}

+

* Whose charms as far all other nymphs out Nor at first fight, like most, admires the fair ; fine,

For you he lives; and you alone shall share
As other gardens are excell'd by thine !" His last af dion, as his early care.
Then kiss'd the fair : (his kifles warmer grow Besides, he's lovely far above the rest,
Than such as women on their sex bestow ;)

With outh immortal, and with beauty blest. Then plac'd beside her on the flowery ground, Add, that he varies every shape with ease, Beheld the trees with autumn's bounty crown'd. And tries all forms that may Pomona please. An elm was neat, to whose embraces led,

But whac Thould most excite a mutual flame, The curling vine her iwelling clusters spread; Your rural cares and pleasures are the same. He view'd her twining branches with delight, To him your orchard's early fruit are due, And prais'd the beauty of the pleasing fight. (A pleasant offering when 'tis made by you)

Yet his tall elm, but for his vine (he said) He values these ; but yet (alas !) complains, Hai stood neglected, and a barren shade;

That still the best and deareft gift remains. And this fair vine, but that her arms surround Not the fair fruit that on yon brarches glows Her marry'd elm, had crept along the ground. With that ripe red th' autumnal sun bestows ; Ah, beauteous maid! let this example move Nor tasteful herbs that in these gardens rise, Your mind, averse from all the joys of love. Which the kind soil with milky fap supplies; Deign to be lor'd, and every heart subdue ! You, only you, can move tbe god's desire : What nymph could e'er attract such crowds as Oh, crown fo constant and fo pure a fire ! you?

Let soft compassion touch your gentle mind; Not the whose beauty urg'd the Centaur's arms, Think, 'tis Vertumnus begs you to be kind: Uly ses' queen, nor Helen's fatal charms.

So may no frost, when early buds appear, Ev'n now, when silent scorn is all they gain, Destroy the promise of the youthful year; A thousand court you, though they court in Nor winds, when first your florid orchard blows, vain,

Shake the light blossoms from their blafted boughs! A thousand fylvan demigods and gods,

This when the various god had urg'd in vain, That haunt our mountains, and our Alban woods. He strait assum'd his native form again, But if you'll prosper, mark what I advise, Such, and so bright an afpect now he bears, Whom

age and long experience render wise, As when through clouds th'emerging sun appears, And one whose tender care is far above

And thence exerting his refulgent ray, All that these lovers ever felt of love.

Difpels the darkness and reveals the day. (far more than e'er can by yourself be guess’d) Force he prepar'd, but check'd the rash design; Fix on Vertumnus, and reject the rest.

For when, appearing in a form divine. For his form faith I dare engage my own;

The nymph surveys him, and beholds the grace Scarce to himfell, himfelf is better known. Of charming features, and a youthful face? To distant lands Vertumnus never roves;

In her soft brealt consenting passions move, like you, contented with his native groves ;

And the warın maid confer'd a mutual love. 6

F ij

IMITATIONS OF ENGLISH POETS. .

DONE BY THE AUTHOR IN HIS YOUTH.

And here a failor's jacket hangs to dry.
At every door are lun burnt matrons fuen,
Mending old nets to catch the scaly fry,
Now singing thrill, and scolding est between;
Scolds aniwer foul-mouth'd scolds; bad neighbour.

hood I ween.

111.

I.-CHAUCER. WOWIN

OMEN ben full of ragerie, Yet swinken nat fans secrelic. Thilke moral shall ye understond, From Schoole-boy's Tale of fayre Irelond: Which to the fennes hath him betake, To filch the gray ducke fro the lake. Right then, there passen by the way His aunt, and cke her daughters tway. Ducke in his trowses hath he hent, Not to be spied of ladies gent. “ But ho! our nephew, (crieth one) “ Ho! quoth another, Cozen John;" And stoppen, and lough, and callen out, This silly clerk full low doch lout : They alken that, and talken this, “ Lo here is Coz, and here is Miss.” But, as he glozeth with speeches sonte, The ducke sore ticklech his crse roote: Fore-piece and buttons all-to-brelt, Forth thrust a whice neck, and red cret. Te-he, cry'd ladies; Clerke nought (pake: Miss star'd; and gray Ducke cryeth quake. “O moder, moder, (quoth the daughter “ Be thilke same thing maids longen a'ter? “Berte is to pine on coals and chalke, " Then truit on mon, whole yerde can talke."

