;

Oft was the Moon with filver Luftre crown'd,
Since the nocturnal Pirate march'd, his Round
Soon as his Foe, the Sun, had took his Flight,
Tips forth the little Champion of the Night;
With cautious Tread, fecure from fell Mishap,
Of Pufs, of Poifon, or tremendous Trap,
Still at the Head of his rapacious Clan,
He skipt from Shelf to Shelf, from Pan to Pan
With nofe fagacious finoak'd the baited Gin,
Wary and conscious of the Snare within :
Now feasts on rich Variety of Meats,

;

And oft in Cheese his own Apartments eats;
Regales on Floods of Cream, Ragouts, and Cakes,
Of all the Dainties of the Day partakes :

Now ftorms rich Conferves with voluptuous Tafte,
And faps the tender Tenements of Paste.
As yet unharm'd the Epicure patroll'd,
And fearless o'er his filent Suburbs ftroll'd;
Luxurious Nights in pleasing Plunder pass'd,
Nor dream't that this was doom'd to be his last.
For now the Time-the deftin'd Time was fent
So Fate ordain'd,-and who can Fate prevent ?
Thick Shades once more had veil'd the haunted House,
Once more from Coverts bolts th' adventrous Mouse,
Lighting

C 2

Lighting in evil Hour in Queft of Prey,
Where in a Groupe th' avenging Oyster lay:
A Fish commiffion'd from the watry Throng,
With Ligament of fcaly Armour ftrong;
Lay with expanded Jaws, and gaping Shell,
(But who the fad Catastrophe can tell?)
The dainty Moufe, ftill craving fome new Difh,
Enters the gloomy manfions of the Fish;
With Beard exploring, and with luscious Lip,
He longs the Pickle of the Seas to fip.

Rous'd by his Tusks, th' elastick Oyster fell,
Caught close the Caitiff's Head in watry Cell;
In vain the Victim labours to get free,
From Durance hard, and dread Captivity;
Lock'd in the close Embrace, enfnar'd he lies,
In Pill'ry fafe, pants, ftruggles, fqueaks, and dies.
Thus the juft Fate of his own Crimes he meets,
Like Rakes expiring in deftructive Sweets.

Now placed on high, the Master views the Prize,
And hails the Conqueft with exulting Eyes!
And when beneath fedate he fits and fmoaks,
And cracks his Nuts, his Bottles, or his Jokes,
This Tale he tells to grace the Christmas Pye,
And to the trophy'd Relicts 'points on high.

AN

AN

EVENING CONTEMPLATION.

In a COLLEGE.

Being a PARODY on GRAY'S ELEGY, in a

TH

COUNTRY CHURCH-YARD,

HE Curfew tolls the Hour of ciofing Gates, With jarring Sound the Porter turns the Key, Then in his dreary Mansion flumb'ring waits, And flowly, fternly quits it... tho' for me.

Now fhine the Spires beneath the paly Moon, And through the Cloyfter Peace and Silence reign; Save where fome Fiddler fcrapes a drowsy Tune, Or copious Bowls infpire a jovial Strain :

Save that in yonder cobweb-mantled Room, Where lies a Student in profound Repose, Opprefs'd with Ale, wide-echoes thro' the Gloom The droning Mufic of his vocal Nofe.

Within thofe Walls, where thro' the glimm'ring fhade Appear the Pamphlets in a mould'ring Heap, Each in his narrow Bed till Morning laid, The peaceful fellows of the College fleep.

The tinkling Bell proclaiming early pray'rs, The noify Servants rattling o'er their Head, The calls of Bufinefs, and domeftic Cares Ne'er roufe thefe Sleepers from their downy Bed..

No chatt'ring Females crowd their focial Fire, No Dread have they of Difcord and of Strife; Unknown the Names of Husband and of Sire, Unfelt the Plagues of matrimonial Life.

Oft have they bask'd along the Sunny Walls, Oft have the Benches bow'd beneath their Weight: How jocund are their Looks when Dinner calls! How fmoke the Cutlets on their crowded Plate!

O let not Temp'rance too-difdainful hear
How long our Feafts, how long our Dinners laft
Nor let the Fair with a contemptuous Sneer
On these unmarry'd Men Reflections caft!

The fplendid Fortune and the beauteous Face (Themselves confefs it and their Sires bemoan) Too foon are caught by Scarlet and by Lace: Thefe Sons of Science fhine in Black alone.

Forgive, ye Fair, th' involuntary Fault, If these no Feats of Gayety display,

Where through proud Ranelagh's wide-echoing Vault Melodious Frafi trills her quav'ring Lay.

Saya

Say, is the Sword well fuited to the Band,
Does broider'd Coat agree with fable Gown,
Can Drefden's Laces fhade a Churchman's Hand,
Or Learning's Vot'ries ape the Beaux of Town?

Perhaps in these time-tott'ring Walls refide Some who were once the darlings of the Fair; Some who of old could Taftes and Fashions guide, Controul the manager and awe the Play'r.

But Science now has fill'd their vacant Mind
With Rome's rich Spoils and Truth's exalted Views;
Fir'd them with Transports of a nobler Kind,
And bade them flight all Females.... but the Muse.

Full many a Lark high-tow'ring to the Sky,
Unheard, unheeded greets th' Approach of Light;
Full many
a Star, unfeen by mortal Eye,

With twinkling Luftre glimmers thro' the Night.

Some future Herring, that with dauntless Breast
Rebellion's Torrrent fhall like him oppose;
Some mute,fome thoughtless Hardwicke here may reft,
Some Pelham dreadful to his Country's Foes.

From Prince and People to command Applause,
'Midft ermin'd Peers to guide the high debate,
To shield Britannia's and Religion's Laws,
And steer with steady Course the Helm of State,

Fate