and Atossa were added after the first edition. The lady of the
title is Pope’s long-standing friend Martha Blount.
7 Arcadia’s countess referring to The Countesse of
Pembrokes Arcadia (1590) by Sir Philip Sidney. The
countess was painted as a shepherdess by J.van der
Vaart.
8 Pastora a pastoral heroine as above.
9 Fannia a Roman name possibly recalling a famous
adulteress who saved the life of the Roman general
Marius.
10 Leda seduced by Zeus in the form of a swan.
12 Magdalen Mary Magdalene the repentant sinner.
13 Cecilia patron saint of music.
16 romantic extravagant.
18 trick her off sketch her.
20 Cynthia goddess of the moon, associated with change.
21 Rufa redhead.
22 spark a beau.
23 Locke John Locke, the philosopher.
24 Sappho the Greek poetess, referring to Lady Mary
Wortley Montagu whose dirty clothes were often
remarked upon. See ‘To Bolingbroke’, line 164.
26 mask a masked ball, a masquerade.
29 Silia The name suggests silence.
31 nice punctilious. Calista is the penitent heroine of The
Fair Penitent by Nicolas Rowe.
32 Simplicius a commentator upon the Stoic Epictetus.
37 Papillia Latin for butterfly.
43 nice discriminating.
45 Calypso the nymph who detained Ulysses on his
return from Troy.
53 Narcissa The name suggests vanity.
54 wash a lotion for the hair or the skin.
57 trim dress.
63 Taylor Holy Living and Holy Dying (1650–1), a
popular devotional work by Jeremy Taylor.
64 citron brandy flavoured with lemon peel.
Chartres a notorious rake.