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Would'st thou, possessor of a flock, employ
(Appriz'd that he is such) a careless boy,
And feed him well, and give him handsome pay,
Merely to fleep, and let them run aftray?
Survey our schools and colleges, and see
A fight not much unlike my fimile.
From education, as the leading cause,
The public character its colour draws;
Thence the prevailing manners take their cast,
Extravagant or fober, loofe or chaste.

And, though I would not advertise them yet,
Nor write on each-This Building to be Let,
Unless the world were all prepar'd t' embrace
A plan well worthy to fupply their place;
Yet, backward as they are, and long have been,
To cultivate and keep the morals clean,
(Forgive the crime) I wish them, I confess,
Or better manag'd, or encourag'd less.

ON

THE DEATH

OF

MRS. THROCKMORTON'S

BULFINCH.

YE nymphs! if e'er your eyes were red
With tears o'er hapless fav'rites shed,
O share Maria's grief!
Her fav'rite, even in his cage,
(What will not hunger's cruel rage?)
Affaffin'd by a thief.

Where Rhenus strays his vines among,
The egg was laid from which he sprung,
And though by nature mute,

Or only with a whistle blest,

Well-taught, he all the founds express'd
Of flagelet or flute.

Y

The honours of his ebon poll
Were brighter than the fleekeft mole
His bofom of the hue

With which Aurora decks the skies,
When piping winds shall foon arise
To sweep up all the dew.

Above, below, in all the house,
Dire foe, alike to bird and mouse,
No cat had leave to dwell;.

And Bully's cage supported stood,
On props of smootheft-shaven wood,.
Large-built and lattic'd well.

Well-lattic'd-but the grate, alas!
Not rough with wire of steel or brass,.
For Bully's plumage fake,

But fmooth with wands from Oufe's fide,
With which, when neatly peel'd and dried
The fwains their baskets make.

Night veil'd the pole. All feem'd fecure.. When led by instinct sharp and fure,, Subsistence to provide,

A beaft forth-fallied on the scout

Long-back'd, long-tail'd, with whisker'd snout,
And badger-colour'd hide.

He, ent'ring at the study door,
Its ample area 'gan explore;

And fomething in the wind
Conjectur'd, sniffing round and round,
Better than all the books he found,
Food, chiefly, for the mind.

Just then, by adverse fate imprefs'd,
A dream disturb'd poor Bully's reft;
In fleep he seem'd to view

A rat, faft-clinging to the cage,
And, screaming at the sad presage,
Awoke and found it true.

For, aided both by ear and scent,
Right to his mark the monster went-
Ah, Mufet forbear to fpeak

Minute the horrors that ensued;

*

:

His teeth were ftrong, the cage was wood

He left poor Bully's beak.

3.

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