THE world, I believe, will take fo little notice of
me, that I need not take much of it. may fee by this poem, that I walk on foot, which probably may fave me from their envy. I fhould be forry to raise that paffion in men whom I am so much obliged to, fince they allow me an honour hitherto only fhewn to better writers, That of denying me to be the author of my own works.
Gentlemen, if there be any thing in this poem good enough to displease you, and if it be any advantage to you to afcribe it to some person of greater merit; I fhall acquaint you, for your comfort, that, among many other obligations, I owe several hints of it to Dr. Swift. And, if you will fo far continue your favour as to write against it, I beg you to oblige me in accepting the following motto:
- Non tu, in triviis, indocte, folebas
“Stridenti, miferum, ftipulâ, difperdere carmen?”
THE IMPLEMENTS FOR WALKING THE STREETS,
AND SIGNS OF THE WEATHER.
THROUGH winter streets to steer your course
How to walk clean by day, and fafe by night;
How jostling crowds with prudence to decline,
When to affert the wall, and when refign,
I fing; Thou, Trivia, Goddess, aid my song,
Through fpacious streets conduct thy bard along;
By thee tranfported, I fecurely ftray
Where winding alleys lead the doubtful way,
The filent court and opening fquare explore,.
And long perplexing lanes untrod before.
To pave thy realm, and smooth the broken ways,
Earth from her womb a flinty tribute pays;
For thee the sturdy pavior thumps the ground,
Whilst every stroke his labouring lungs refound;
For thee the scavenger bids kennels glide
Within their bounds, and heaps of dirt fubfide.
My youthful bofom burns with thirst of fame,
From the great theme to build a glorious name,
To tread in paths to ancient bards unknown,
And bind my temples with a civic crown :
But more my country's love demands my lays;
My country's be the profit, mine the praife!
When the black youth at chosen stands rejoice,
And "clean your fhoes" refounds from every voice;
When late their miry fides stage-coaches fhow, 25
And their stiff horses through the town move flow;
When all the Mall in leafy ruin lies,
And damfels first renew their oyfter-cries:
Then let the prudent walker fhoes provide,
Not of the Spanish or Morocco hide;
The wooden heel may raise the dancer's bound,
And with the fcallop'd top his step be crown'd:
Let firm, well-hammer'd foles protect thy feet
Through freezing fnows, and rains, and foaking fleet.
Should the big last extend the shoe too wide,
Each stone will wrench th' unwary step afide;
The fudden turn may ftretch the fwelling vein,
Thy cracking joint unhinge, or ankle sprain;
And, when too short the modifh fhoes are worn,
You'll judge the seasons by your shooting corn.
Nor fhould it prove thy lefs important care,
To choose a proper coat for winter's wear.
Now in thy trunk thy D'Oily habit fold,
The filken drugget ill can fence the cold;
The frieze's fpongy nap is foak'd with rain,
And showers foon drench the camlet's cockled grain ;
True Witney* broad-cloth, with its fhag unshorn,
Unpierc'd is in the lasting tempeft worn:
Be this the horseman's fence, for who would wear
Amid the town the spoils of Ruffia's bear?
jok Within the roquelaure's clafp thy hands are pent, Hands, that, ftretch'd forth, invading harms prevent. Let the loop'd bavaroy the fop embrace,
Or his deep cloak bespatter'd o'er with lace.
That garment best the winter's
's rage defends,
Whofe ample form without one plait depends;
By various names * in various counties known,
Yet held in all the true furtout alone;
Be thine of kersey firm, though small the coft,
Then brave unwet the rain, unchill'd the froft.
If the strong cane support thy walking hand,
Chairmen no longer shall the wall command;
Ev'n sturdy carmen fhall thy nod obey,
And rattling coaches ftop to make thee way:
This fhall direct thy cautious tread aright,
Though not one glaring lamp enliven night.
Let beaux their canes with amber tipt produce;
Be theirs for empty show, but thine for use.
In gilded chariots while they loll at ease,
And lazily infure a life's disease ;
While fofter chairs the tawdry load convey
To court, to White's †, affemblies, or the play;
Rofy-complexion'd health thy fteps attends,
And exercise thy lafting youth defends.
Imprudent men Heaven's choiceft gifts profane :
Thus fome beneath their arm fupport the cane;
A Jofeph, Wrap-rafcal, &c.
A chocolate-house in St. James's street.
The dirty point oft checks the careless pace,
And miry spots the clean cravat disgrace.
Oh! may I never fuch misfortune meet!
May no fuch vicious walkers crowd the street!
May Providence o'erfhade me with her wings,
While the bold Mufe experienc'd danger fings!
Not that I wander from my native home,
And (tempting perils) foreign cities roam.
Let Paris be the theme of Gallia's Mufe,
Where Slavery treads the streets in wooden shoes.
Nor do I rove in Belgia's frozen clime,
And teach the clumfy boor to skate in rhyme ;
Where, if the warmer clouds in rain descend,
No miry ways induftrious steps offend;
The rufhing flood from floping pavements pours,
And blackens the canals with dirty fhowers.
Let others Naples' fmoother ftreets rehearse,
And with proud Roman ftructures grace their verse,
Where frequent murders wake the night with groans,
And blood in purple torrents dyes the stones.
Nor fhall the Mufe through narrow Venice stray,
Where gondolas their painted oars display.
O happy streets! to rumbling wheels unknown,
No carts, no coaches, fhake the floating town!
Thus was of old Britannia's city blefs'd,
Ere pride and luxury her fons poffefs'd;
Coaches and chariots yet unfashion'd lay,
Nor late-invented chairs perplex'd the way:
Then the proud lady tripp'd along the town,
And tuck'd-up petticoats fecur'd her gown;
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