In ev'ry village mark'd with little fpire,
Embow'r'd in trees, and hardly known to fame,
"There dwells, in lowly shed, and mean attire,
A matron old, whom we school-mistress name;
Who boasts unruly brats with birch to tame;
They grieven fore, in piteous durance pent,
Aw'd by the pow'r of this relentlefs dame;
And oft-times, on vagaries idly bent,

For unkempt hair, or task unconn'd, are forely fhent.

And all in fight doth rife a birchen tree, Which learning near her little dome did stowe; Whilom a twig of fmall regard to fee, Tho' now fo wide its waving branches flow; And work the fimple vaffals mickle woe; For not a wind might curl the leaves that blew, But their limbs fhudder'd, and their pulfe beat low; And, as they look'd, they found their horror grew, And shap'd it into rods, and tingled at the view.

So have I feen (who has not, may conceive,)
A lifeless phantom near a garden plac'd;
So doth it wanton birds of peace bereave,

Of fport, of fong, of pleasure, of repast;

They start, they ftare, they wheel, they look aghaft; Sad fervitude! fuch comfortless annoy

May no bold Briton's riper age e'er taste!

Ne fuperftition clog his dance of joy,

Ne vifion empty, vain, his native bliss destroy.

Near

Near to this dome is found a patch fo green,
On which the tribe their gambols do difplay;
And at the door impris'ning board is seen,
Left weakly wights of fmaller fize fhould ftray;
Eager, perdie, to bask in funny day!

The noises intermix'd, which thence refound,
Do learning's little tenement betray:

Where fits the dame, difguis'd in look profound, And eyes her fairy throng, and turns her wheel around.

Her сар, far whiter than the driven fnow,
Emblem right meet of decency does yield:
Her apron dy'd in grain, as blue, I trowe,
As is the hare-bell that adorns the field:

And in her hand, for fcepter, fhe does wield
Tway birchen sprays; with anxious fear entwin'd,
With dark diftruft, and fad repentance fill'd;
And stedfast hate, and sharp affliction join'd,
And fury uncontroul'd, and chastisement unkind.

Few but have ken'd, in femblance meet pourtray'd,
The childifh faces of old Eol's train;

LIBS, NOTUS, AUSTER: these in frowns array'd,
How then would fare or earth, or fky, or main,
Were the stern god to give his flaves the rein?
And were not she rebellious breafts to quell,
And were not fhe her ftatutes to maintain,

The cott no more, I ween, were deem'd the cell, Where comely peace of mind, and decent order dwell.

A ruffet

A ruffet ftole was o'er her fhoulders thrown;
A ruffet kirtle fenc'd the nipping air ;

'Twas fimple ruffet, but it was her own;

'Twas her own country bred the flock so fair; 'Twas her own labour did the fleece prepare; And, footh to fay, her pupils, rang'd around, Thro' pious awe, did term it paffing rare; For they in gaping wonderment abound, And think,no doubt,fhebeenthegreatestwight on ground

Albeit ne flatt'ry did corrupt her truth,
Ne pompous title did debauch her ear;
Goody, good-woman, goffip, n'aunt, forfooth,
Or dame, the fole additions fhe did hear;
Yet these she challeng'd, thefe fhe held right dear:
Ne would efteem him act as mought behove,
Who fhould not honour'd eld with these revere :
For never title yet fo mean could prove,

But there was eke a mind which did that title love.

One ancient hen fhe took delight to feed, The plodding pattern of the busy dame; Which, ever and anon, impell'd by need, Into her school, begirt with chickens, came; Such favour did her past deportment claim: And, if neglect had lavish'd on the ground Fragment of bread, fhe would collect the fame; For well she knew, and quaintly could expound, What fin it were to waste the smallest crumb fhe found.

Herbs

Herbs too she knew, and well of each could speak
That in her garden fip'd the filv'ry dew;

Where no vain flow'r difclos'd a gawdy streak;
But herbs for use, and phyfick, not a few,

Of

grey renown, within those borders grew : The tufted bafil, pun-provoking thyme, Fresh baum, and mary-gold of chearful hue; The lowly gill, that never dares to climb; And more I fain would fing, disdaining here to rhyme.

Yet euphrafy may not be left unfung,

That gives dim eyes to wander leagues around And pungent radifh, biting infant's tongue; And plantain ribb'd, that heals the reaper's wound; And marj'ram fweet, in fhepherd's pofie found And lavender, whofe fpikes of azure bloom Shall be, ere-while, in arid bundles bound,. To lurk amidst the labours of her loom, Andcrownher kerchiefs clean, with mickle rare perfume.

And here trim rofmarine, that whilom crown'd
The daintieft garden of the proudest peer;
Ere, driven from its envy'd fite, it found
A facred fhelter for its branches here;
Where edg'd with gold its glitt'ring skirts appear.
Oh waffel days; O customs meet and well!
Ere this was banish'd from its lofty sphere:
Simplicity then fought this humble cell,

Nor ever would fhe more with thane and lordling dwell.

VOL. I.

Z

Here

Here oft the dame, on fabbath's decent eve, Hymned fuch pfalms as STERNHOLD forth did mete, If winter 'twere, fhe to her hearth did cleave; But in her garden found a fummer feat: Sweet melody! to hear her then repeat How ISRAEL'S fons, beneath a foreign king, While taunting foe-men did a fong intreat, All, for the nonce, untuning ev'ry string, Up hung their useless lyres-fmall heart had they to fing.

For fhe was juft, and friend to virtuous lore, And pass'd much time in truly virtuous deed; And, in those elfins' ears, would oft deplore The times, when truth by popifh rage did bleed; And tortious death was true devotion's meed; And fimple faith in iron chains did mourn, That nould on wooden image place her creed And lawny faints in fmould'ring flames did burn: Ah! dearest Lord, forefend,thilk days fhould e'er return.

In elbow chair, like that of Scottish ftem By the fharp tooth of cank'ring eld defac❜d, In which, when he receives his diadem, Our fovereign prince and liefeft liege is plac'd, The matron fate; and fome with rank she grac'd, (The fource of children's and of courtier's pride!) Redrefs'd affronts, for vile affronts there pass'd; And warn'd them not the fretful to deride, But love each other dear, whatever them betide. Right

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