The
PENITENT
.
Occasion'd
by
the
Author's
being
asked
if
she
would
take
Ten
Pounds
for
her
Poems
.
WHEN
Parthenissa
talk'd
to-day
Of
Profits
and
of
Mira's
Lay
,
And
list'ning
Mira
heard
the
Sound
Of
number
Ten
with
added
Pound
,
The
saucy
Minx
betray'd
her
Pride
,
And
turn'd
her
scornful
Head
aside
:
You
,
doubtless
,
Madam
,
wonder'd
why
,
And
hardly
could
believe
'twas
I
:
But
all
have
Faults
,
and
'twou'd
be
vain
To
boast
a
Heart
that's
free
from
Stain
.
This
Maxim
Mira
prov'd
was
true
,
No
golden
Apples
lay
in
view
Across
her
Path
—
and
yet
she
fell
:
The
Cause
—
have
Patience
and
we'll
tell
,
You
saw
not
—
no
,
to
my
Surprize
It
scap'd
your
penetrating
Eyes
;
The
wicked
Knot
—
'twas
new
to-day
,
The
Knot
—
what
Colour
was
it
,
pray
?
So
gay
,
'twou'd
make
a
Hermit
vain
;
Then
wonder
not
at
Mira's
Brain
.
But
now
disrob'd
—
with
dirty
Shoes
And
Apron
ragged
as
the
Muse
,
In
Night-cap
tight
and
wrapping
Gown
,
No
more
is
seen
the
haughty
Frown
;
The
fatal
Top-knot
laid
aside
With
its
destructive
Daughter
Pride
.
The
vain
Chimeras
all
are
flown
,
And
Reason
re-assumes
her
Throne
.
Now
,
could
you
find
an
honest
Dealer
,
(
As
an
Attorney
or
a
Taylor
)
Who
wants
a
Muse
that's
not
too
dear
,
Send
him
directly
you
know
where
:
We
for
a
Trifle
shall
not
part
,
Nor
from
an
easy
Bargain
start
,
And
that
his
Purchase
may'nt
be
hard
,
I'll
add
of
Packthread
half
a
Yard
,
To
satisfy
the
greedy
Lout
,
And
bind
the
Papers
round
about
.