Ganderetta, encouraged, ftrips for the race; her amiable figure. Fusca the gypsey, her dirty figure. Tabitha her great reputation for fpeed; hired to the diffenting academy at Tewksbury. A fhort account of Gamaliel the mafter and his hopeful fcholars. Tabitha carrries weight. The fmock race. Tabitha's fall. Fufca's fhort triumph, her humiliation. Ganderetta's matchlefs fpeed. Hobbinol lays the prize at her feet. Their mutual triumph. The viciffitude of human affairs, experienced by Hobbinol. Mopfa, formerly his fervant, with her two children, appears to him. Mopfa's fpeech; affaults Ganderetta; her flight. Hobbinol's prodigious fright; is taken into cuftody by conftables, and dragged to Sir Rhadamanth's.

THOUGH fome of old, and some of modern

date,

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25

O thou of bards fupreme, Mæonides! What well-fed heroes grace thy hallow'd page! Laden with glorious fpoils, and gay with blood Of flaughter'd hofts, the victor chief returns. Whole Troy before him fled, and men and gods Oppos'd in vain for the brave man, whofe arm Repell'd his country's wrongs, ev'n he, the great Atrides, king of kings, ev'n he prepares With his own royal hand the fumptuous feast. Full to the brim, the brazen cauldrons smoke, Through all the bufy camp the rifing blaze Atteft their joy; heroes and kings forego Their ftate and pride, and at his elbow wait Obfequious. On a polish'd charger plac'd, The bulky chine with plenteous fat inlaid, Of golden hue, magnificently fhines The choiceft morfels fever'd to the gods, The hero next, well paid for all his wounds, The rich repaft divides with Jove; from out The fparkling bowl he draws the generous wine, Unmix'd, unmeafur'd; with unftinted joy His heart o'erflows. In like triumphant port 30 Sat the victorious Hobbinol; the crowd Tranfported view, and blefs their glorious chief : All Kiftfgate founds his praise with joint acclaim. Him every voice, him every knee confefs, In merit, as in right, their king. Upon Their flowery turf, Earth's painted lap, are fpread The rural dainties; fuch as Nature boon Prefents with lavish hand, or fuch as owe To Ganderetta's care their grateful tafte, Delicious. For the long fince prepar'd To celebrate this day, and with good chear To grace his triumpas. Crystal gooseberries Are pil'd on heaps; in vain the parent tree Defends her luscious fruit with pointed spears. The ruby tinctur'd corinth clustering hangs. And emulates the grape; green codlings float

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45

a

In dulcet creams: nor wants the last year's store
The hardy nut, in folid mail fecure,
Impregnable to winter frofts, repays
It's hoarder's care. The custard's jellied flood 50
Impatient youth, with greedy joy, devours.
Cheesecakes and pies, in various forms uprais'd,
In well-built pyramids, afpiring ftand.
Black hams, and tongues that speechlefs can per
fuade

To ply the brifk caroufe, and chear the foul
With jovial draughts. Nor does the jolly god
Deny his precious gifts; here jocund fwains,
In uncouth mirth delighted, fporting quaff
Their native beverage; in the brimming glafs
The liquid amber fmiles. Britons, no more
Dread your invading foes; let the falfe Gaul,
Of rule infatiate, potent to deceive,

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60

And great by fubtile wiles, from the adverfe shore

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90

Here, in a merry knot combin'd, the nymphs Pour out mellifluous ftreams, the balmy fpoils 80 Of the laborious bee. The modeft maid But coyly fips, and blushing drinks, abah'd: Each lover with obfervant eye behelds Her graceful fhame, and at her glowing cheeks Rekindles all his fires, but matrons fage, Better experienc'd, and inftructed well In midnight mysteries, and feaft-rites old, Grafp the capacious bowl; nor cease to draw The fpumy nectar. Healths of gay import Fly merrily about: now Scandal fly, Infinuating, gilds the fpecious tale With treacherous praife, and with a double face Ambiguous Wantonnefs demurely fncers : Till circling brimmers every veil withdraw, And dauntless Impudence appears unmask'd. Others apart, in the cool fhade retir'd, Silurian cyder quaff, by that great bard Enobled, who first taught my groveling Mufe To mount aerial. O! could I but raife My feeble voice to his exalted strains, Or to the height of this great argument, The generous liquid in each line fhould bound Spirituous, nor oppreffive cork fubdue Its foaming rage; but, to the lofty theme Unequal, Mufe, decline the pleafing task.

