XXIV.

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 stool, 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 behest ;

;

And scorns her offer'd love, and fhuns to be carefs'd.

XXV.

His face befprent with liquid crystal shines,
His blooming face that seems a purple flow'r,
Which low to earth its drooping head declines,
All fmear'd and fully'd by a vernal show'r.
O the hard bosoms of defpotic pow'r!
All, all, but fhe, the author of his shame,
All, all, but she, regret this mournful hour:

Yet hence the youth, and hence the flow'r, fhall claim, If so I deem aright, tranfcending worth and fame. XXVI.

Behind fome door, in melancholy thought,

Mindlefs of food, he, dreary caitiff! pines;
Ne for his fellow's joyaunce careth ought,

But to the wind all merriment refigns;
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VOL. I.

And

And deems it shame, if he to peace inclines;
And many a fullen look afcance is fent,
Which for his dame's annoyance he defigns;

And still the more to pleasure him she's bent,

The more doth he, perverse, her haviour past resent.
XXVII.

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 sparks of nobler fires:
Ah! better far than all the Muses' lyres,
All coward arts, is valour's gen'rous heat;
The firm fixt breast which Fit and Right requires,
Like Vernon's patriot foul; more justly great

Than craft that pimps for ill, or flow'ry false deceit.
XXVIII.

Yet nurs'd with skill, what dazling fruits appear!

Ev'n now fagacious Forefight points to show

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, Shakespeare, names that ne'er shall dye ! Though now he crawl along the ground fo low, Nor weeting how the Mufe fhould foar on high, Wifheth, poor ftarvling elf! his paper-kite may fly. XXIX. And

XXIX.

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 shall yield;
And many a poet quit th' Aonian field;
And, four'd by age, profound he shall appear,
As he who now with 'fdainful fury thrill'd
Surveys mine work; and levels many a sneer,

And furls his wrinkly front, and cries "What ftuff is

XXX.

But now Dan Phoebus gains the middle skie,

And Liberty unbars their prifon-door;

[here?"

And like a rushing torrent out they fly,
And now the graffy cirque han cover'd o'er
With boist'rous revel-rout and wild uproar;
A thousand ways in wanton rings they rún,
Heav'n fhield their fhort-liv'd paftimes, I implore!
For well may Freedom, erft fo dearly won,
Appear to British elf more gladsome than the fun.
XXXI.

Enjoy, poor imps! enjoy your fportive trade;
And chase gay flies, and cull the fairest flow'rs
For when my bones in grafs-green fods are laid;
For never may ye taste more careless hours

In knightly caftles, or in ladies bow'rs.
O vain to seek delight in earthly thing!

But moft in courts where proud Ambition tow'rs; Deluded wight! who weens fair peace can spring Beneath the pompous dome of kefar or of king. XXXII.

See in each sprite fome various bent appear !
These rudely carol most incondite lay;

Those faunt'ring on the green, with jocund leer
Salute the stranger paffing on his way;
Some building fragile tenements of clay;

Some to the standing lake their courses bend,
With pebbles smooth at duck and drake to play;
Thilk to the huxter's fav'ry cottage tend,

In pastry kings and queens th' allotted mite to spend.
XXXIII.

Here, as each feafon yields a different store,
Each season's stores in order ranged been;
Apples with cabbage-net y-cover'd o'er,
Galling full fore th' unmoney'd wight, are seen;
And goofe-b'rie clad in liv'ry red or green;
And here of lovely dye, the Cath❜rine pear,
Fine pear! as lovely for thy juice, I ween:
O may no wight e'er penny-less come there,

Left fmit with ardent love he pine with hopeless care!
XXXIV. See!

XXXIV.

See! cherries here, ere cherries yet abound,
With thread fo white in tempting pofies ty'd,
Scatt❜ring like blooming maid their glances round,
With pamper'd look draw little eyes afide;
And must be bought though penury betide.

The plumb all azure and the nut all brown,

And here, each season, do thofe cakes abide,

Whofe honour'd names th' inventive city own,

Rend'ring thro' Britain's ifle Salopia's praises known '.

XXXV.

Admir'd Salopia! that with venial pride

Eyes her bright form in Severn's ambient wave,
Fam'd for her loyal cares in perils tried,

Her daughters lovely, and her striplings brave;
Ah! 'midft the reft, may flowers adorn his grave,
Whose art did first these dulcet cates display!
A motive fair to Learning's imps he gave,
Who cheerless o'er her darkling region stray;

'Till reason's morn arise, and light them on their way.

Shrewsbury cakes.

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