The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift/Volume 17/On Mrs. Tofts

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The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, Volume 17
(c. 1710–1730)
by Jonathan Swift, edited by Thomas Sheridan, John Nichols, John Boyle, Patrick Delany, John Hawkesworth, Deane Swift, William Bowyer, John Birch, and George Faulkner

On Mrs. Tofts

Two or Three, or a Receipt to Make a Cuckold

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This work was probably written by Alexander Pope. See The Works of Alexander Pope (1995). Wordsworth Edition Ltd. p. 391.

1676935The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, Volume 17
— On Mrs. Toftsc. 1710-1730Jonathan Swift

ON MRS. TOFTS^[1].

SO bright is thy beauty, so charming thy song,
As had drawn both the beasts and their Orpheus along:
But such is thy av'rice, and such is thy pride.
That the beasts must have starv'd, and the poet have died.

↑ Mrs. Tofts was the daughter of a person in the family of Dr. Burnet, bishop of Salisbury. She lived at the introduction of the opera into this kingdom, and sung in company with Nicolini; but, being ignorant of Italian, chanted her recitative in English, in answer to his Italian: but the charms of their voices overcame this absurdity. Her character may be collected from the above epigram. She retired from England, and died at Venice about the year 1760.

[1] Mrs. Tofts was the daughter of a person in the family of Dr. Burnet, bishop of Salisbury. She lived at the introduction of the opera into this kingdom, and sung in company with Nicolini; but, being ignorant of Italian, chanted her recitative in English, in answer to his Italian: but the charms of their voices overcame this absurdity. Her character may be collected from the above epigram. She retired from England, and died at Venice about the year 1760.

[1]

The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift/Volume 17/On Mrs. Tofts

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