Produced by Louise Hope, Suzanne Shell and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net [Transcriber's Note: The illustration references are explained at the end of this file.] * * * * * [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.] * * * * * An Elegy on the Glory of Her Sex MRS. MARY BLAIZE by Dr. Oliver Goldsmith * * * * * [Illustration (painting, pic03.jpg)] [Illustration (drawing, pic04trans.gif)] Good people all, with one accord, Lament for Madam Blaize, Who never wanted a good word-- [Illustration (drawing, pic05trans.gif)] _From those_ [Illustration (drawing, pic06trans.gif)] _who spoke her praise._ [Illustration (painting, pic07.jpg)] [Illustration (drawing, pic08trans.gif)] The needy seldom pass'd her door, And always found her kind; She freely lent to all the poor-- [Illustration (drawing, pic09trans.gif)] _Who left_ [Illustration (drawing, pic10trans.gif)] _a pledge behind._ [Illustration (painting, pic11.jpg)] [Illustration (drawing, pic12trans.gif)] She strove the neighbourhood to please With manners wondrous winning; [Illustration (drawing, pic13trans.gif)] 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._ [Illustration (drawing, pic18trans.gif)] [Illustration (drawing, pic19trans.gif)] Her love was sought, I do aver, By twenty beaux and more; The King himself has follow'd her-- [Illustration (painting, pic20.jpg)] [Illustration (drawing, pic21trans.gif)] _When she has walk'd before._ [Illustration (drawing, pic22trans.gif)] 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._ [Illustration (painting, pic24.jpg)] [Illustration (drawing, pic25trans.gif)] * * * * * [Illustration: back cover (backtrans.gif) Randolph Caldecott's Picture Books "The humour of Randolph Caldecott's drawings is simply irresistible, no healthy-minded man, woman, or child could look at them without laughing." _In square crown 4to, picture covers, with numerous coloured plates._