THE

SCHOOL-MISTRESS.

A PO E M,

In Imitation of SPENSER.

By WILLIAM SHENSTONE, Efq;

Audita voces, vagitus & ingens, Infantumque anime flentes in Limine primo. VIRG.

ADVERTISEMENT..

What particulars in Spenfer were imagin'd moft proper for the Author's imitation on this occafion, are bis language, his fimplicity, his manner of description, and a peculiar tenderness of fentiment remarkable throughout his works.

A

I.

H me! full forely is my heart forlorn,

To think how modeft worth neglected lies; While partial Fame doth with her blasts adorn Such deeds alone, as pride and pomp disguise;

Deeds of ill fort, and mifchievous emprize!
Lend me thy clarion, goddefs! let me try
To found the praise of merit, ere it dies;
Such as I oft have chaunced to espy,
Loft in the dreary shades of dull obscurity.

II.

In every village mark'd with little fpire,
Embow'r'd in trees, and hardly known to Fame,
There dwells, in lowly fhed, and mean attire,
A matron old whom we school-mistress name;
Who boasts unruly brats with birch to tame.
They grieven fore, in piteous durance pent,
Aw'd by the pow'r of this relentless dame;
And oft-times on vagaries idly bent,

For unkempt hair, or task unconn'd, are forely fhent.

III.

And all in fight doth rise a birchen tree,

Which Learning near her little dome did stowe;
Whilom a twig of fmall regard to fee,

Though new fo wide its waving branches flow;
And work the fimple vaffals mickle woe;
For not a wind might curl the leaves that blew,
But their limbs shudder'd, and their pulse beat low
And, as they look'd, they found their horror grew,
And fhap'd it into rods, and tingled at the view.

IV. So

IV.

So have I feen (who has not may conceive,)
A lifeless phantom near a garden plac'd:
So doth it wanton birds of peace bereave,

Of sport, of fong, of pleasure, of repast;
They start, they ftare, they wheel, they look aghaft:
Sad fervitude! fuch comfortless annoy

May no bold Briton's riper age e'er taste!
Ne Superftition clog his dance of joy,

Ne vision empty, vain, his native bliss destroy.

V.

Near to this dome is found a patch fo

green,
On which the tribe their gambols do display;
And at the door impris'ning board is seen,
Left weakly wights of smaller fize should stray;
Eager, perdie, to bafk in funny day!

The noises intermix'd, which thence refound,

Do Learning's little tenement betray:

Where fits the dame, difguis'd in look profound,

And eyes her fairy throng, and turns her wheel around. VI.

Her cap, far whiter than the driven fnow,

Emblem right meet of decency does yield:
Her apron dy'd in grain, as blue, I trowe,
As is the Hare bell that adorns the field:

And

And in her hand, for fcepter, fhe does wield Tway birchen sprays; with anxious Fear entwin'd, With dark Diftruft, and fad Repentance fill'd; And stedfast Hate, and fharp Affliction join'd, And Fury uncontroul'd, and Chastisement unkind. VII:

Few but have ken'd, in femblance meet pourtray'd,
The childish faces of old Eol's train;

Libs, Notus, Aufter: these in frowns array'd,
How then would fare or earth, or sky, or main,
Were the ftern god to give his flaves the rein?
And were not she rebellious breafts to quell,
And were not she her ftatutes to maintain,

The cott no more, I ween, were deem'd the cell, Where comely peace of mind, and decent order dwell.

VIII.

A ruffet ftole was o'er her fhoulders thrown;

A ruffet kirtle fenc'd the nipping air; 'Twas fimple ruffet, but it was her own; ''Twas her own country bred the flock so fair 'Twas her own labour did the fleece prepare; And footh to fay, her pupils, rang'd around, Thro' pious awe, did term it paffing rare;

For they in gaping wonderment abound, [ground. And think, no doubt, fhe been the greatest wight on

IX. Albeit

IX.

Albeit ne flatt'ry did corrupt her truth,
Ne pompous title did debauch her ear;
Goody, good-woman, goffip, n'aunt, forfooth,
Or dame, the fole additions she did hear

;

Yet these she challeng'd, these she held right dear: Ne would efteem him act as mought behove,

Who fhould not honour'd eld with these revere:

For never title yet fo mean could

prove,

But there was eke a Mind which did that title love.

X.

One ancient hen fhe took delight to feed, The plodding pattern of the bufy dame; Which, ever and anon, impell'd by need, Into her school, begirt with chickens, came; Such favour did her past deportment claim: And, if Neglect had lavish'd on the ground Fragment of bread, fhe would collect the fame; For well she knew, and quaintly could expound, What fin it were to waste the smallest crumb fhe found.

XI.

Herbs too she knew, and well of each could speak, That in her garden fipp'd the filv'ry dew;

Where no vain flow'r difclos'd a gaudy streak;

But herbs for use, and phyfic, not a few,

Of