To
POLLY
LAURENCE
,
quitting
the
Pump
.
BATH
,
January
1756.
SPITE
of
beauty
,
air
,
and
grace
,
With
honour
hast
thou
run
thy
race
!
In
sunshine
well
thy
part
thou'st
play'd
—
Now
,
sweet
Polly
,
seek
the
shade
.
The
prudent
general
,
tho'
beat
,
Reaps
honour
from
a
good
retreat
;
But
nobler
thou
,
thy
thousands
kill'd
,
With
flying
colours
leav'st
the
field
.
Let
not
retirement
give
the
spleen
,
Thy
sex's
longing
—
to
be
seen
:
But
teach
the
vicious
and
the
vain
,
Their
pleasure's
but
refining
pain
.
Teach
the
gay
by
thy
retreat
,
Eternal
giggle
is
not
wit
;
And
the
formal
fool
advise
,
Prudery
cannot
make
her
wise
.
Take
with
thee
to
thy
private
state
Th'
applauses
of
the
good
and
great
;
The
best
reward
below
allow'd
Of
a
conduct
great
and
good
.