Wild as his land, in native deferts bred, By luft incited, or by malice led,
The villain Arab, as he prowls for prey,
Oft marks with blood and wafting flames the way; Yet none fo cruel as the Tartar foe,
To death inur'd, and nurft in fcenes of woe.
He said, when loud along the vale was heard A fhriller fhriek, and nearer fires appear'd: The frighted shepherds, thro' the dews of night, Wide o'er the moonlight hills renew'd their flight.
This is reckoned the best parody of Milton in our language it has been an hundred times imitated, without fuccefs. The truth is, the first thing in this way must preclude all future attempts; for nothing is so eafy as to burlesque any man's manner, when we are once fhewed the way.
APPY the man, who, void of cares and ftrife, In filken, or in leathern, purse, retains A Splendid Shilling: he nor hears with pain New oysters cry'd, nor fighs for chearful ale; But, with his friends, when nightly mists arise, To Juniper's Magpye, or Town-Hall* repairs: Where, mindful of the nymph whose wanton eye Transfix'd his foul, and kindled amorous flames, Cloe, or Philips; he each circling glass Wisheth her health, and joy, and equal love. Mean while, he fmokes, and laughs at merry tale, Or Pun ambiguous, or Conundrum quaint.
But I, whom griping penury furrounds,
And hunger, fure attendant upon want, With scanty offals, and fmall acid tiff, (Wretched repast!) my meagre corps fuftain: Then folitary walk, or doze at home In garret vile, and with a warming puff Regale chill'd fingers; or from tube as black As winter chimney, or well-polifh'd jet, Exhale Mundungus, ill-perfuming scent: Not blacker tube, nor of a shorter fize Smokes Cambro-Briton (vers'd in pedigree, Sprung from Cadwalador and Arthur, kings Full famous in romantic tale) when he O'er many a craggy hill and barren cliff, Upon a cargo of fam'd Ceftrian cheese, High over-fhadowing rides, with a defign To vend his wares, or at th' Arvonian mart, Or Maridunum, or the antient town Yclip'd Brechinia; or where Vaga's stream Encircles Ariconium, fruitful foil!
Whence flow nectareous wines, that well may vie With Maffic, Setin, or renown'd Falern.
Thus, while my joyless minutes tedious flow, With looks demure, and filent pace, a Dun, Horrible monster! hated by gods and men, my aërial citadel afcends,
With vocal heel thrice thundering at my gate, With hideous accent thrice he calls; I know The voice ill-boding, and the folemn found. What should I do? or whither turn? amaz'd, Confounded, to the dark recefs I fly
Of woodhole; ftrait my bristling hairs erect Thro' fudden fear; a chilly sweat bedews My fhudd'ring limbs, and (wonderful to tell!) My tongue forgets her faculty of speech; So horrible,he feems! his faded brow
Entrench'd with many a frown, and conic beard,. And spreading band, admir'd by modern faints, Difaftrous acts forebode; in his right hand Long scrolls of paper folemnly he waves, With characters and figures dire inscrib'd, Grievous to mortal eyes; (ye gods, avert Such plagues from righteous men) behind him ftalks Another monster not unlike himself,
Sullen of afpect, by the vulgar call'd
A Catchpole; whose polluted hands the Gods With force incredible, and magic charms, First have endu'd, if he his ample palm Should, haply, on ill-fated fhoulder lay Of debtor, ftrait his body, to the touch Obfequious, (as whilom knights were wont) To fome inchanted caftle is convey'd, Where gates impregnable, and coercive chains In durance ftri&t detain him, till, in form Of money, Pallas fets the captive free.
Beware, ye debtors, when ye walk, beware, Be circumfpect; oft, with infiduous ken, This caitiff eyes your fteps aloof, and oft Lies perdue in a nook or gloomy cave, Prompt to inchant fome inadvertent wretch With his unhallow'd touch. So (poets fing) Grimalkin
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