EPILOGUE

TO THE

SECOND EDITION;

CONTAINING

CRITICISMS, and the GUIDE'S CONVERSATION with three LADIES of Piety, Learning, and Discretion.

A Letter to Miss JENNY W-D-R at Bath, from Lady ELIZ. M-D-ss, her Friend in the Country; a young Lady of neither Fashion, Taste, nor Spirit.

The CONVERSATION continued.-Their LADY SHIPS' Receipt for a NOVEL.-The GHOST of Mr. QUIN.

EPILOGUE;

CONTAINING

CRITICISMS, and the GUIDE'S CONVERSATION with three LADIES of Piety, Learning, and Discretion.

THERE

HERE are who complain that my verse is severe,

And what is much worse-that my Book is too dear:

The Ladies protest that I keep no decorum

In setting such patterns of folly before 'em:
Some cannot conceive what the GUIDE is about,
With names so unmeaning to make such a rout.
Lady DOROTHY SCRAWL would engage to bespeak
A hundred such things to be made in a week:
Madam SHUFFLEDUMDOO, more provoking than that,
Has sold your poor GUIDE for two fish and a mat;
A sweet medium paper, a book of fine size,

And a print that I hop'd would have suited her eyes.

P

And another good lady, of delicate taste,
Cries, "Fie! Mr. Bookseller, bring me some paste;

"I'll close up this leaf, or my daughter will skim "The cream of that vile methodistical hymn."Then stuck me down fast-so unfit was my page To meet the chaste eyes of this virtuous age.

GUIDE.] O spare me, good Madam, it goes to my heart With my sweet methodistical letter to part.

Away with your paste! 'tis exceedingly hard

Thus to torture and cramp an unfortunate bard:

How my Muse will be shock'd, when she's just taking flight,

To find that her pinions are fasten'd so tight!

First LADY.] Why you know, beyond reason, and de

cency too,

Beyond all respect to religion that's due,

Your dirty satirical work you pursue.

I very well know whom you meant to affront

In the pictures of PRUDENCE, and TABITHA RUNT.