THE

OLD ENGLISH GENTLEMAN.

A POEM.

BOOK THE FIRST.

ARGUMENT:

I. The Guardian Spirits of the Country-Gentleman invoked-The Country-Gentlemen of former Times-of the prefent.

II. Defcription of the Manfion-house, ruinous Caftle, Gateway, &c. of Andarton-of the Family refident at Andarton, from the highest Antiquity.

III. Sir HUMPHREY DE ANDARTON, the prefent Poffeffor-his Character-his Wishes for a Son-Mifs PRUE his only Child-by his first Wife, BRIDGET-His Eftates entailed on Mifs PRUE, in Cafe of no Male Heir-Character of Mifs PRUE-HARRIET, Sir HUMPHREY'S fecond Wife-RACHEL, his Maiden Sifter-His Domeftics, grown old in his Service.

YE guardian spirits of the rural squire,

Who watch, on trembling wing, the faded fire
That, in a HENRY's or an EDWARD's age,
Stream'd o'er the bofom with heroic rage,

When chiefs, distinguisht by their generous birth,
Woo'd in their native groves, transmitted worth;
Spirits! unveil the meed of honor, won
By virtues, ftill deriv'd from fire to son.

In elder days, when each manerial lord Cherish'd, with decent pride, the focial board, Affiduous to fupport his old demefne,

Where clustering hamlets spoke no fullen scene;*

* At present, it is indeed a fullen, folitary scene, that the country prefents to obfervation; particularly fome parts of Cornwall, which were once extremely pictorefque, from the great number and variety of villas and hamlets, but which exhibit, at this moment, cottages in ruins, and old family houfes fcarcely habitable by " rack-holders.”

The rich, the poor, with brightening eyes furvey'd
The pure receffes of the patriarch-shade.

But now, the turbid ftream of foreign gold*
Hath round each ancient vill its poifon roll'd,

Laid bare the bowers of privacy and health,
And
crept o'er all the land with gradual stealth.

Yet, tho' rank opulence, upfprung from trade, Allure the dazzled throng by fplendor's aid, Bid its new liveries pour a yellow blaze, Or flash intense vermilion on the gaze, Tincture its tawdry fhields o'er all the coach, And give the fimple chevron † to reproach;

* Auro turbidus Hermus.-But the tin ftream-works of Cornwall were nearer in view than the golden fands of Hermus. The former have literally deftroyed, in their course along the vallies, the moft luxuriant vegetation, and poisoned all the fish of the rivers.

+ Or, as in the firft MS.

"Blazon, with bordur'd fhields, the burnifht coach,

"And give the fimple faltier to reproach."

The most ancient coats of arms were, generally speaking, the moft fimple, whether they contained the faltier or the chevron, or any other charges. A complication of figures and a pro

fufion