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Thus

Thus they luxurious, on the graffy turf, Revel'd at large, while nought around was heard But mirth confus'd, and undiftinguish'd joy, And laughter far refounding; ferious Care Found here no place. To Ganderetta's breast Retiring; there with hopes and fears perplex'd Her fluctuating mind. Hence the foft figh Efcapes unheeded, fpight of all her art; The trembling blushes on her lovely cheeks Alternate ebb and flow; from the full glass She flies abftemious, shuns th' untafied feast : But careful Hobbino!, whofe amorous eye From her's ne'er wander'd, haunting fill the place

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220

Where his dear treasure lay, discover'd foon
Her fecret woe, and bore a lover's part.
Compaffion melts his foul, her glowing cheeks
He kifs'd, enamour'd, and her panting heart
He prefs'd to his; then with thefe foothing words,
Tenderly smiling, her faint hopes reviv'd.
"Courage, my Fair! the fplendid prize is
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thine.

"Indulgent Fortune will not damp our joys, "Nor blaft the glories of this happy day. "Hear me, ye (wains! ye men of Kiftfgate!

hear:

"Though great the honours by your hands conferr'd,

"These royal ornaments, though great the force "Of this puiffant arm, as all must own, "Who faw this day the bold Gorgonius fall; "Yet were 1 more renown'd for feats of arms, "And knightly prowess, than that mighty Guy, "So fam'd in antique fong, Warwick's great earl, "Who flew the giant Colbrand, in fierce fight • Maintain'd a fummer's day, and freed this realm "From Danish vaffalage; his ponderous fword, «And mafly spear, atteft the glorious deed; "Nor lefs his hofpitable foul is feen

140 In that capacious cauldron, whose large freight "Might feaft a province; yet were I like him,

The nation's pride, like him I could forego "All earthly grandeur, wander through the world R6 A jocund pilgrim, in the lonesome den, 145 "And rocky cave, with these my royal hands Scoop the cold streams with herbs and roots con

tent,

Mean fuftenance; could I by this but gain "For the dear Fair, the prize her heart defires. "Believe me, charming maid! I'd be a worm, "The meanest infect, and the lowest thing "The world despises, to enhance thy fame." So chear'd he his fair queen, and fhe was chear'd. Now with a noble confidence infpir'd, Her looks affure fuccefs, now ftripp'd of all 155 Her cumbrous veftments, beauty's vain disguise, She shines unclouded in her native charms. Her plaited hair behind her in a brede Hung careless, with becoming grace each blush Varied her cheeks, than the gay rifing dawn 160 More lovely, when the new-born light falutes The joyful earth, impurpling half the skies.

Her heaving breaft, through the thin covering view'd,

170

Fix'd each beholder's eye; her taper thighs,
And lineaments exact, would mock the kill 165
Of Phidias; Nature alone can form
Such due proportion. To compare with her,
Oread, or Dryad, or of Delia's train,
Fair virgin huntress, for the chace array'd,
With painted quiver and unerring bow,
Were but to leffen her fuperior mein,
And goddefs-like deport. The mafter's hand,
Rare artizan with proper shades improves
His lively colouring; fo here, to grace
Her brighter charms, next her upon the plain
Fufca the brown appears, with greedy eye
Views the rich prize, her tawny front eres
Audacious, and with her legs unclean,
Booted with grim, and with her freckled skin,
Offends the crowd. She of the Gypfy train 180
Had wander'd long, and the fun's fcorching rays
Imbrown'd her vifage grim; artful to view
1 he (preading palm, and with vile cant deceive
The love-fick maid, who barters all her store
For airy vifions and fallacious hope.
185
Gorgonius, if the current fame fay true,
Her comrade once, they many a merry prank
Together play'd, and many a mile had stroll'd,
For him fit mate. Next Tabitha the tall
Strode o'er the plain, with huge gigantic pace,
And overlook'd the crowd, known far and near
For matchless fpeed; the many a prize had won,
Pride of that neighbouring mart, for muflard
fam'd,

