Daily National Intelligencer

THE LADDER OF LOVE.

ADMIRATION
While graceful Chloe leads the gay Quadrille,
What new sensations Strephon's bosom fill:
An introduction gain'd, the youth advances,
And hopes she's disengaged the two next dances.

FLIRTATION,
His suit obtained, they tread the mazy round :
At length, fatigu'd, a seat's convenient found ;
Strephon assiduous plies the glittering fan,
And proves himself 'a very nice young man.

APPROBATION.
With favoring smiles the young one hears his prattle,
Sips lemonade, and vows he's quite a rattle:
Then, as new raptures rise in every glance,
Exclaims, " I think we'd better join the dance."

DECLARATION.
Next morn he calls, the custom's very old,
To hope the lady has not taken cold :
Thinks she looks charming in a dishabille,
And tells what pangs his stricken'd bosom thrill.

HESITATION,
Her secret joy while soft confusion veils,
Miss gently checks her swain's romantic tales :
"She's sure Mamma will think these raptures wild.
She knows not how to act-she's quite a child."

AGITATION.
With sighs and vows persists the wounded swain
Begs she'll" recall those words, and think again:
Fearless of frowns, or veto, from Mamma,
The softening Nymph refers him to Papa.

ACCEPTATION.
Joy in his looks, and raptures on his tongue,
On neat red tape his various parchments strung ;
See Strephon bears the mystic circlet high,
Which bids hope's tide flow strong—bids terrors fly.

SOLEMNIZATION,
At church arriv'd on some unlucky day,
Poor Chloe falters out the word " obey."
Thus, of Love's Ladder gain d the topmast place
Her downward course the sorrowing Muse must trace

POSSESSION.
The honey moon aud raptures fled together.
Behold a rural walk in dirty weather !
The stile is slippery, but in vain the dame
Sues for that aid, which once uncall'd for eame.

BUMINATION
An evening tete-a-tete you shall next sce.
No friendly chat succeeds departed tea ;
Blue burn the candles, and the nymph looks blae
And rumination serves them both to rue.

ALTERATION,
No more a social walk the morn employs,
A greasy Novel constitutes her joys;
While he, poor soul! condemned alone to saunter.
Dines with some friend, and empties his decanter.

IRRITATION.
Return'd at eve, unnumber'd queries wait him.
And she, who lov'd so late, appears to hate him:
From trifles light as air the quarrel swells,
The husband bullies, and the wife rebels.

DISPUTATION.
Fierce and more fierce the wordy contest grows,
Taunts, gibes, and sneers, and every thing but blows;
Each to a separate couch in rage retires,
Whence sleep is banish'd by vexation's fires.

DESPERATION.
Breakfast renews the quarrel of my fable,
She spoils the tea, and he upsets the table ;
All patience lost, no power can peace impart.
Only in one thing they're agreed~to part.

DETESTATION.
Loud she proclaims the thousands which she brought him
He, cool retorts, "'twas only that which caught him :"
The world shall know your conduet, brute!' she cries;
Sooner the better, Sweet !' the youth replies.

SEPARATION.
Equipped for starting see these quondam turtles.
Dead are Love's roses, withered all his myrtles:
Such are the ups and downs of Love's short story,
"For better and for worse"'tis death or glory.

Some crabbed old bachelor, envying others
the pleasures he has never tasted, must have
penned this caricature of love and marriage, to
gratify his spleen.