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[Transcriber’s Note:  The illustration references are explained at the end of this file.]

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[Illustration:  Front Cover (frontcover.jpg)

An elegy on the Glory of her sex

Mrs Mary Blaize

R. Caldecott’s picture Books

Frederick Warne and Co.  Ltd.]

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An Elegy

on the Glory of Her Sex

MRS. MARY BLAIZE

by

Dr. Oliver Goldsmith

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[Illustration (painting, pic03.jpg)]

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Good people all,
  with one accord,
Lament for
  Madam Blaize,
Who never wanted
  a good word—­

[Illustration (drawing, pic05trans.gif)]

From those

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  who spoke her praise.

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The needy seldom pass’d her door,
  And always found her kind;
She freely lent to all the poor—­

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Who left

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  a pledge behind.

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She strove the neighbourhood to please
  With manners wondrous winning;

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And never follow’d wicked ways—­

[Illustration (drawing, pic14trans.gif)]

  Unless when she was sinning.

[Illustration (drawing, pic15trans.gif)]

At church, in silks and satins new,
  With hoop of monstrous size,
She never slumber’d in her pew—­

[Illustration (painting, pic16.jpg)]

[Illustration (drawing, pic17trans.gif)]

  But when she shut her eyes.

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Her love was sought, I do aver,
  By twenty beaux and more;
The King himself has follow’d her—­

[Illustration (painting, pic20.jpg)]

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  When she has walk’d before.

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But now, her wealth and finery fled,
  Her hangers-on cut short-all: 
The Doctors found, when she was dead
  Her last disorder mortal.

[Illustration (drawing, pic23trans.gif)]

Let us lament, in sorrow sore,
  For Kent Street well may say,
That had she lived a twelvemonth more,—­
  She had not died to-day.