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Sharp-biting grain, where amicably join
The fifter floods, and with their liquid arms 195
Greeting embrace. Here Gamaliel fage,
Of Cameronian brood, with ruling rod
Trains up his babes of grace, inftructed well
In all the gainful difcipline of prayer;
To point the holy leer, by just degrees
To clofe the twinkling eye, t' expand the paims
T'expofe the whites, and with the fightless ball
To glare upon the crowd, to raise or fink
The docile voice, now murmuring foft and low
With inward accent calm, and then again
In foaming floods of rapturous eloquence,
Let loose the form, and thunder through the nofe
The threaten'd vengeance: every Mule profane
Is banish'd hence, and, Heliconian streams
Deferted, the fam'd Leman lake fupplies
More plenteous draughts, of more divine import.
Hail, happy youths! on whom indulgent Heaven
Each grace divine beflows; nor yet denies
Carnal beatitudes, fweet privilege
Of faints elect! Royal prerogative!
Here in domeftic cares employ'd, and bound
To annual fervitude, frail Tabitha,
Her priftine vigour loft, now mourns in vain
Her sharpen'd vifage, and the fickly qualms

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That

*Tewksbury in the Vale of Evesham, where the Avon runs into the Sevein.

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235

Room for the mafter of the ring; ye fwains! Divide your crowded ranks. See! there on high The glittering prize, on the tall ftandard borne, Waving in air; before him march in files The rural miniftrelfy, the rattling drum Of folemn found, and th' animating horn, Each huntfman's joy; the tabor and the pipe, Companion dear at feafts, whofe chearful notes Give life and motion to th' unwieldy clown. Ern Age revives, and the pale puking maid Feels ruddy health rekindling on her checks, And with new vigour trips it o'er the plain. Counting each careful step, he paces o'cr Th' allotted ground, and fixes at the goal His ftandard, there himself majestic fwells. Stretch'd in a line, the panting rivals wait Th' expected fignal, with impatient eyes Meafure the space between, and in conceit Already grafp the warm-contested prize. Now all at once rufh forward to the goal, And ftep by step, and fide by side, they ply Their bufy feet, and leave the crowd behind. Quick heaves each breaft, and quick they fhoot along,

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245

Thro' the divided air, and bound it o'er the plain.

250

To this, to that, capricious Fortune deals
Short hopes, fhort fears, and momentary joy.
The breathlefs throng with open throats pursue,
And broken accents fhout imperfect praise.
Such noifé confus'd is heard, fuch wild uproar,
When on the main the fwelling furges rife,
Dah o'er the rocks, and, hurrying through the
flood,

Drive on each other's backs, and crowd the ftrand.

Before the reft tall Tabitha was feen,
Stretching amain, and whirling o'er the field;
Swift as the fhooting ftar that gilds the night
With rapid tranfient blaze, fhe runs, she flies;
Sudden the ftops, nor longer can endure
The painful courfe, but drooping finks away,
And, like that falling meteor, there fhe lies
A jelly cold on earth. Fufca, with joy,
Meheld her wretched plight; o'er the pale corfe
flting bounds; Hope gave her wings, and

now,

Exerting all her fpeed, step after step,

265

At Ganderetta's elbow urg'd her way,
Her shoulder preffing, and with poisonous breath
Tainting her ivory neck. Long while had held
The harp conteft, had not propitious Heaven,
With partial hands, to fuch tranfcendent charms
Difpens'd its favours. For as o'er the green
The careless Gypfy, with incautious ipeed,
Pah'd forward, and her rival-Fair had reach'd
VOL. V.

275

She darts along, and with refracted rays
Paints the gay clouds; celeftial meffenger,
Charg'd with the high behefts of Heaven's great

queen!

295

Her at the goal with open arms receiv'd
Fond Hobbinol; with active leap he feiz'd
The coftly prize, and laid it at her feet.
Then paufing food, dumb with excefs of joy,
Expreffive filence! for each tender glance
Betray'd the raptures that his tongue conceal'd.
Lefs mute the crowd, in echoing fhouts, aps
plaud

310

Her fpeed, her beauty, his obfequious love.
-Upon a little eminence, whofe top,
O'erlook'd the plain, a steep, but short afcent,
Plac'd in a chair of ftate, with garlands crown'd,
And loaded with the fragrance of the spring,
Fair Ganderetta fhone; like mother Eve
In her gay fylvan lodge, delicious bower!
Where Nature's wanton hand, above the reach
Of rule, or art, had lavifh'd all her store,
To deck the flowery roof; and at her fide,
Imperial Hobbinol, with front fub.ime,
Great as a Roman conful, juft return'd
From cities fack'd, and provinces laid waste,
In his paternal wicker fat, enthron'd.
With eager eyes the crowd about them prefs,
Ambitious to behold the happy pair.
Each voice, each inftrument, proclaims their
joy

