THAT I have a picturefque countenance rather than one that is esteemed of regular features.

THAT there is an intermediate hill, intercepting my view of a nobleman's feat, whofe ill-obtained fuperiority I cannot bear to recollect.

THAT my eftate is over-run with brambles, refounds with cataracts, and is beautifnlly varied with rocks and precipices, rather than an even cultivated fpot, fertile of corn, or wine, or oil; or those kinds of productions in which the fons of men delight themselves.

THAT as thou divideft thy bounties impartially; giving riches to one, and the contempt of riches. to another, fo thou haft given me, in the midst of poverty, to defpife the infolence of riches, and by declining all emulation that is founded upon wealth, to maintain the dignity and fuperiority of the muses.

THAT I have a difpofition either fo elevated or fo ingenious, that I can derive to myfelf amufement from the very expedients and contrivances with which rigorous neceffity furnishes my invention.

THAT I can laugh at my own follies, foibles, and infirmities; and that I do not want infirmities to employ this difpofition.

THIS poor gentleman caught cold one winter's night, as he was contemplating, by the fide of a crystal ftream, by moonfhine. This afterwards

terminated in a fever that was fatal to him. Since his death I have been favoured with the inspection of his poetry of which I preferved a catalogue for the benefit of my readers.

OCCASIONAL POEMS.

On his dog, that growing corpulent refused a cruft when it was offered him.

To the memory of a pair of breeches that had done him excellent fervice.

HAVING loft his trufty walking-ftaff, he complaineth.

To his mistress on her declaring that she loved parfnips better than potatoes.

ON an ear-wig that crept into a nectarin that it might be swallowed by Cloe.

ON cutting an artichoke in his garden the day that Queen Anne cut her little finger.

EPIGRAM on a wooden-peg.

ODE to the memory of the great modern-who firft invented fhoe-buckles.

ΙΝ ΤΗΕ

'T

THE HERMIT.

MANNER OF CAMBRA Y.

WAS in that delightful month which Love prefers before all others, and which most reveres his deity that month which ever weaves a verdant carpet for the earth, and embroiders it with flowers. The banks became inviting through their coverlets of mofs: the violets refreshed by the moisture of defcending rains enrich'd the tepid air with their agreeable perfumes. But the fhower was paft; the fun difperfed the vapours; and the fky was clear and lucid when Polydore walked forth. He was of a complexion altogether plain and unaffected; a lover of the Mufes, and beloved by them. He would oftentimes retire from the noife of mixt converíation, to enjoy the melody of birds, or the murmurs of a water-fall. His neighbours often smiled at his peculiarity of temper; and he no lefs, at the vulgar caft of theirs. He could never be content to pass his irrevocable time in an idle comment upon a news-paper, or in adjusting the pre

cife difference of temperature betwixt the weather of to-day and yesterday. In fhort he was not void of fome ambition, but what he felt he acknowledged, and was never averfe to vindicate. As he never cenfured any one who indulged their humour inoffenfively, fo he claimed no manner of applause. for thofe purfuits which gratify'd his own. But, the fentiments he entertained of honor, and the dignity confered by royal authority, made it wonderful bow he bore the thoughts of obfcurity and oblivion. He mentioned with applause the youths who by merit had arrived at ftation; but he thought that all should in life's vifit leave fome token of their existence, and that their friends might more reasonably expect it from them, than they from their pofterity.

THERF were few, he thought, of talents fo very inconfiderable, as to be unalterably excluded from all degrees of fame : and in regard to fuch as had a liberal education, he ever wished that in some art or science they would be perfuaded to engrave their names. He thought it might be some pleasure to reflect, that their names would at least be honoured by their descendents, although they might escape the notice of fuch as were not prejudiced in their favour.

WHAT a luftre, faid he, does the reputation of a Wren, a Waller, or a Walfingham, caft upon their remoteft progeny? and who would not wish rather to be descended from them, than from the mere carcase of nobility? Yet wherever fuperb titles are faithfully offered as the reward of merit, he thought the allurements of ambition were too tranfporting to be refifted. But to return.

POLYDORE, a new inhabitant in a fort of wild un-inhabited country, was now afcended to the top of a mountain, and in the full enjoyment of a very extensive prospect. Before him a broad and

winding

winding valley, variegated with all the charms of landskip. Fertile meadows, glittering ftreams, pendent rocks, and nodding ruins. But thefe indeed were much lefs the objects of his attention, than those distant hills and fpires that were almost concealed by one undiftinguished azure. The fea indeed appeared to close the scene, tho' diftant as it was it but little variegated the view. Hardly indeed were it distinguishable but for the beams of a defcending fun, which at the fame time warned our traveller to return, before the duskiness and dews of evening had rendered his walk uncomfortable.

He had now defcended to the foot of the mountain, when he remarked an old hermit approaching to a little hut, which he had formed with his own hands, at the very bottom of the precipice. Polydore all enamoured of the beauties he had been furveying, could not avoid wondering at his conduct, who, not content with fhunning all commerce with mankind, had contrived as much as poffible to exclude all views of nature. He accofted him in the manner following. Father, fays he, it is with no fmall furprize, that I obferve your choice of fituation, by which you seem to neglect the most diftant and delightful landskip that ever my eyes beheld. The hill beneath which you have contrived to hide your habitation, which would have afforded you fuch a variety of natural curiofities, as to a perfon fo contemplative, muft appear highly entertaining and as the cell to which you are advancing is feemingly of your own contrivance, methinks 'twas probable you would fo have placed it, as to present them, in all their beauty, to your eye.

THE Hermit made him this anfwer. My fon, fays he, the evening approaches, and you have deviated from your way. I would not therefore

detain

detain you by my story, did I not imagine the moon would prove a fafer guide to you, than that fetting fun which you must otherwife rely upon. Enter therefore for a while into my cave, and I will give you then fome account of my adventures which will folve your doubts perhaps more effectually than any method I can propofe. But before you enter my lone abode, calculated only for the use of meditation, dare to contemn superfluous magnificence, and render thyself worthy of the being I contemplate.

KNOW then, that I owe what the world is pleased to call my ruin (and indeed juftly, were it not for the ufe which I have made of it) to an affured dependance, in a literal fenfe, upon confused and diftant profpects: a confideration, which hath fo indeed affected me, that I fhall never henceforth enjoy a landskip that lies at so remote a distance as not to exhibit all it's parts. And indeed were I to form the least pretenfions to what your world calls tafte, I might even then perhaps contend that a well difcriminated landskip was at all times to be preferred to a distant and promif

cuous azure.

I WAS born in the Parish of a nobleman who arrived to the principal management of the bufinefs of the nation. The heir of his family and my felf were of the fame age, and for fome time fchool-fellows. I had made confiderable advances. in his esteem, and the mutual affection we entertained for each other, did not long remain unobserved by his family or my own. He was sent early upon his travels, purfuant to a very injudicious custom, and my parents were follicited to confent that I might accompany him. Intimations were given to my friends, that a person of such importance as his father might contribute much more to my immediate promotion, than the ut

moft