From which I never could refrain,
And have been often chid in yain:
From these I am recover'd quite,
At least in what regards the Knight.
Preferve his health, his ftore increase;
May nothing interrupt his peace!
But now let all his tenants round
First milk his cows, and after, pound:
Let every cottager confpire
To cut his hedges down for fire:
The naughty boys about the village
His crabs and floes may freely pillage:
He ftill may keep a pack of knaves
To fpoil his work, and work by halves:
His meadows may be dug by fwine,
It fhall be no concern of mine.
For why should I continue still
To ferve a friend against his will?
A PANEGYRICK ON THE DEAN, In the PERSON of a LADY in the NORTH *. 1730.
RE ESOLV'D my gratitude to fhow,
Thrice reverend Dean, for all I owe,
Too long I have my thanks delay'd;
Your favours left too long unpaid;
But now, in all our fex's name,
My artlefs Mufe fhall fing your fame.
* The lady of Sir Arthur Achèfon.
Indulgent you to female kind,
To all their weaker fides are blind;
Nine more fuch champions as the Dean
Would foon reftore our ancient reign.
How well, to win the ladies hearts,
You celebrate their wit and parts!
How have I felt my spirits rais'd,
By you fo oft', fo highly prais'd!
Transform'd by your convincing tongue
To witty, beautiful, and young,
I hope to quit that aukward fhame,
Affected by each vulgar dame,
To modesty a weak pretence;
And foon grow pert on men of sense
To fhew my face with fcornful air;
Let others match it, if they dare.
Impatient to be out of debt,
O, may I never once forget
The bard, who humbly deigns to chuse
Me for the fubject of his Mufe!
Behind my back, before my nofe,
He founds my praise in verfe and profe,
My heart with emulation burns
To make you fuitable returns :
My gratitude the world fhall know:
And fee, the printer's boy below;
Ye hawkers all, your voices lift;
"A Panegyrick on Dean Swift!"
And then, to mend the matter ftill,
"By Lady Anne of Market-hill.”
I thus begin: My grateful Mufe
Salutes the Dean in different views;
Dean, butler, usher, jester, tutor;
* Robert and Darby's coadjutor:
And, as you in commiffion fit,
To rule the dairy next to † Kit.
In each capacity I mean
To fing your praise. And first as Dean :
Envy must own, you understand your
Precedence, and support your grandeur :
Nor of your rank will bate an ace,
Except to give Dean Daniel place.
fuch dignity appears;
So fuited to your state and years!
With ladies what a ftrict decorum!
With what devotion you adore 'em !
Treat me with fo much complaifance,'
As fits a princefs in romance!
By your example and affistance,
The fellows learn to know their distance.
Sir Arthur, fince you fet the pattern,
No longer calls me snipe and flattern ;
Nor dares he, though he were a duke,
Offend me with the leaft rebuke.
Proceed we to your ‡ preaching next;
How nice you split the hardest text 1.
*The names of two overfeers.
+ My lady's footman.
The author preached but once while he was there. F.
How your fuperior learning shines
Above our neighbouring dull divines!
At Beggar's Opera not fo full-pit
Is feen, as when you mount our pulpit.
Confider now your converfation:
Regardful of your age and station,
You ne'er was known, by paffion stirr'd,
To give the least offenfive word:
But ftill, whene'er you filence break,
Watch every fyllable you speak:
Your ftyle fo clear, and fo concife,
We never afk to hear you twice.
But then, a parfon fo genteel,
So nicely clad from head to heel;
So fine a gown, a band fo clean,
As well become St. Patrick's. Dean,
Such reverential awe express,
That cow-boys know you by your dress!
Then, if our neighbouring friends come here,
How proud are we when you appear,
With fuch addrefs and graceful port,
As clearly fhews you bred at court !
Now raise your fpirits, Mr. Dean,
I lead you to a nobler scene.
When to the vault you walk in ftate,
In quality of butler's-mate ;
You next to Dennis bear the sway
To you we often truft the key:
Nor can he judge with all his art
So well, what bottle holds a quart:
What pints may best for bottles pass,
Júft to give every man his glass :
When proper to produce the best;
And what may ferve a common guest.
With Dennis you did ne'er combine,
Not you, to steal
your mafter's wine;:
Except a bottle now and then,
To welcome brother serving-men;
But that is with a good design,
To drink Sir Arthur's health and mine;
Your master's honour to maintain;
And get the like returns again.
Your uber's poft must next be handled :
How blefs'd am I by fuch a man led !
Under whose wife and careful guardship
I now despise fatigue and hardship:
Familiar grown to dirt and wet,
Though daggled round, I fcorn to fret:
From you my chamber-damfels learn
My broken hofe to patch and darn.
Now as a jefter I accost you;
Which never yet one friend has loft
You judge fo nicely to a hair,
How far to go, and when to fpare;
By long experience grown fo wife,
Of every tafte to know the fize;
* He sometimes used to walk with the lady. F..
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