e fourth edition
of ten years later it stands, with the verses already described, at the
beginning of Volume I.

[23]
In the Preface to _Lasselia_ (1723), for instance, she feels obliged to
defend herself from "that Aspersion which some of my own Sex have been
unkind enough to throw upon me, that I seem to endeavour to divert more
than to improve the Minds of my Readers. Now, as I take it, the Aim of
every Person, who pretends to write (tho' in the most insignificant and
ludicrous way) ought to tend at least to a good Moral Use; I shou'd be
sorry to have my Intentions judg'd to be the very reverse of what they
are in reality. How far I have been able to succeed in my Desires of
infusing those Cautions, too necessary to a Number, I will not pretend
to determine; but where I have had the Misfortune to fail, must impute
it either to the Obstinacy of those I wou'd persuade, or to my own
Deficiency in that very Thing which they are pleased to say I too much
abound in--a true description of Nature."

[24]
An eight page verse satire entitled _The Female Dunces. Inscribed to Mr.
Pope_ (1733) after criticizing the conduct of certain well known ladies,
concludes with praise of a nymph who we may believe was intended to
represent Eliza Haywood:

"Eliza good Examples shews in vain,
Despis'd, and laugh'd at by the _vicious Train_;
So bright she shines, she might adorn a Throne
Not with a _borrow'd_ Lustre, but her Own."

[25]
A single exception was _The Surprise_ (1724), dedicated to Steele in the
following words: "The little History I presume to offer, being composed
of Characters full of Honour and Generosity, I thought I had a fit
Opportunity, by presenting it to one who has made it so much his Study
to infuse those Principles, and whose every Action is a shining Example
of them, to express my Zeal in declaring myself with all imaginable
Regard," etc., etc.

[26]
See the Dedication to _The Fatal Secret_ (1724). "But as I am a Woman,
and consequently depriv'd of those Advantages of Education which the
other Sex enjoy, I cannot so far flatter my Desires, as to imagine it in
my Power to soar to any Subject higher than that which Nature is not
negligent to teach us.
"Love is a Topick which I believe few are ignorant of; there requires no
Aids of Learning, no general Conversation, no Application; a shady Grove
and purling Stream are all Things that's necessary to give us an Idea of
the tender Passion. This is a Them