Wit & humour > Gentle shepherd

C 4 3
If it were not for offending only your Ladyfhip,
here, Madam, I might give the fullefl liberty to my
Mufe to delineate the fineft of women, by drawing your
Ladyfliip’s character, and be in no hazard of being
deemed a flatterer; lince flattery lies not in paying
what is due to merit, but in praifes mifplaced.
Were I to begin with your Ladyfliip’s honourable
birth and alliance, the field is ample, and prefents us
with numberlefs, great and good patriots, that have
dignified the names of Kennedy and Montgomery.
Be that the care of the Herauld and Hiftorian: ’tis
perfonal merit, and the heavenly fweetnefs of the Fair,
that infpire the tuneful lays. Here every Lefbia muft
be excepted, whofe tongues give liberty to the flaves,
which their eyes had made captives. Such may be
flattered; but your Ladyfhip juftly claims our admira¬
tion and profoundefl refpeft: for whilft youarepofleft
of every outwarchcharm in the mofl perfeft degree, the
never-fading beauties of wifdom and piety, which a-
dorn your Ladyfhip’s mind, command devotion.
All this is very true, cries one of better fenfe than
good nature; but what occafion have you to tell us the
fun fhines, when we have the ufe of our eyes, and feel
his influence ? Very true; but I have the liberty
to ufe the Poet’s privilege, which is, ‘To fpeak what
‘ every body thinks.’ Indeed there might be fome
flrength in the reflexion, if the Idalian regifters were
of as fhort duration as life: but the Bard, who fondly
hopes