And in anticipation of that hour, Her star of hope--her paradise of thought, She'd had as many masters as the power Of riches could bestow; and had been taught The thousand nameless graces that adorn The daughters of the wealthy and high born. CXIV. She had been noticed at some public places (The Battery, and the balls of Mr. Whale), For hers was one of those attractive faces, That when you gaze upon them, never fail To bid you look again; there was a beam, A lustre in her eye, that oft would seem CXV. A little like effrontery; and yet The lady meant no harm; her only aim Was but to be admired by all she met, And the free homage of the heart to claim; And if she show'd too plainly this intention, Others have done the same--'twas not of her invention. CXVI. She shone at every concert; where are bought Tickets, by all who wish them, for a dollar; She patronised the Theatre, and thought That Wallack look'd extremely well in Rolla; She fell in love, as all the ladies do, With Mr. Simpson--talked as loudly, too, CXVII. As any beauty of the highest grade, To the gay circle in the box beside her; And when the pit--half vex'd and half afraid, With looks of smother'd indignation eyed her, She calmly met their gaze, and stood before 'em, Smiling at vulgar taste and mock decorum. CXVIII. And though by no means a _bas bleu_, she had For literature a most becoming passion; Had skimm'd the latest novels, good and bad, And read the Croakers, when they were in fashion; And Doctor Chalmers' sermons, of a Sunday; And Woodworth's Cabinet, and the new Salmagundi. CXIX. She was among the first and warmest patrons Of Griscom's _conversaziónes_ where In rainbow groups, our bright-eyed maids and matrons, On science bent, assemble; to prepare Themselves for acting well, in life, their part As wives and mothers. There she learn'd by heart CXX. Words, to the witches in Macbeth unknown. _Hydraulics_, _hydrostatics_, and _pneumatics_, _Dioptrics_, _optics_, _katoptrics_, _carbon_, _Chlorine_, and _iodine_, and _aërostatics_; Also,--why frogs, for want of air, expire; And how to set the Tappan sea on fire! CXXI. In all the modern languages she was Exceedingly well versed; and had devoted, To their attainment, far more time than has, By the best teachers lately, been allotted; For she had taken lessons, twice a week, For a full month in each; and she could speak CXXII. French and Italian, equally as well As Chinese, Portuguese, or German; and, What is still more surprising, she could spell Most of our longest English words off hand; Was quite familiar in Low Dutch and Spanish, And thought of studying modern Greek and Danish.