The fire's new rak't, and hearth fwept clean, By Madg, the dirty kitchin-quean,

The fafe is lock't, the mouse-trap fet,

55

The leaven laid, and bucking wet.

XV.

Now in falfe floors and roofs above,
The luftful cats make ill-tun'd love,
The ban-dog on the dunghil lies,
And watchful nurse fings lullabies.

XVI.

Philomel chants it whilft fhe bleeds,
The bittern booms it in the reeds,

And Reynard entering the back yard,
The Capitolian cry is heard.

XVII.

The goblin now the fool alarms,

Haggs meet to mumble o're their charms;

The night-mare rides the dreaming afs,
And fairies trip it on the grass.

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65

XVIII.

The drunkard now fupinely fnores,

His load of ale fweats through his pores, 70

Yet when he wakes the fwine fhall find

A cropola remains behind.

XIX.

The fober now and chast are blest

With fweet, and with refreshing reft,

And to found fleepst hey've beft pretence 75

Who've greatest share of innocence.

XX.

We fhould fo live then that we may
Fearless put off our clotts and clay,
And travel through death's fhades to light,
For every day muft have its night.

V. 76. Have.

80

2

THEODORE AND HONORIA.

[A TRANSLATION FROM BOCCACE.]

BY JOHN DRYDEN, ESQ.

POET LAUREAT.

Of all the cities in Romanian lands,

The chief, and most renown'd, Ravenna ftands,
Adorn'd in ancient times with arms and arts,
And rich inhabitants, with gen'rous hearts.
But Theodore the brave, above the rest,
With gifts of fortune and of nature bless'd,
The foremost place for wealth and honor held,
And all in feats of chivalry excell'd.

5

10

This noble youth to madness lov'd a dame Of high degree, Honoria was her name; Fair as the faireft, but of haughty mind, And fiercer than became fo foft a kind; Proud of her birth (for equal she had none) The reft fhe fcorn'd, but hated him alone; His gifts, his conftant courtship, nothing gain'd; For fhe, the more he lov'd, the more difdain'd. He liv'd with all the pomp he could devise, At tilts and tournaments obtain'd the prize; But found no favour in his ladys eyes:

Born 1631; dyed 1701.

}

Relentless as a rock, the lofty maid

Turn'd all to poison, that he did or faid:

Nor pray❜rs, nor tears, nor offer'd vows, could

move;

The work went backward; and the more he ftrove T'advance his fuit, the farther from her love.

Weary'd, at length, and wanting remedy, 25
He doubted oft, and oft refolv'd to die.
But pride ftood ready to prevent the blow,
For who would die to gratify a foe?

His gen'rous mind difdain'd so mean a fate;
That pass'd, his next endeavour was to hate. 30
But vainer that relief than all the reft,
The lefs he hop'd, with more defire poffefs'd;

35

Change was the next, but change deceiv'd his care;
He fought a fairer, but found none so fair.
He would have worn her out by flow degrees,
As men by fafting ftarve th' untam'd disease:
But prefent love requir❜d a present ease.
Looking he feeds alone his famish'd eyes,
Feeds ling'ring death, but looking not he dies.
Yet ftill he chose the longest way to fate,
Wafting at once his life, and his estate.

His friends beheld, and pity'd him in vain,
For what advice can ease a lovers pain!
Absence, the best expedient they could find,
Might fave the fortune, if not cure the mind:

41

45

This means they long propos'd, but little gain'd, Yet, after much purfuit, at length obtain❜d.

Hard you may think it was to give confent,
But struggling with his own defires he went,

With large expence, and with a pompous train,
Provided as to vifit France and Spain,

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55

Or for some distant voyage o'er the main.
But love had clipp'd his wings, and cut him short,
Confin'd within the purlieus of the court.
Three miles he went, nor farther could retreat;
His travels ended at his country-feat:
To Chaffis' pleafing plains he took his way,
There pitch'd his tents, and there refolv'd to ftay.
The spring was in the prime; the neighbouring

grove

Supply'd with birds, the chorifters of love:
Mufic unbought, that minifter'd delight
To morning walks, and lull'd his cares by night:
There he discharg'd his friends; but not th' expence
Of frequent treats, and proud magnificence. 65
He liv'd as kings retire, tho more at large
From public business, yet with equal charge;
With house and heart ftill open to receive;
As well content as love would give him leave:
He would have liv'd more free; but many a gueft, ́
Who could forfake the friend, purfu'd the feaft. 71

It happ❜d one morning, as his fancy led,
Before his ufual hour he left his bed;