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Mary Darby Robinson - Female Fashions for 1799
Work rating: Medium

A form, as any taper, fine ;
         A head like half-pint bason ;
     Where golden cords, and bands entwine,
         As rich as fleece of JASON.

     A pair of shoulders strong and wide,
         Like country clown enlisting ;
     Bare arms long dangling by the side,
         And shoes of ragged listing !

    Cravats like towels, thick and broad,
       Long tippets made of bear-skin,
   Muffs that a RUSSIAN might applaud,
       And rouge to spoil a fair skin.

   Long petticoats to hide the feet,
       Silk hose with clocks of scarlet ;
   A load of perfume, sick`ning sweet,
       Bought of PARISIAN VARLET.

   A bush of hair, the brow to shade,
       Sometimes the eyes to cover ;
   A necklace that might be display`d
       By OTAHEITEAN lover !

   A bowl of straw to deck the head,
       Like porringer unmeaning ;
   A bunch of POPPIES flaming red,
       With motly ribands streaming.

   Bare ears on either side the head,
       Like wood-wild savage SATYR ;
   Tinted with deep vermilion red,
       To shame the blush of nature.

   Red elbows, gauzy gloves, that add
       An icy cov`ring merely ;
   A wadded coat, the shape to pad,
       Like Dutch-women — or nearly.

   Such is CAPRICE ! but, lovely kind !
       Oh ! let each mental feature
   Proclaim the labour of the mind,
       And leave your charms to NATURE.
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