54 



Pale Irreligion aids, with practiced wiles, 

 While Vice disguised, o er future victims smiles. 

 Some needy hag as Pythoness is found 

 To lie, knock, swoon, or kick the table round. 

 For her, great Milton leaves his shining peers, 

 To talk with dunces of harmonious spheres 

 For her, staid Bacon skips around the room, 

 Upsets the chairs, or rides upon a broom ; 

 Happing some mystic nonsense, by the hour, 

 For gaping crowds, as gospel, to devour 

 While Saints and Devils, an obliging band, 

 Preach, pray, or cut their capers at command 

 Here, scheming Fraud supplies what Folly lacks ; 

 Who start as Fanatics, soon end as Quacks ! 



Elsewhere, Miss Grim her glowing vengeance 



wreaks 



On Man th usurper, and her protest squeaks 

 G-ainst Woman s wrongs! a revolution preaches 

 And shakes, in air, her flag a pair of breeches ! 

 Strong-minded creatures, grim and gaunt as spec 

 tres, 



All sit around chair-lady and projectors : 

 No smile, no grace, no love adorns their course ; 

 All hard, all square, all stern, all strong, all &quot;horse!&quot; 