The snappish cur (the passengers annoy)
Close a: my heel with yelping treble flies;
The whinip'ring girl, and hoarser-screaming boy,
Join to the yelping treble, shrilling crios;
The icoiding quean to louder notes doth rise,
And her, full pipes those shrilling cries confuuod;
To her full pipes the grunting log replics;
The grunting hogs alarm the neighbours round,
And curs, girls, boys, and scolds, in the deep balc

are drown'd.

IV.

Hard by a sty, beneath a roof of thatch,
Dwelt Ubloquy, who in her early days
Baskets of hih at Billingsgate did watch,
Cod, whiting, oyster, mackrel, sprat, or plaice :
There learn’d the speech from tongues that never

ccafe.
Slander beside her, like a magpie, chatters,
With Envy, ([picting cat) dread foe to peace;
Like a curs’ú cur, Malice, before her clatters,
And, vexing every wight, tears clothes and all 1

taltcrs.

V.

THE ALLEY.

II, SPENSER.

Her duys were mark'd by every collier's hand,
Her mouth was black as bull dog's at the stall:
She scra:ched, bit, and spar'd ne lace ne hand,

And bitch and rogue her answer was to all;
In every town where Thamis rolls his tyde, Nay, e'en the parts of thame by name would call:
A narrow pass there is, with houses low;

Yea, when the passed by or lape or nook, Where ever and anon, the stream is ey'd,

Would greet the man who turn'd him to the And many a boat, soft sliding to and fro.

wall, There oft are heard the notes of Infant Woe, And by his hand obscene the porter took, The short thick fob, loud scream, and fhriller fquall: Nur ever did alkance like modeft virgin look. How can ye, mothers, vex your children so ? Some play, some cat, fome cack against the wall, Such place hath Deptford, navy-building town, Andas they crouchen low, for bread and butter call. Woolwich and Wapping, smelling itong of pitch;

Such Lambeth, envy of cach band and gowo ; And on the broken pavement, here and there, And Twickenham such, which fairer fiencs enrich, Doth many a stinking sprat and herring lie; Grots, statues, urns, and Jomn's dog and bitch. A brandy and tobacco shop is near,

Ne village is without, on either side, And hens, and dogs, and hogs are feeding by ; All up the silver Thames, or all adown;

VI.

II.

WEEPING.

Ne Richmond's self, from whose tall front are ey'd | Exceed their promise in their ripen'd store,
Vales, spires, meandering streams, and Windsor's Yet in the rising blossom promise more.
towery pride.

There in bright drops the crystal sountains play,
By laurels shielded from the piercing day :

Where Daphne, now a tree, as once a maid,
III.-WALLER.

Still from Apollo vindicates her thade,
Still turns her beauties from th' invading beam,

Nor seeks in vain for succour to the stream;
OF A LADY SINGING TO HER LUTE.

The stream at once preserves her virgin leaves, Fate charmer, cease, nor make your voice's prize At once a shelter from her boughs receives, A heart resign'd the conquest of your cyes :

Where summer's beauty mijet of winter stays, Well might, alas! that threaten’d vessel fail,

And winter's coolness spite of summer's rays. Which winds and lightning both at once affail. We were x00 bleft with these enchanting lays, Which must be heavenly when an angel plays : But killing charms your lover's death contrive, Left heavenly music should be heard alive.

While Celia's tears make sorrow bright,
Orpheus could charm the trees; but thus a trec,

Proud grief fits swelling in her eyes :
Taughe by yrur hand, can charmi no less than he: The sun, next those the fairelt light,
A poet made the silent wood pursue,

Thus from the ocean first did rise :
This vocal wood had drawn the poet too.

And thus through milts we see the sun,
Which else we durit net gaze upon.

These filver drops, like morning dew,
On e fan of tbe Author's defign, in which wis painted Forceell the fervour of the day:

ibe y of CEPHALUS and PROCRIS, with the inotto, So from one cloud soft showers we view, AURA VENI.

And blasting lightnings burst away.

The stars that fall from Celia's eye,
Come, gentle air! th' Æolian shepherd said,

Declare our doom is drawing nigh.
While Procris panted in the sacred shade;
Come, gentle air, the fairer Delia cries,

The baby in that funny sphere
While at her feet her swain expiring lies.

