Excerpt from Description of a Journey to Marlborough, Bath, Portsmouth etc.
THE Muse her Journey, next, to Bath pursues;
Bath, fix'd by Nature to delight the Muse!
Where flow'ry Shrubs, and curling Vines unite;
Hills, Vales, and waving Woods attract the Sight;
A vary'd Scene! For Nature here displays
A thousand lovely Charms, a thousand Ways:
ALLEN attends, to dress her beauteous Face,
With Handmaid Art improving ev'ry Grace;
Now forms the verdant Walk, or sunny Glade,
Or pours the Waters o'er the steep Cascade;
Or now contracts 'em with judicious Skill,
And leads 'em, gently murm'ring, down the Hill.
A Son of AESCULAPIUS here I meet;
Polite his Manners, and his Temper sweet:
His sage Discourse, with soft, persuasive Art,
Charm'd the pleas'd Ear, till it improv'd the Heart:
Bright Truth, and Virtue, were his lovely Theme;
Which seem'd more lovely, when describ'd by him.
VARIOUS Diversions here employ the Fair;
To Dancing some, and some to Play repair:
Not *MUSIDORA so consumes her Days,
The Dame who bad me sing JEHOVAH's Praise:
Uncharm'd with all the flutt'ring Pomp of Pride,
Heav'n, and domestic Care her Time divide:
In her own Breast she seeks a calm Repose,
And shuns the crowded Rooms of Belles and Beaux;
Where COQUETILLA oft her Eyes has roll'd,
Oft won a worthless Heart, and lost her Gold.
Author's Note: Musidora is Mrs. Stanley, who desir'd the Author to write the Shunammite.
This is part of a longer poem about the author's travels around southern England. Many other excerpts from this poem can be found on Stephen Duck's author page.
Poetry Atlas also has a number of poems about Bath.