Right well she knew each temper to defcry;
To thwart the proud, and the fubmifs to raise ;
Some with vile copper prize exalt on high,
And fome entice with pittance fmall of praise;
And other fome with baleful fprig fhe 'frays:
Ev'n absent, fhe the reins of pow'r doth hold,
While with quaint arts the giddy crowd fhe fways;
Forewarn'd, if little bird their pranks behold,
'Twill whisper in her ear, and all the scene unfold.
Lo now with state she utters the command!
Eftfoons the urchins to their tasks repair;
Their books of ftature small they take in hand,
Which with pellucid horn fecured are;
To fave from finger wet the letters fair:
The work fo gay, that on their back is seen,
St. GEORGE's high atchievements does declare;
On which thilk wight that has y-gazing been,
Kens the forth-coming rod, unpleafing fight, I ween!
Ah luckless he, and born beneath the beam
Of evil ftar! it irks me whilft I write!
As erft the bard by MULLA's filver stream,
Oft, as he told of deadly dolorous plight,
Sigh'd as he fung, and did in tears indite.
For brandishing the rod, fhe doth begin
To loose the brogues, the ftripling's late delight!
And down they drop; appears his dainty skin,
Fair as the furry coat of whiteft ermilin.
Oruthful fcene! when from a nook obscure,
His little fifter doth his peril fee:
All playful as fhe fate, the grows demure;
She finds full foon her wonted spirits flee;
She meditates a pray'r to set him free:
Nor gentle pardon could this dame deny,
(If gentle pardon could with dames agree)
To her fad grief that swells in either eye,
And wrings her so that all for pity she could dye.
No longer can fhe now her fhrieks command;
And hardly fhe forbears, thro' aweful fear,
To rufhen forth, and, with prefumptuous hand,
To stay harsh justice in its mid career.
On thee the calls, on thee her parent dear!
(Ah! too remote to ward the shameful 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 ?
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,
Ne hopeth aught of fweet reprieve to gain ;
Or when from high she levels well her aim,
And, thro' the thatch, his cries each falling ftroke proclaim.
The other tribe, aghaft, with fore difmay,
Attend, and conn their tasks with mickle care :
By turns, aftony'd, ev'ry twig furvey,
And, from their fellow's hateful wounds, beware;
Knowing, I wift, how each the fame may fhare;
"Till fear has taught them a performance meet,
And to the well-known cheft the dame repair;
Whence oft with fugar'd cates the doth 'em greet,
And ginger-bread y-rare; now, certes, doubly fweet!
See to their feats they hye with merry glee,
And in befeemly order fitten there;
All but the wight of bum y-galled, he
Abhorreth bench and ftool, 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;
And fcorns her offer'd love, and fhuns to be carefs'd.
His face befprent with liquid crystal shines,
His blooming face that feems a purple flow'r,
Which low to earth its drooping head declines,
All smear'd and fully'd by a vernal show'r.
O the hard bofoms of defpotic pow'r !
All, all, but fhe, the author of his fhame,
All, all, but fhe, regret this mournful hour:
Yet hence the youth, and hence the flow'r, fhall claim,
If fo I deem aright, tranfcending worth and fame.
Behind fome door, in melancholy thought,`
Mindlefs of food, he, dreary caitiff! pines;
Ne for his fellow's joyaunce careth aught,
But to the wind all merriment refigns;
And deems it fhame, if he to peace inclines ;"
And many a fullen look afcance is fent,
Which for his dame's annoyance he defigns;
And fill the more to pleasure him she's bent,
The more doth he, perverse, her haviour past resent.
Ah me! how much I fear left pride it be!
But if that pride it be, which thus infpires,
Beware, ye dames, with nice difcernment fee,
Ye quench not too the fparks of nobler fires:
Ah! better far than all the mufes' lyres,
All coward arts, is valour's gen'rous heat;
The firm fixt breaft which fit and right requires,
Like VERNON's patriot foul; more justly great
Than craft that pimps for ill, or flow'ry falfe deceit.
Yet nurs'd with skill, what dazling fruits appear!
Ev'n now fagacious forefight points to fhow
A little bench of heedlefs bishops here,
And there a chancellour in embryo,
Or bard fublime, if bard may e'er be so,
AS MILTON, SHAKESPEAR, names that ne'er fhall dye !^ Tho' now he crawl along the ground fo low,
Nor weeting how the mufe fhou'd foar on high, Wifheth, 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 fates incline, And many an epic to his rage fhall 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 freer, And furls his wrinkly front, and cries, "What stuff is here ?”
But now DAN PHOEBUS gains the middle skie,
And liberty unbars her prison-door;
And like a rushing torrent out they fly,
And now the graffy cirque han cover'd o'er
With boift'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 fo dearly won,
Appear to British elf more gladfome than the fun.
Enjoy, poor imps! enjoy your fportive 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 seek 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.
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