All playful as fhe fate, fhe grows demure; She finds full foon her wonted spirits flee; 175 She meditates a pray'r to fet him free: Nor gentle pardon could this dame deny (If gentle pardon could with dames agree) To her fad grief that fwells in either eye, And wrings her fo that all for pity fhe could die. 180.

No longer can fhe now her fhrieks command;
And hardly the forbears, thro' aweful fear,
To rufhen forth, and, with prefumptuous hand,
To stay harsh juftice in its mid career.

On thee fhe calls, on thee her parent dear! 185
(Ah! too remote to ward the fhameful blow!)
She fees no kind domestic visage near,
And foon a flood of tears begins to flow;
And gives a loose at laft to unavailing woe.

But ah! what pen his piteous plight may trace? Or what device his loud laments explain? [190 The form uncouth of his disguised face? The pallid hue that dyes his looks amain? The plenteous fhow'r that does his cheek diftain? When he, in abject wife, implores the dame, 195 Ne hopeth aught of fweet reprieve to gain; Or when from high fhe levels well her aim, And, thro' the thatch, his cries each falling ftroke

The other tribe, aghaft, with fore dismay, Attend, and conn their tasks with mickle care: 200 By turns, aftony'd, ev'ry twig furvey,

And, from their fellow's hateful wounds, beware; Knowing, I wift, how each the fame may share; 'Till fear has taught them a performance meet, And to the well-known cheft the dame repair; 205 Whence oft with sugar'd cates she doth 'em greet, And ginger-bread y-rare; now, certes, doubly sweet!

See to their feats they hye with merry glee,
And in befeemly order fitten there;
All but the wight of bum y-galled, he

210

Abhorreth bench and stool, and fourm, and chair; (This hand in mouth y-fix'd, that rends his hair;) And eke with fnubs profound, and heaving breast, Convulfions intermitting! does declare

His grievous wrong; his dame's unjust beheft; 215 And fcorns her offer'd love, and fhuns to be carefs'd.

His eye befprent with liquid crystal fhines,
His blooming face that seems a purple flow'r,
Which low to earth its drooping head declines,
All fmear'd and fully'd by a vernal show'r. 220
O the hard bofoms of defpotic pow'r !

All, all, but fhe, the author of his shame,
All, all, but she, regret this mournful hour :
Yet hence the youth, and hence the flow'r, shall

claim,

Iffo I deem aright, tranfcending worth and fame. 225

Behind fome door, in melancholy thought,
Mindless of food he, dreary caitiff! pines;
Ne for his fellow's joyaunce careth aught,
But to the wind all merriment refigns;
And deems it shame, if he to peace inclines; 223
And many a fullen look afcance is fent,
Which for his dame's annoyance he defigns;

And still the more to pleasure him she's bent, The more doth he, perverfe, her haviour paft refent.

Ah me! how much I fear left pride it be! 235 But if that pride it be, which thus infpires, Beware, ye dames, with nice difcernment fee, Ye quench not too the sparks of nobler fires : Ah! better far than all the mufes' lyres, All coward arts, is valour's gen'rous heat; 240 The firm fixt breast which fit and right requires, Like Vernon's patriot foul; more justly great Than craft that pimps for ill, or flow'ry false deceit.

Yet nurs'd with skill, what dazzling fruits appear!
Ev'n now fagacious forefight points to show 245
A little bench of heedlefs bishops here,
And there a chancellour in embryo,

Or bard fublime, if bard may e'er be fo, [die! As Milton, Shakespear, names that ne'er shall Tho' now he crawl along the ground fo low, 250 Nor weeting how the mufe fhould foar on high, Witheth, poor ftarv'ling elf! his paper kite may fly.

And this perhaps, who, cens'ring the defign, Low lays the house which that of cards doth build, Shall Dennis be! if rigid fate incline,

255

And many an epic to his rage shall yield;
And many a poet quit th' Aonian field;
And, four'd by age, profound he fhall appear,
As he who now with 'fdainful fury thrill'd,
Surveys mine work; and levels many a fneer, 260
And furls his wrinkly front, and cries, "What fluff
[is here?"

But now Dan Phoebus gains the middle skie,
And liberty unbars her prifon-door;

And like a rushing torrent out they fly,
And now the graffy cirque han cover'd o'er 265
With boist'rous revel-rout and wild uproar;
A thousand ways in wanton rings they run,
Heav'n fhield their fhort-liv'd paftimes, I implore!
For well may freedom, erft so dearly won,
Appear to British elf more gladfome than the fun. 270

Enjoy, poor imps! enjoy your sportive trade, And chafe gay flies, and cull the fairest flow'rs; For when my bones in grafs-green fods are laid; For never may ye tafte more careless hours In knightly caftles, or in ladies bow'rs. O vain to feek delight in earthly thing! But most in courts where proud ambition tow'rs; Deluded wight! who weens fair peace can spring Beneath the pompous dome of kefar or of king.

275

See in each sprite fome various bent appear! 280
These rudely carol moft incondite lay;

Thofe faunt'ring on the green, with jocund leer
Salute the ftranger paffing on his way;
Some builden fragile tenements of clay;

Some to the standing lake their courfes bend, 285
With pebbles smooth at duck and drake to play;
Thilk to the huxter's fav'ry cottage tend,

In paltry kings and queens th' allotted mite to fpend.

Here, as each feafon yields a different store, Each feafon's ftores in order ranged been; 290 Apples with cabbage-net y-cover'd o'er, Galling full fore th' unmoney'd wight, are feen; And goofe-b'rie clad in liv'ry red or green; And here of lovely dye, the cath'rine pear, Fine pear! as lovely for thy juice, I ween. 295 O may no wight e'er pennylefs come there, Left fmit with ardent love he pine with hopeless care!

See! cherries here, ere cherries yet abound, With thread fo white in tempting pofies ty'd, Scatt'ring like blooming maid their glances

round,

300

With pamper'd look draw little éyes afide; And must be bought, tho' penury betide. The plumb all azure and the nut all brown, And here each feafon do thofe cakes abide, [305 Whofe honour'd names * th' inventive city own, Rend'ring thro' Britain's ifle Salopia's praifes known.

* Shrewsbury cakes.

D 3