So like a phaeton arrears, Lo, the glad gales o'er all her beauties (tray,

That Heav'n, the threaten'd world to fpare, Breathe on her lips, and in her bosom play! Thought fit to driwn him in her tears : In Delia's hand this toy is fatal found,

Else might ch' ambitious nymph aspire
Norcold that fabled dart more surely wound;

To'fet, like him, Heaven too on fire.
Brth gjíts destructive to the givers prove;
Abke both lovers fall by those they love.
Yet guiltless too this bright destroyer lives, (gives;
Ac randem wounds, nor knows the wound the

V.-E. OF ROCHESTER.
Ste views the story with attentive eyes,
Ard pities Procris, while her lover dies,

Silence! cocval with eternity,

Thou wert, ere nature's self began to be;

'Twas one vast nothing, all, and all slept fast in thee. IV.-COWLEY.

(earth, Thine was the sway, ere heaven was form’d, or

Ere fruitful thought conceiv'd creation's birth, Paix would my muse the flowery treasure sing, Or midwife word gave aid, and spoke the infant And humble glories of the youthful spring :

forth. Where opening roses breathing sweets diffuse, And soft carnations shower their balmy dews; Then various elements, against thee join'd, Where Iilies smile in virgin robes of white,

In one more various animal combin'd, (kind The thin undress of superficial light,

And fram'd the clamorous race of busy human. And vary'd tulips show so dazzling gay,

(low, Blushing in bright diverlities of day.

The tongue mov'd gently first, and speech was Each painted flowret in the lake below

Till wrangling science taught it noise and thow, Surveys its beauties, whence its beauties grow; And wicked wit arose, thy most abusive foc. And pale Narcissus on the bank, in vain Transformid, gazes on himself again.

But rebel wit deserts thee oft in vain ; Here aged trees cathedral walks compose,

Lost in the maze of words he turns again, And mount the hill in venerable rows;

And seeks a surer state, and courts thy gentle reign. There the green infants in their beds are laid, The garden's hope, and its expected shade.

Amidted sense thou kindiy dost set free, Here orange trees with blooms and pendants fine, Oppress'd with argumental tyranny, And renal honours to their autumn join;

And routed reason finds a safe retreat in thce,

ON SILENCE.

II.

THE GARDEN.

IV.

VI.

VII.

Majestically stalk;
With thee in private modest dulness lies, A stately, worthless animal,

And in thy bosom lurks in thought's disguise ; That plies the tongue, and wags the tail,
Thou varnisher of fools, and cheat of all the wise! All Mutter, pride, and talk.

VIII.

IX.

XI.

Yet thy indulgence is hy both confefs'd;

Folly by thee lies Neeping in the breast,
And 'tis in thee at last that wildom seeks for rest.

PHRYNE.

[name, Pupyne had talents for mankind, Silence, the knave’s repute, the whore's good Open she was, and unconfin'd,

The only honour of the wishing dame; [fanie. Like some free port of trade;
The very want of tongue makes thee a kind of Merchants unloaded here their freight,

And agents from cach foreign state
But couldft thou seize some tongues that now

Here first their entry made. are free, How church and state should be oblig'd to thee!

Her learning and good-breeding such, At fenate, and at bar, how welcome wouldst thou

Whether th' Italian or the Dutch,
be !

Spaniards or French came to her,
To all'obliging she'da

I appear :
Yet speech'ev'n there; submissively withdraws,

'Twas Si Signior, 'twas Yaw Mynheer, From rights of subjects, and the poor man's

'Twas S'il vous plaist, Monsieur. cause

[laws. Then pompous silenci icigns, and 1: the noily Obscure by birth, renown'd by crimes,

Sull changing names, religion, climes, Past services of friends, good deeds of soes,

At length she turns a bride : What favourites gain, and what the nation owes,

In diamonds, pearls, and rich brocades, Fly the forgetful world, and in thy arms repose. She shines the first of batter'd jades,

Ang Putters in ber pride. The country wit, religion of the town,

The courtier's learning, policy o'th' gown, So have I known those insects fair Are best by thee express'd ; and shine in thee alone. (Which curious Germans hold so rare)

Still vary shapes and dyes; The parson's cant, the lawyer's sophistry,

Still gain new titles with new forms; Lord's quibble, critic's jest, all end in thee,

First grubs obscene, then wriggling worms, All rest in peace at last, and sleep eternally.

