fenfe, and elegance in ev'ry line j 
 
 M 2 " And
 
 i8o WHIST: 
 
 " And with a brazen front may mean to try 
 
 " In this fool's coat to meet the public eye. 55 
 
 " Audacious boy ! and could you then fuppofe 
 
 " That I would fee you thus yourfelf expofe ? 
 
 " That I would e'er permit a fon of mine 
 
 " To future times fuch lefibns to confign ? 
 
 " So widely thus from moral truth to dray, 69 
 
 " And poifon thus in gilded pills convey ? 
 
 'f But if, in reafon's fpite, you dill perfiil 
 
 " To claim diftinaion as the Bard of Whift, 
 
 " I am refolv'd that this infeled fong 
 
 " Shall bear at leaft its antidote along , 65 
 
 " And thofe who gaming's charms have heard from 
 
 . y u > 
 
 " From me at leaft fhall hear its horrors too." 
 
 With, this laft hint I was not quite difpleas'd, 
 And quick as thought the fair occafion feiz'd ; 
 And promis'd ftrait, with fome inveftive ftrong, 
 Againft the love of play to clofe the fong. 7 1 
 
 But here, alas ! the old fufpicious Don 
 Was far too cunning for his fprightly fon. 
 
 " No
 
 CANTO XL 181 
 
 " No no," he cried, " that plan could never do ; 
 " It is not by the help of fuch as you, 75 
 
 " That reafon's voice muft folly's powV fubdue." 
 " To me, young fir, refign that arduous care, 
 " And for the talk of fcribe yourfelf prepare ; 
 " While I retire, thofe fcatter'd thoughts to find, 
 " With which the fubjecl: oft has fill'd my mind 5 80 
 " To which at times I have attention paid, 
 " And oft with grief its rapid growth furvey'd. 
 " And when my hints are rang'd in juft array, 
 " I then will dictate what you ought to fay :" 
 So fpake the angry fire, and ftately ftalk'd away. 
 
 Fain would I, while he yet remain' d in fight, 86 
 Have boldly urg'd my juft, exclufive right 
 To manage as I chofe, and thought it fit 
 Th' unborrow'd offspring of my native wit : 
 But terror aw'd, and what I meant to fay 90 
 
 Stuck in my throat, and could not find a way. 
 
 Thus muft this tongue, by fancy's pow'r refin'd, 
 Be made the organ of another's mind ; 
 M 3
 
 iS* WHIST. 
 
 And thus, by cruelty before unknown, 
 Be forc'd to utter feelings not my own , 95 
 
 And thus my pretty work be fairly fpoil'd, 
 Becaufe I chance to be my father's child. 
 
 But hufh ! he comes again ; I hear the found 
 Of thofe grave fteps that fcatter fear around. 
 Now, reader, now, prepare your patient ear i oo 
 A lecture dull of formal length to hear ; 
 But which, I truft, will never reach your brain, 
 But from your other ear come out again. 
 
 But hold ; and, ere I write a fentence more, 
 Let me for that another leaf turn o'er. 10$ 
 
 You underfland mefor it would not do, 
 That he mould Men* all I fpeak to you. 
 
 * As they had fecn me, with thefe hangman's hands, 
 JL/ift'ning their fear. 
 
 SHAKES PEAR'S MACBETH, Aft 2,Sc. 3.
 
 WHIST. 
 
 JCANTO XII.
 
 ARGUMENT. 
 
 Serious leflure againftgaming.-Hiftory of a fkilful ad 
 fortunate gamefter Poflfcript by the Author in the 
 humorous ftle.
 
 Arm'd at all poinU, to fight that hydra, Gaming. Mo R*. 
 
 -Contra o veneno urgente, 
 
 He tido per antidoto ezcellente. C A MO INS. 
 
 OF all the plagues that from the birth of time 
 
 Have rang'd by turns this fublunary "clime, 
 
 And in their various forms the nations curs'd, 
 
 The boundlefs love of play is fure the worft. 
 
 Not that difeafe, whofe once refiftlefs pow'r . 5 
 
 With envious malice blafted beauty's flow'r ; 
 
 Which from the eaft with thofe weak fools re* 
 
 turn'd, 
 
 Whofe frantic breafts with bigot fury burn'd : 
 Jor that commiflion'd by the pow'rs above, 
 With tortures juft to puniih lawlefs love : 10 
 
 That
 
 386 W H I S T s 
 
 That cruel fcourge*, which from the weftern more 
 To Europe's coaft the Spanifh robbers bore, 
 Such havock fpreads, as on his baleful wings 
 The univerfal pow'r of gaming brings ; 
 That pow'r which now pervades each tainted foul, 
 And fcatters death from Indus to the Pole ; 16 
 From where remote, on Tonquin's golden m,o.re, 
 The tawny crew the pow'rs of chance adore ; 
 And, when refources fail, no fcruple make 
 Thejr weeping children or their wives to flake ; 30 
 To where at home, in this degen'rate land, 
 In ev'ry ftreet the fanes of ruin ftand j 
 Where fraud's pernicious band, unwearied flill, 
 Invoke the demons of unlawful {kill : 
 That felfifh pow'r, the foe of ufeful art, 25 
 
 .Which moft can harden and contract the heart ; 
 
 ; Itcft certain, que ce Venin qui empoifor.ne Ics fources de la 
 v ie,etait propre de i'Amerique -et aujourd'hui, apres un mo- 
 ment pafle et oublie dtpuis de? annets, la plus chafte union peut 
 etre fuivie tlu plus cruel et duplus honteux des fleaux, dont le 
 ^enre humain foit affligc. 
 
