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    54 Blue-Stocking Revels:

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    Cantoiii.—The Supper

    The delight ran its rounds , till 'twas time to break up ; When Apollo , instead of the old parting cup , ( Which with ladies might not have been quite so decorous ) Exclaim'd , " Set the new parting dishes before us . " No sooner _exclaim'd than _accomplish'd . Behold Ev _' ry guest had a cover of exquisite mould ,

    Rich yet simple , of porcelain . Angelica ' s self Had had twice her attractions , with one on her shelf . The sides were all painted , not only with Muses And Loves , but with Lares , and sweet Household Uses Good Temper was laying a cloth for Good Heart , And the Graces were actually making a tart ! Each cover for knob had a ruby , heart-shap'd ;

    And the whole stood on legs , with white elegance _drap'd , — Legs bewitching , most feminine , _tipp'd with a shoe ; And the stockings ( mark that !) were a violet blue . All the room fell a whispering ;— " What can they be ?" " Is it drink ? " « is it cake ? " « morning dew ? " " Is it tea ?

    " I'd give millions to know , " said Miss Porter . " And I , " Said Miss Twalmley , " my head / ' Said Miss Landon , " V die . _" " You may see it expede , " said Mrs Gore , chuckling : " 'Tis something dress'd a la Sir John , —a la Suckling . " And 'twas so . —O Suckling , O gallant Sir John , Thou gentleman poet , first plume of the ton ;

    Who the reign of two Charleses , by anticipation , Didst mingle in one with thy cordial flirtation ; Fresh painter of " Weddings / ' great author of rare _" Poet-Sessions , " andpetit-soupes to the fair ; Unto whom thou didst make happy milliner-loves

    With bijou for the sweetmeats , and dishes of gloves , And send'st home the darlings in flutters of fan At the wit of the thought of the exquisite man ! O facile princeps of " wit about town , " What a bay clips thee now ! What a crown above crown ! Homer ' s self had but men for his copiers ; but thee Homer ' s very god copies , thou great bel esprit !

    ( 42 ) Sir John Suckling , the most genuine poet of his class , stood midway between the sentiment of the first Charles ' s time and the careless gallantry of the second . His ' Ballad on a Wedding / is as fresh as a painting done yesterday ; and will remain so as long as animal spirits and a taste for nature exist . He is the inventor of « Session * of the Poets . ' It is recorded of him , that he once gave a supper to th _« ladies of his acquaintance , at which , upon the covers being removed , one of tha courses turned out to consist of haberdashery and other such amenities ; doubtless of a taste and costliness proportioned to the spirit of the entertainer .

    54 Blue-Stocking Revels:

    54 Blue-Stocking Revels :

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), July 1, 1837, page 54, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/mrp_01071837/page/52/