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[Page [125]][Page 127]
AN EPISTLE TO A LADY.
November, 1789.
1 WHILE Morcham does your much lov'd presence share,
2 And Lydia's health claims your maternal care,
3 O Madam, deign with candour to peruse
4 A rustic lay, presented by the Muse.
5 From Loudoun's plains she now awakes the lyre,
6 And gladly would to arduous feats aspire.
7 On the smooth margin of the stream reclin'd,
8 She fondly hopes to please a taste refin'd.
9 What tho' she boast of no peculiar charm,
10 That would the critic of his force disarm?
11 She humbly deprecates your doom severe,
12 And fain would wish to find you partial here.
[Page 126]13 The Muse alone does this indulgence claim,
14 Else it were impious such a thought to frame.
15 Would you from Morcham cast your mental eye,
16 And the recesses of our castle spy,
17 You'd see Honoria, in her elbow chair,
18 A mind at ease, thoughts unperplex'd with care;
19 With aspect mild, explore the sacred page,
20 Guide of her youth, and comfort of her age;
21 In conduct prudent, and in counsel wise;
22 Her friendship ev'ry virtuous mind must prize.
23 Then view the pair, in bonds of Hymen blest,
24 With little Cupids flutt'ring round their breast.
25 The bliss that's mutual, all their thoughts employ,
26 Whose social hearts partake no selfish joy.
27 To please each other proves their constant aim,
28 While ev'ry act endears the tender claim.
29 Matilda too, your notice must demand;
30 To paint would here require a Raphael's hand:
31 To trace the radient beauties of her mind,
32 Shall be a task for nobler pens assign'd.
33 I'd rather far her little foibles scan,
34 Though strict inspection finds no more than one.
35 Such anxious care on others she bestows,
36 She quite forgets what to herself she owes.
37 Vouchsafe the charming Celia next a look,
38 Her mind serene, and in her hand a book:
39 Eyes, which at will, can pleasure give or pain,
40 On stupid Humphry Clinker shine in vain.
41 As through the hall and kitchen now you pass,
42 Pray deign to peep among the lower class:
43 The cook's at work; but, madam, who can know
44 Whether her hands or tongue more swiftly go?
45 They're nimble both; but diff'rent is th' effect;
46 One merits praise, the other disrespect.
[Page 128]47 Poor Mary sighs beneath a load of woes,
48 Hard and uneasy ev'ry turn she does:
49 How light soe'er the task, she'll pond'ring say,
50 "Ah! Is there not a lion in the way?"
51 Will seems in haste his master's boots to clean,
52 Old James is driving Turkeys o'er the green,
53 Our crazy-pated dairy-maid just now
54 Is scribbling o'er these senseless lines to you.
55 Hark! there's a call, O pardon what I've penn'd;
56 I'm sure you're glad my letter's at an end.
About this text
Author: Janet Little (later Richmond)
Themes:
Genres:
epistle
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Source edition
Little, Janet, 1759-1813. The Poetical Works of Janet Little, the Scotch Milkmaid. Air: Printed by John & Peter Wilson, 1792, pp. [125]-128. (ESTC T126549) (Page images digitized from a copy in the Library of the University of California, Los Angeles.)
Editorial principles
Typography, spelling, capitalization, and punctuation have been cautiously modernized. The source of the text is given and all significant editorial interventions have been recorded in textual notes. This ECPA text has been edited to conform to the recommendations found in Level 5 of the Best Practices for TEI in Libraries version 4.0.0.
Other works by Janet Little (later Richmond)
- AN ACROSTIC UPON A YOUNG WOMAN, WRITTEN BY HER LOVER. ()
- ALCANZAR. ()
- ALMEDA AND FLAVIA. ()
- AMANDA: AN ELEGY ON THE DEATH OF MRS. —, PERSONATING HER HUSBAND. ()
- ANOTHER EPISTLE TO NELL. ()
- THE CAPTIVATED SOLDIER. ()
- CELIA AND HER LOOKING GLASS. ()
- COLIN AND ALEXIS. ()
- DAMON AND PHILANDER. ()
- THE ENVIED KISS. ()
- AN EPISTLE TO MR. ROBERT BURNS. ()
- EPISTLE TO NELL, WROTE FROM LOUDOUN CASTLE. ()
- AN EXTEMPORARY ACROSTIC. ()
- THE FICKLE PAIR. ()
- FROM ALONZO TO DELIA. ()
- FROM DELIA TO ALONZO. ()
- FROM DELIA TO ALONZO. WHO HAD SENT HER A SLIGHTING EPISTLE. ()
- FROM FLAVIA TO CARLOS. ()
- FROM PHILANDER TO EUMENES. ()
- FROM SNIPE, A FAVOURITE DOG, TO HIS MASTER. May, 1791. ()
- GIVEN TO A LADY WHO ASKED ME TO WRITE A POEM. ()
- LOTHARIO. ()
- THE LOTTERY TICKET. ()
- LUCINA: AN ELEGY. ()
- THE MONTH'S LOVE. ()
- NELL'S ANSWER. ()
- ON A GENTLEMAN'S PROPOSING TO TRAVEL 300 MILES TO SEE J—. H—. ESQ.'S CHILD. ()
- ON A VISIT TO MR. BURNS. ()
- ON AN UNLOOKED-FOR SEPARATION FROM A FRIEND. ()
- ON HALLOWEEN. ()
- ON HAPPINESS. ()
- ON READING LADY MARY MONTAGUE AND MRS. ROWE'S LETTERS. ()
- ON SEEING MR. — BAKING CAKES. ()
- ON THE BIRTH OF J—. H—. ESQ.'S SON. NOVEMBER 15, 1790. ()
- ON THE DEATH OF J—. H—. ESQ. JUNE, 1790. ()
- ON THE SPRING. ()
- A POEM ON CONTENTMENT. INSCRIBED TO JANET NICOL, A POOR OLD WANDERING WOMAN, WHO LIVES BY THE WALL AT LOUDOUN AND USED SOMETIMES TO BE VISITED BY THE COUNTESS. ()
- THE RIVAL SWAINS. ()
- SYLVIA AND ARMEDA. ()
- TO A LADY WHO SENT THE AUTHOR SOME PAPER WITH A READING OF SILLAR'S POEMS. ()
- TO A LADY, A PATRONESS OF THE MUSES, ON HER RECOVERY FROM SICKNESS. ()
- TO A YOUNG MAN UNDER SENTENCE OF DEATH FOR FORGERY. FROM HIS MISTRESS. ()
- TO HOPE. ()
- TO MY AUNTY. ()
- TO NELL WHEN AT MOFFAT WELL. ()
- TO THE COUNTESS OF LOUDOUN. ()
- TO THE PUBLIC. ()
- THE UNFORTUNATE RAMBLER. ()
- UPON A YOUNG LADY'S BREAKING A LOOKING-GLASS. ()
- UPON A YOUNG LADY'S LEAVING LOUDOUN CASTLE. ()
- VERSES WRITTEN ON A FOREIGNER'S VISITING THE GRAVE OF A SWISS GENTLEMAN, BURIED AMONG THE DESCENDENTS OF SIR WILLIAM WALLACE, GUARDIAN OF SCOTLAND IN THE THIRTEENTH CENTURY. ()
- WILLIAM AND MARY. ()
- WRITTEN JANUARY FIRST, 1792. ()
- A YOUNG LADY'S LAMENTATION FOR THE LOSS OF HER SISTER BY MARRIAGE. ()
- THE YOUNG MAN'S RESOLUTION. ()