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25

Two fifter eagles, ftately ponderous birds!
The air's a defart, and the feather'd race
Fly to the neighbouring coverts dark retreats.
The royal pair on wing, this whirls around
In circles wide, or like the fwallow skims
The ruffet plain, and mimics as the flies
(By many a fleepless night inftructed well)
The hound's loud openings, or the fpaniel's queft.
What cannot wakeful induftry fubdue!

Mean while that mounts on high, and feems to view

A black afcending cloud; when pierc'd the gloom Of vapours dank' condens'd, the fun's bright beams

Borne on angelic wings, look down with scorn On this mean leffening world, and knaves grown rich,

By chance, or fraud, or infolence of power.
Now from her highest pitch, by quick degrees,
With lefs anibition nearer earth fhe tends, 50
As yet fcarce vifible; and high in air
Pois'd on extended wings, with fharper ken
Attentive marks whate'er is done below.
Thus fome wife general from a rifing ground
Obferves th' embattled foe, where ferried ranks
Forbid accefs, or where their order loofe
Invites th' attack, and points the way to fate.
All now is tumult, each heart fwells with joy,
The falconers fhout, and the wide concave rings,

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85

8:

90

Return the varied founds. Forth burfts the ftag,
Nor trufts the mazes of his deep recefs:
Fear hid him close, strange inconfiftent guide!
Now hurries him aghaft with bufy feet
Far o'er the fpacious plain; he pants to reach
The mountains brow, or with unsteady step
To climb the craggy cliff: the greyhounds itrain
Behind to pinch his haunch, who fearce evades
Their gaping jaws. One eagle wheeling flies 70
In airy labyrinths, or with eafier wing
Skims by his fide, and ftuns his patient ear
With hideous cries, then peals his forehead broad,
Or at her eyes his fatal malice aims.
The other, like the bolt of angry heaven,
Darts down at once, and fixes on his back
Her griping talons, ploughing with her beak
His pamper'd chine: the blood, and fweat diftill'd
From many a dripping furrow, ftains the foil.
Who pities not this fury haunted wretch
Embarrafs'd thus, on every fide diftrefs'd?
Death will relieve him: for the greyhounds fierce,
Seizing their prey, foon drag him to the ground:
Groaning he falls; with eyes that fwim in tears
He looks on man, chief author of his woe,
And weeps, and dies. The grandees prefs around
To dip their fabres in his boiling blood;
Unteemly joy! 'Tis barbarous to infult
A fallen woe. The dogs, and birds of prey
Infatiate, on his reeking bowels feast,
But the fern falconer claims the lion's fhare.
Such are the fports of kings, and better far
Than royal robbery, and the bloody jaws
Of all-devouring war. Each an mal
By natural instinct taught, fpares his own kind:
But than, the tyrant man, revels at large,
Free-booter unreftrain'd, deftroys at will
The whole creation, men and beats his prey,
Thefe for his pleafure, for his glory thofe.
Next will I fing the valiant falcon's fame,
Aerial fights, where no confederate brute
Join in the bloody fray; but bird with bird
Jafs in mid-air. Lo! at his fiege the hern,
Upon the bank of fome fmall purling brook,
Obfervant ftands to take his fealy prize,
Himilf another's game. For mark behind
The wily falconer creeps; his grazing horfe
Conceals his treacherous foe, and on his fift
Th' unhooded faicon fits with eager eyes
She meditates her prey, and, in her wi d
Conceit, already plumes the dying bird.
Up frings tehern, redoubling every Broke,
Contcious of danger ftretches far away,
With bufy penons and projected beak,
Piercing th' opponent clouds: the falcon swift
Follows at speed, mounts as he mounts, for hope
Gives vigour to her wings. Another foon
Strains after to fupport the bold attack.
Perhaps a third. As in fome winding creek,
On proud Iberia's fhere, the corfairs fly
Lurk waiting to furprize a Britifh fail,
Bull-freighted from Hetruria & friendly ports,
Or rich Byzantium, after her they foud,
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Dafn

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