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But such small licences must lovers brook；
Mere freedoms of the female corporation。
Woe to the man who ventures a rebuke！
'T will but precipitate a situation
Extremely disagreeable； but mon
To calculators when they count on woman。
The circle smiled； then whisper'd； and then sneer'd；
The Misses bridled； and the matrons frown'd；
Some hoped things might not turn out as they fear'd；
Some would not deem such women could be found；
Some ne'er believed one half of what they heard；
Some look'd perplex'd； and others look'd profound；
And several pitied with sincere regret
Poor Lord Augustus Fitz…Plantagenet。
But what is odd； none ever named the duke；
Who； one might think； was something in the affair；
True； he was absent； and； 't was rumour'd； took
But small concern about the when； or where；
Or what his consort did： if he could brook
Her gaieties； none had a right to stare：
Theirs was that best of unions； past all doubt；
Which never meets； and therefore can't fall out。
But； oh！ that I should ever pen so sad a line！
Fired with an abstract love of virtue； she；
My Dian of the Ephesians； Lady Adeline；
Began to think the duchess' conduct free；
Regretting much that she had chosen so bad a line；
And waxing chiller in her courtesy；
Look'd grave and pale to see her friend's fragility；
For which most friends reserve their sensibility。
There 's nought in this bad world like sympathy：
'T is so being to the soul and face；
Sets to soft music the harmonious sigh；
And robes sweet friendship in a Brussels lace。
Without a friend； what were humanity；
To hunt our errors up with a good grace？
Consoling us with… 'Would you had thought twice！
Ah； if you had but follow'd my advice！'
O job！ you had two friends： one 's quite enough；
Especially when we are ill at ease；
They are but bad pilots when the weather 's rough；
Doctors less famous for their cures than fees。
Let no man grumble when his friends fall off；
As they will do like leaves at the first breeze：
When your affairs e round； one way or t' other；
Go to the coffee…house； and take another。
But this is not my maxim： had it been；
Some heart…aches had been spared me： yet I care not…
I would not be a tortoise in his screen
Of stubborn shell； which waves and weather wear not。
'T is better on the whole to have felt and seen
That which humanity may bear； or bear not：
'T will teach discernment to the sensitive；
And not to pour their ocean in a sieve。
Of all the horrid； hideous notes of woe；
Sadder than owl…songs or the midnight blast；
Is that portentous phrase； 'I told you so；'
Utter'd by friends； those prophets of the past；
Who； 'stead of saying what you now should do；
Own they foresaw that you would fall at last；
And solace your slight lapse 'gainst 'bonos mores；'
With a long memorandum of old stories。
The Lady Adeline's serene severity
Was not confined to feeling for her friend；
Whose fame she rather doubted with posterity；
Unless her habits should begin to mend：
But Juan also shared in her austerity；
But mix'd with pity； pure as e'er was penn'd：
His inexperience moved her gentle ruth；
And （as her junior by six weeks） his youth。
These forty days' advantage of her years…
And hers were those which can face calculation；
Boldly referring to the list of peers
And noble births； nor dread the enumeration…
Gave her a right to have maternal fears
For a young gentleman's fit education；
Though she was far from that leap year； whose leap；
In female dates； strikes Time all of a heap。
This may be fix'd at somewhere before thirty…
Say seven…and…twenty； for I never knew
The strictest in chronology and virtue
Advance beyond； while they could pass for new。
O Time！ why dost not pause？ Thy scythe； so dirty
With rust； should surely cease to hack and hew。
Reset it； shave more smoothly； also slower；
If but to keep thy credit as a mower。
But Adeline was far from that ripe age；
Whose ripeness is but bitter at the best：
'T was rather her experience made her sage；
For she had seen the world and stood its test；
As I have said in… I forget what page；
My Muse despises reference； as you have guess'd
By this time；… but strike six from seven…and…twenty；
And you will find her sum of years in plenty。
At sixteen she came out； presented； vaunted；
She put all coronets into motion：
At seventeen； too； the world was still enchanted
With the new Venus of their brilliant ocean：
At eighteen； though below her feet still panted
A hecatomb of suitors with devotion；
She had consented to create again
That Adam； call'd 'The happiest of men。'
Since then she had sparkled through three glowing winters；
Admired； adored； but also so correct；
That she had puzzled all the acutest hinters；
Without the apparel of being circumspect：
They could not even glean the slightest splinters
From off the marble； which had no defect。
She had also snatch'd a moment since her marriage
To bear a son and heir… and one miscarriage。
Fondly the wheeling fire…flies flew around her；
Those little glitterers of the London night；
But none of these possess'd a sting to wound her…
She was a pitch beyond a coxb's flight。
Perhaps she wish'd an aspirant profounder；
But whatsoe'er she wish'd； she acted right；
And whether coldness； pride； or virtue dignify
A woman； so she 's good； what does it signify？
I hate a motive； like a lingering bottle
Which with the landlord makes too long a stand；
Leaving all…claretless the unmoisten'd throttle；
Especially with politics on hand；
I hate it； as I hate a drove of cattle；
Who whirl the dust as simooms whirl the sand；
I hate it； as I hate an argument；
A laureate's ode； or servile peer's 'content。'
'T is sad to hack into the roots of things；
They are so much intertwisted with the earth；
So that the branch a goodly verdure flings；
I reck not if an acorn gave it birth。
To trace all actions to their secret springs
Would make indeed some melancholy mirth；
But this is not at present my concern；
And I refer you to wise Oxenstiern。
With the kind view of saving an eclat；
Both to the duchess and diplomatist；
The Lady Adeline； as soon 's she saw
That Juan was unlikely to resist
（For foreigners don't know that a faux pas
In England ranks quite on a different list
From those of other lands unblest with juries；
Whose verdict for such sin a certain cure is）；…
The Lady Adeline resolved to take
Such measures as she thought might best impede
The farther progress of this sad mistake。
She thought with some simplicity indeed；
But innocence is bold even at the stake；
And simple in the world； and doth not need
Nor use those palisades by dames erected；
Whose virtue lies in never being detected。
It was not that she fear'd the very worst：
His Grace was an enduring； married man；
And was not likely all at once to burst
Into a scene； and swell the clients' clan
Of Doctors' mons： but she dreaded first
The magic of her Grace's talisman；
And next a quarrel （as he seem'd to fret）
With Lord Augustus Fitz…Plantagenet。
Her Grace； too； pass'd for being an intrigante；
And somewhat mechante in her amorous sphere；
One of those pretty； precious plagues； which haunt
A lover with caprices soft and dear；
That lik