But let me scrape the dirt away, That hangs upon your face; Said John, It is my wedding-day, So turning to his horse, he said, I am in haste to dine; 'Twas for your pleasure you came here, You shall go back for mine. Ah luckless speech, and bootless boast! Whereat his horse did snort, as he And gallop'd off with all his might, Away went Gilpin, and away He lost them sooner than at first, Now mistress Gilpin, when she saw Into the country far away, She pull'd out half a crown; And thus unto the youth she said, This shall be yours, when you bring back The youth did ride, and soon did meet John coming back amain; Whom in a trice he tried to stop, By catching at his rein; But not performing what he meant, Away went Gilpin, and away The postboy's horse right glad to miss Six gentlemen upon the road, With postboy scamp'ring in the rear, Stop thief! stop thief!-a highwayman! Not one of them was mute; And all and each that pass'd that way Did join in the pursuit. And now the turnpike gates again Flew open in short space; The toll-men thinking as before, That Gilpin rode a race. And so he did, and won it too, For he got first to town; Nor stopp'd till where he had got up Now let us sing, long live the king, And Gilpin long live he; And, when he next doth ride abroad, May I be there to see! AN EPISTLE ΤΟ AN AFFLICTED PROTESTANT LADY IN FRANCE. MADAM, A STRANGER'S purpose in these lays The path of sorrow, and that path alone, Leads to the land where sorrow is unknown; No trav❜ller ever reach'd that blest abode, Who found not thorns and briers in his road. The World may dance along the flow'ry plain, Cheer'd as they go by many a sprightly strain, Where Nature has her mossy velvet spread, With unshod feet they yet securely tread, |