 VOLTAIRE, EssAisvuTHi ST. GEN. t.iii, ch. 37. 
 
 Which
 
 CANTO XII. 167 
 
 Which keeps in floth* the outward frame connn'd, 
 And but to vicious action fpurs the mind ; 
 That pow*r whofe growth I can with grief forefee 
 Some future day will Europe's ruin be. 30 
 
 But words that feek our paflions to reftrafn, 
 In this light age of folly's boundlefs reign, 
 But fmall attention can expect to gain ; 
 And it perhaps were better now to try 
 What ftronger aids example can fupply. 35 
 
 A man there was (if public fame fay true), , 
 The firfl and luckieft of the gaming crew ; . 
 A fplendid fortune who refolv'd to gain, ^ 
 
 Without corporeal labour's tirefome pain, I. 
 
 Or mental efforts of the iludious brain. 40 J 
 
 '~* Surely that vice deferves the keeneft invective, which, more 
 than any other, has a natural and invincible tendency to narrow 
 and to harden the heart, by impreffing and keeping up habits of 
 ffelfifhnefs. " I forefee" (faid Montefquieu to a friend vifiting 
 him atLaBrede) " that gaming will one day be the ruin of Eu- 
 " rope. During play, the body is in a Hate of indolence, ar4 
 <4 the mind in aftate of vicious activity." 
 
 WARTON'S ESSAY ON POPE, Sett. x. 18. 
 
 For
 
 iSS WHIST: 
 
 For this, to gaming's art he kept confin'd 
 
 The whole attention of his anxious mind j 
 
 For this, in trying various modes of play, 
 
 He fpent for years the folitary d ay ; 
 
 For this, on flighteft food he chofe to dine, 45 
 
 Nor e'er would tafte intoxicating wine ; 
 
 That nought might thus obfcure his mental fight, 
 
 Or blaft the hopes of each triumphant night. 
 
 And thus at length a height of (kill he gain'd, 
 
 Which (carte one mortal had before attain'd ; 50 
 
 And thus at length amafs'd an ampler (lore 
 
 Than ever had been thus amafs'd before. 
 
 What tho', perhaps, fome widow'd mother's tongue 
 
 Might curfe the fource from which her forrow 
 
 fprung ; 
 
 Might curfe that fkill which drove, with cruel hand, 
 Her ruin'd fon to quit his native land : 56 
 
 What tho', perhaps, fome orphan weak and pale, 
 With hunger faint, and fhiv'ring in the gale, 
 
 Might
 
 CANTO XII. 189 
 
 Might on that chariot fix his weeping eye, 
 
 In guilty fplendor as it glitter'd by, 60 
 
 Which bore the wretch, who from his father tore 
 
 Without remorfe his patrimonial ftore ; 
 
 Who charg'd his foul with {name's defpairing 
 
 weight, 
 
 And drove him headlong from the brink of fate : 
 Yet would that chariot all obftruc~lion fpurn, 6$ 
 And not lefs rapid to the dome return, 
 Which, rear'd in Scotia's land, may ftill be found, 
 And cumbers with its weight the groaning ground . 
 Which, as it there in hateful fplendor (lands, 
 With daring hopes the gamefter's heart expands; 7* 
 While reafon's fober eye beholds it ftill, 
 The fhameful monument of guilty {kin. 
 
 Oh that, when firft he view'd the finifh'd toil, 
 And gaz'd with triumph on t^e fplendid pile, 
 Some demon then, or fome avenging god, 75 
 
 Had touch'd the ftrutlure with his pow'rful rod, 
 
 And
 
 $ WHIST: 
 
 And made it fink before his ftartled eyes, 
 Like card-built fabrics, never more to rife. 
 How would the wretch have fhriink with fuddeu 
 
 awe, 
 
 And quak'd with -terror, when amaz'd he faw, So' 
 Inftead of arches, gates, and colonnades, 
 A heap of clubs and diamonds, hearts and fpades ! 
 
 Tis true indeed, that few or none complain'd, 
 That what they loft had been unfairly gain'd : 
 But how can this his character excufe, 85 
 
 Or make his life its guilty colour lofe ? 
 As well might he, who lurks befide the way, 
 To make th' unwary traveller his prey ; 
 With piftols arm'd, and conftant practice bold, 
 Who ftops th' unarm'd, the timid, and the old ; 90 
 Proclaims kis wants, and afks a quick fupply, 
 Which if they give not, they are fure to die 
 As well this wretch, when talking with his friend, 
 Might fair and open dealing recommend j 
 
 For
 
 CANTO XII. iQt 
 
 For meaner rogues a juft abhorrence feel, 95 
 
 And blefs his Maker that he did not fteal. 
 
