Their scaly armour's Syrian hue
Through richest purple, to the view
Betray'd the golden gleam.

The hapless Nymph with wonder saw :
A whisker first, and then a claw
With many an ardent wish

She stretch'd, in vain, to reach the prize--
What female heart can gold despise ?
What Cat's averse to fish?

Presumptuous maid! with looks intent
Again she stretch'd, again she bent,
Nor knew the gulf between—
Malignant Fate sat by and smiled-
The slippery verge her feet beguiled;
She tumbled headlong in!

Eight times emerging from the flood
She mew'd to every watery God
Some speedy aid to send.

No Dolphin came, no Nereid stirr'd,
Nor cruel Tom nor Susan heard
A favourite has no friend!

From hence, ye Beauties! undeceived
Know one false step is ne'er retrieved,
And be with caution bold:

T

Not all that tempts your wandering eyes
And heedless hearts, is lawful prize,
Nor all that glisters gold! 1

Thomas Gray.

1 Cf. All thing which that shineth as the gold Ne is no gold, as I have heard it told.'-Chaucer.

AN ELEGY ON THE DEATH OF A MAD DOG

GOOD people all of every sort
Give ear unto my song;
And if you find it wondrous short,
It cannot hold you long.

In Islington there was a man

Of whom the world might say,
That still a godly race he ran
Whene'er he went to pray.

A kind and gentle heart he had,
To comfort friends and foes;
The naked ev'ry day he clad,
When he put on his clothes.

And in that town a dog was found,
As many dogs there be,

Both mongrel, puppy, whelp, and hound,

And curs of low degree.

This dog and man at first were friends;
But when a pique began,
The dog, to gain some private ends,
Went mad and bit the man.

Around from all the neighb'ring streets

The wond'ring neighbours ran,
And swore the dog had lost his wits,
To bite so good a man.

The wound it seem'd both sore and sad
To every Christian eye;

And while they swore the dog was-mad, They swore the man would die.

But soon a wonder came to light,
That show'd the rogues they lied:
The man recover'd of the bite,

The dog it was that died.

Oliver Goldsmith.

THE DIVERTING HISTORY OF JOHN GILPIN

JOHN GILPIN was a citizen

Of credit and renown,

A train-band1 captain eke was he
Of famous London town.

John Gilpin's spouse said to her dear

Though wedded we have been

These twice ten tedious years, yet we
No holiday have seen.

To-morrow is our wedding-day,
And we will then repair
Unto the Bell at Edmonton
All in a chaise and pair.

My sister, and my sister's child
Myself, and children three

Will fill the chaise; so you must ride
On horseback after we.'

1 Militia

B

He soon replied " I do admire
Of womankind but one

And

you are she, my dearest dear, Therefore it shall be done.

"I am a linen-draper bold,

As all the world doth know
And my good friend the calender 1
Will lend his horse to go.'

Quoth Mrs Gilpin- That's well said;
And for that wine is dear,
We will be furnish'd with our own,
Which is both bright and clear.'

John Gilpin kiss'd his loving wife;
O'erjoy'd was he to find

That, though on pleasure she was bent,
She had a frugal mind.

The morning came, the chaise was brought,
But yet was not allow'd

To drive up to the door, lest all

Should say that she was proud.

So three doors off the chaise was stay'd,
Where they did all get in;

Six precious souls, and all agog

To dash through thick and thin!

Smack went the whip, round went the wheels, Were never folks so glad,

The stones did rattle underneath

As if Cheapside were mad.

1 A cloth-finisher.

John Gilpin at his horse's side
Seized fast the flowing mane,
And up he got, in haste to ride,
But soon came down again;

For saddle-tree scarce reached he,
His journey to begin,

When, turning round his head, he saw
Three customers come in.

So down he came; for loss of time,
Although it grieved him sore,
Yet loss of pence, full well he knew,
Would trouble him much more.

'Twas long before the customers Were suited to their mind,

When Betty screaming came down stairs— "The wine is left behind! ?

"Good lack!' quoth he, yet bring it me, My leathern belt likewise,

In which I bear my trusty sword
When I do exercise.'

Now Mistress Gilpin (careful soul!)
Had two stone bottles found,
To hold the liquor that she lov'd,
And keep it safe and sound.

Each bottle had a curling ear,
Through which the belt he drew,

And hung a bottle on each side,
To make his balance true.