To look upon dress, upon shew, upon birth

To look upon dress, upon shew, upon birth,
As the noblest distinctions of life,
On riches as all that give pleasure on earth,
And that only cure sorrow and strife,
And though to the maxims one might say quoi bon,
Yet this is the life of a lady of ton.

Stale virtue and vice to erase from their list,
Those of life make a pitiful part,
Things certainly in people's mouths that exist,
But have nothing to do with the heart:
To maxims like these one may well say quoi bon,
Yet this is the life of a lady of ton.

Upon prudence as vulgar, and honesty low,
On each man of merit a brute,
As an angel, an ape, or, 'tis all one, a beau,
Dressed out in an elegant suit:
To maxims like these one may well say quoi bon,
Yet this is the life of a lady of ton.

To be short—in a church as the best place to make
Appointments, or charms to display;
And the time most commode of all others to take,
On Sunday, for cheating at play,
These maxims 'tis certain ne sont pas trop bon,
Yet this is the life of a lady of ton.