 But in its juft revenge tho' Heav'n be flow, 
 It will not always let the fmner go ; 
 For now, to clofe the fcene, his word of foes, 
 Confcience herfelf, in awful fury rofe, loo 
 
 Refum'd at lafl her long-negleted pow'r, 
 And flung with painful thought each tort'ring 
 
 noun 
 
 She brought reflection's band in dark array, 
 To cloud the light of ev'ry cheerlefs day j 
 And fill'd with ghaftly phantoms of affright 105 
 The weary length of ev'ry trembling night. 
 Nor did fhe once remit her cruel rage, 
 Until fhe drove him from the mortal fl-age, 
 To thofe abodes, where he perhaps fhall find A 
 That man for diff'rent duties was defign'd, no L 
 And form'd for fcience of another kind, J 
 
 Than in the vain purfuits of worthlefs play 
 To wafle the precious hours of life away : 
 
 Perhaps
 
 I 9 z WHIST: 
 
 Perhaps to dwell in that appointed place 
 Of pain and grief, of horror and difgrace, . 1 i 
 Where,-He refides, whofe books (to fraud fo dear) 
 With fuch unwearied pains he ftudied here. 
 
 POSTSCRIPT. 
 
 , bleft be Heav'n, the tedious lecture's o'er, 
 And old Square-toes will trouble us no more ; 
 And yet I cannot leave you thus behind, 12* 
 
 With fuch abfurd impreflions on your mind, 
 Nor wholly thus to his advice refign, 
 Until you hear a little more of mine. 
 
 Can there then be whofe tempers are fo rough, 
 Whofe hearts are made of fuch unfeeling fluff, 1 25 
 /That they could wifh from our imperfect life 
 To cut the brilliant hours of painted ftrife, 
 
 And
 
 POSTSCRIPT. 193 
 
 And from the worthlefs world to drive away 
 The hopes, the pleafures, and the pains of play ? 
 Let thofe who harbour fucha flrange defire, 130 
 To fome obfcure, fequefter'd nook retire j 
 Where thro' the tedious year no Spades are found, 
 But thofe that ferve to penetrate the ground ; 
 No Clubs, but thofe, with which fome angry clown 
 Knocks, at a time, his fellow ruftic down j 135 
 
 No Hearts, but thofe, with which in paflion's hour 
 The wanton boy difplays his fovereign pow'r : 
 And as for Diamonds, you in vain may call, 
 For there they never can be found at all. 
 There let all fuch their lives in languor wafte, 140 
 And rail at pleafures which they cannot tafle. 
 But ye that live in fafhion's polifh'd climes, 
 In this great art inftrul your fons betimes ; 
 Let this be ftill the firft of your regards, 
 Before their letters let them learn their cards. 145 
 Nor do I yet defpair to fee the day, T 
 
 When hoflile armies rang'd in neat array, 
 Inftead of fighting, mall engage in play ; J 
 
 N Whea
 
 194 
 
 POSTSCRIPT. 
 
 When peaceful Whift the quarrel (hall decide, 
 And Chriftian blood be fpilt on neither fide. 150 
 Then duels too, or any other fray, 
 Might all be fought in this good harmlefs way ; - 
 Then pleas no more (hould wait the tardy laws, 
 But one odd trick at once conclude the caufe. 
 Tho' feme will fay that this is nothing new, 155 
 For here there have been long odd tricks enow. 
 
 Thus Britain ftill, to all the world's furprife, 
 In this great fcience fhall progreffive rife, 
 Till ages hence, when all of each degree 
 Shall play the game as well as Hoyle or me. 160 
 
 THE END.
 
 As an antidote to the poifonous do&rine delivered with 
 regard to matrimony in the feventh Canto*, the Au- 
 thor begs leave to fubjoin here a Sonnet written upon 
 the fame fubjedt, which will mew how very different are 
 his real fentiments from thofe of the character he has 
 chofen to aflume. 
 
 SONNET. 
 
 HO V W bleft is he, however low his ftate, 
 To whom the bounty of indulgent Heav'n 
 
 A tender, conftant, kind congenial mate, 
 
 To fhare his pleafures and his pains, has giv'n ! 
 
 To her fecure he opens all his heart, 
 
 Nor knows one thought he wifhes to conceal ; 
 
 Fearlefs to her can ev'ry care impart, 
 And all the forrows of his foul reveal. 
 
 Tho' all abroad refufe his fpirit reft, 
 
 Tho' fortune frowns, and friends may prov 
 
 unkind ; 
 At home, he knows, remains one faithful bread, 
 
 Where ftill his weary head repofe (hall find. 
 
 Ah ! why to me does fate fuch blifs deny, 
 And doom me ftill to live " a folitary fly ?"
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY 
 
 Los Angeles 
 This book is DUE on the last date stamped below. 
 
 35m-8,'71 (P6347s4)-C-120
 
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