Oldalképek
PDF
ePub

Nor hurry with impetuous thought,
To blame your friend, ere he's in fault.
At th' Hague we had not time to rest us,
Disturbances did fo moleft us ;

For you must know, thefe fcoundrel Dutch
Rebel, for being tax'd too much.

Loyal and paffive we obey on,

And bear all taxes they can lay on.

The British Lion now is couchant,

Grumbling, perhaps, but won't make much on't;
Taking with patient refignation,
Whate'er's impos'd upon the nation. -
In camp too, l'd but little leifure,
My time was fo fill'd up with pleasure.
With all old fchool-fellows fo dear,
And Albemarle and Ligonier,
That I had fcarce an hour to fpare.
The Duke too fhew'd me a review,
All that, at that time, he could do;
For you must know, at prefent writing,
Our armies have all done with fighting.
From hence to Hanover we went,
Liv'd in a round of merriment.

I had no time to fcribble letters,

To you, dear Coley, or your betters."

My Lord, you're right, and we from hence Will quite o'erlook your negligence.

But,

But, fans offence, may I enquire,
In what the present hours expire ?
What pleasure or what study best
Your temper fuits, may I request?
I hear in law you're a proficient;
And other learning have fufficient ;
Can folve a problem mathematic,
And read with eafe a Greek dramatic;
You're fkill'd in history enough;
Of algebra have quantum fuff.
And are, by learned mens' tuition,
The quinteffence of erudition;
So vers'd in all that can be nam'd,
Ifis and Cam are quite afham'd,
And all their scholars are downright fick,
To fee themselves outdone at Leipfick.
Tho' I have long with ftudy mental
Labour'd at language Oriental,
Yet, in my foil, the Hebrew root
Has fcarcely made one fingle fhoot.

I've now broke up, but have a task tho'
Harder than your's with Mr. Mascow ;
For mine's as knotty as the devil,
Your law and mafter both are civil;
With milder means to learning lead,
By diff'rent roads, with diff'rent speed,
Douglas and you keep gently jogging,
But I must run the race with flogging.

ASHTED

ASH TED COT.*

TIR'D with the noise and smoke of town,
Its crowded streets and fumptuous fare,
To Afhted Cot we oft steal down :

Who wish for Peace may find her there.

There stretch the ample profpects wide,
Fields, woods, down, hills and fpires appear;
The tempting walk, the grateful ride,
Invite thro' all the varied year.

Or there, or no where can be found,
Health, ever rofy, ever gay;
Content there tills his narrow ground,
And fings the toils of life away.

No foreign dainties glitter there;
Yet rural plenty there is known ;
The home-rear'd poultry's oft your fare,
And mutton fed on Banfted Down.

The garden, hemm'd in little space,

[ocr errors]

Is glad its herbs and fruits to fend;

Ne'er is forgot the thankful grace,

Nor wine to toast the abfent friend.

[ocr errors]

* A villa belonging to T- T-, Efq. Afhted is a small

village between Epfom and Leatherhead, in Surry.

Nor

IV.

So may you never, never hear

The gun dread-founding thro' the air,

So may you never, never fear

The cruel fchool-boy's limy fnare.

THE GIRDLE OF VENUS.

A FABLE FROM THE GREEK,

FOR GROWN LADIES.

WHEN Jupiter's high mettl'd dame
(As we read in Dan Homer the story)
Had a mind his cold breast to inflame,
And to fhine with additional glory.

She order'd her peacocks and car,

And then flew to the Queen of the doves,

Who liv'd from her palace not far,

In the midst of the Graces and Loves.

Dear Venus," thus flow'd her smooth speech, "Prythee lend me your ceftus to-day, "To repair a small conjugal breach ;

And be quick, for I foon must away

"I muft

[ocr errors]

e I muft hafte to unite a good pair,
"Who took care of me when I was young,
"And each other now hardly can bear,
"Having both been by Jealousy stung."

Her fecret defign fhe conceal'd,

(So fhould women act when they're married) For the knew if it once was reveal'd,

It would foon round Olympus be carried.

The blithe Goddess not gueffing her drift,
On her waste tied the ceftus of pleasure,
And the cloud-ruler's fifter, then swift

As his eagle, whirl'd off with her treasure.

In this girdle was curioufly stitch'd
The attractions which toying infpire,
And moreover, 'twas finely enrich'd
With all arts to re-kindle defire.

In this girdle, good-humour and ease,
Sweet words and fond looks were exprefs'd,

A perpetual endeavour to please,

And a face with gay smiles ever dress'd.

Poffefs'd of fo rich a machine,

She was eager its virtues to try,

And then leaving the love-darting Queen,
Shot a thousand bright beams from each eye.

To

« ElőzőTovább »