Then painted butterflies.

XII.

XIII.

XIV.

VII.--DR. SWIFT.

VI.-E. OF DORSET.

THE HAPPY LIFE OP A COUNTRY PAR SON.

ARTEMISIA.

THOUGH Artemisia talks, by fits,
Of councils, classics, fathers, wits;

Reads Malbranche, Boyle, and Locke;
Yet in some things methinks she fails,
"Twere well if she would pare her nails,

And wear a cleaner fmock.

Haughty and huge as High-Dutch bride,
Such nastiness, and so much pride,

Are oddly join'd by fate :
On her large squab you find her sprcad,
Like a fat corpse upon a bed,

That lies and finks in Itate.

Parson, these things in thy poffeffing,
Are better than the bishop's bleiling.
A wife that makes conferves; a fteed
That carries double when there's need:
Odober store, and best Virginia,
Tythe pig, and mortuary guinea :
Gazettes fent gratis down, and frank'd,
For which thy patron's weekly thank'd;
A large concordance, bound long lince;
Sermons to Charles the First, when prince:
A chronicle of ancient standing ;
A Chryfoftom to {mooth thy band in.
The Polyglott--three parts,—my text,
Howbeit, - likewise now to my next.
Lo here the Septuagint, --and Paul,
To sum the whole,-the close of all.

He that has these, may pass his life,
Drink with the 'Aquire, and kiss his wife;
On Sundays preach, and eat his fill;
And fast on Fridays if he will;
Toast church and queen, explain the news,
Talk with church wardens about pews;
Pray, heartily for some new gift,
And make his head at Doctor Swift.

She wears no colours (sign of grace)
On any part except her face;

All white and black beside :
Dauntless her look, her gesture proud,
Her voice theatrically loud,

And masculine her stride,

So have I seen, in black and white
A prating thing, a magpye bigbot,

ESSAY ON MAN,

IN FOUR EPISTLES.

TO H. ST. JOHN, LORD BOLINGBROKE.

THE DESIGN.'

Having proposed to write some picces on human life and manners, such as (to use my Lord Bacon's

expresfion)" come home to men's business and bofoms," I thought it more fatisfactory to begin with considering man in the abstract, his nature, and his fate; since, to prove any moral duty, to enforce any moral precept, or to examine the perfection or imperfection of any crcature whatsoever, it is necessary first to know what condition and relation it is placed in, and what is the pro

per end and purpose of its being. The science of human nature is, like all other sciences, reduced to a few clear points : There are not

many certain truths in this world. It is therefore in the anatomy of the mind as in that of the body more good will accrue to niankind by attending to the large, open, and perceptible parts, than by Rodying too much such finer nerves and vessels, the conformations and uses of which will for ever escape our observation. The disputes are all upon these last; and I will venture to say, they have less sharpened the wits than the hearts of men against each other, and have diminished the practice, more than advanced the theory of morality. If I could flatter myself that this essay has any merit, it is in steering betwixt the extremes of do&rines seemingly opposite, in pafling over terms utterly unintelligible, and in forming a temperate, yet not inconsistent, and a short, yet not

imperfect, fyftem of ethics. This I might have done in profe; but I chose verse, and even rhyme, for two reasons. The one will

appear obvious; that principles, maxims, or precepts, so written, both strike the reader more Grongly at first, and are more easily retained by him afterwards : The other may seem odd, but it is true; I found I could express them more shortly this way than in profe itself; and nothing is more certain, than that much of the force as well as grace of arguments or instructions, depends on their conciseness. I was unable to treat this part of my subject more in detail, without becoming dry and tedious; or, more poetically, without sacrificing perspicuity to ornament, without wandering from the precision, or breaking the chain of reasoning: If any man can unite all these without diminution of any of them, I freely confess he will compass a thing above my capa

city. What is now published, is only to be considered as a general map of man, marking out no more than

the greater parts, their extent, their limits, and their connection, but leaving the particular to be more fully delineated in the charts which are to follow. Consequently these epistles in their progress (if I have health and leisure to make any progress), will be less dry, and more susceptible of poctical ornament. I am here only opening the fountains, and clearing the passage. To deduce the rivers, to follow them in their course, and to observe their effe&s, may be a talk more agree