Alexander Pope: Selected Poetry and Prose

136 Rosamonda’s lake a pond in St James’s Park.
137 Partridge the absurd John Partridge, a contemporary
astrologer who repeatedly predicted the deaths of the
Pope and the king of France (a rival kingdom)
without success.
138 Galileo’s eyes the telescope.

EPISTLE TO MISS BLOUNT, ON HER LEAVING

THE TOWN, AFTER THE CORONATION

The coronation is that of George I in 1714. Zephalinda is a
name used by Teresa Blount, and her sister Martha is spoken
of as Parthenissa elsewhere.

4 spark a fashionable young man.

7 Zephalinda The name suggests youth and beauty,

from zephyr, a spring wind.

11 plain-work simple sewing as opposed to intricate

embroidery involving purling stitches. The stale

poetical cliché ‘purling brooks’ is enlivened by the

pun.

15 bohea a blend of tea.

24 whisk...sack the entertainment and the drink of the

less sophisticated.

26 buss ‘an enthusiastic kiss; “we buss our wantons, but

our wives we kiss”’ (Herrick) (OED).

38 flirt literally means a sudden movement of the fan.

47 Gay John Gay, who wrote The Beggar’s Opera, a

close

friend of Pope.

48 chairs sedan chairs.

ELOISA TO ABELARD

4 Vestal a virgin priestess of the Roman goddess Vesta,

by transference a nun.

7 Abelard an historical figure, Pierre Abélard (1079–

1142), a French theologian. Eloisa (Héloïse) was one of