L'ENVOY OF THE POET.

Instil sage precepts in the youthful brain,
Cull ev'ry weed, each dawning passion scan:
Maturity shall well requite thy pain,

And dignify with science rising man.

THE POET'S CHORUS TO FOOLS.

Come, trim the boat, row on each Rara Avis, Crowds flock to man my Stultifera Navis.

Where England's first prince, with a smile on each feature,

Receiv'd ev'ry greeting with cordial good nature.

Sir Saunter then tripp'd to a lady so kind,

O! madam, said he, I've a weight on my mind;
Indeed, now the truth of the matter is this,
I'm only one shade from the regions of bliss;
For had my green coat been but darker one dye,
'Twould have match'd with the prince's as I am like I.

To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.

SOLOMON.

Il retto giudice più alla giustitia, che à gli huomini ha riguardo.

AND can no quibble law itself excuse;
Must I condemn thee spite of all thy ruse?

A wond'rous tale my chronicle now tells:
For in the place of judge's robe sedate,
The lawyer's garb, the wig* on counsel's pate,
I view a zany's ladle, ears, and bells.

* The owl-like consequence transferred by a copious wig to the physiognomy of the wearer is never more strikingly exemplified than in Westminster Hall, where the tiers of benches are certainly crowded with wigs on blocks; for out of the number of their wearers, half a dozen only render themselves conspicuous: the rest being merely automatons: and of them it may indeed, with

THE POSTS CHORUS TO FOOLS.

Come, im he boat, row on each Rara Avis, Crowds dock o nan ny Stultzera Navis.

SECTION VII.

OF FOOLISH MODERN WIVES AND FASHION

ABLES.

As a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion.

YE dames of title, by example led,

SOLOMON.

May safely wrong your senseless husband's bed;
Fearless of monitor or partial blame,
Since mere publicity entails your shame.

Ye feel no spark of love's celestial fire;
Yours th' infuriate throb of fierce desire,
With mind thus tutor'd, caution is your plan:
'Tis naught to you, so man succeeds to man*.

* Notwithstanding this apparent ill nature of the poet, there are, nevertheless, sufficient public examples to bear him out in his assertions; but had he been possessed of the powers of the famous devil on two sticks, which would have enabled him to learn such instances as were hidden from publicity, Merciful Heaven! what would he not then have had to say! for Quæ fuerant vitia mores sunt: and the contagion is now become general: for the prim citizen's wife knows the practical meaning

But if, alas! some chambermaid espies, Through crack or key-hole, with her prying eyes, Such little tiltings, straight some scribbling wag Will advertise your cast off camphire bag *.

of the word intrigue equally as well as the west end of the town lady of title; and we may therefore very justly

say,

Behold the duchess or the countess free,
With mind as prone to sensuality

As Mrs. Tabby, that on pent-house mews,
Or Drury's ladies, who frequent the stews :
Yet not to titled dames alone must I
Attribute these soft failings; by the bye,

Tradesmen and cits your titled great may scorn;

But they alike are deck'd with cuckold's horn.

But all this is very excusable, when put in competition with the loves of ancient heroines; witness Pasipha, who received the tender embraces of a bull, and Semiramis those of horses, &c. &c.

* Never surely was a more facetious adventure than that alluded to in the above line; and, as the lady did not exactly understand her own mind, nor the youth precisely know how to win her for a time, we will, by way of advice for young gentlemen in future, note down a prescription which never yet was found to fail in its effects.

Whene'er a woman vows she's chaste,

Then gently clasp her round the waist;