Such as fhe is, who dy'd to-day;
Such I, alas! may be to-morrow:
Go, Damon, bid thy Muse display
The juftice of thy Cloe's forrow.
As Cloe came into the room t'other day,
I peevish began; Where fo long could you ftay?
In your life-time you never regarded your hour:
You promis'd at two; and (pray look, child) 'tis
four.
A lady's watch needs neither figures nor wheels; 5 "Tis enough, that 'tis loaded with baubles and feals. A temper fo heedlefs no mortal can bear
Thus far I went on with a refolute air.
Lord blefs me! faid fhe; let a body but speak: Here's an ugly hard rofe-bud fall'n into my neck: It has hurt me, and vext me to fuch a degreeSee here! for you never believe me; pray fee,
On the left fide my breaft, what a mark it had made!"
So faying, her bofom fhe careless display'd.
That feat of delight I with wonder farvey'd ;
And forgot ev'ry word I defign'd to have faid.
SLY Merry Andrew, the laft Southwark-fair
(At Barthol'mew he did not much appear,
So peevish was the edict of the may'r);
At Southwark therefore, as his tricks he show'd,
To please our mafters, and his friends the croud;
A huge neats-tongue he in his right-hand held, 6
His left was with a good black-pudding fill'd.
With a grave look, in this odd equipage,
The clownish mimic traverses the stage.
Why how now, Andrew! cries his brother droll;
To-days conceit, methinks, is fomething dull:
Come on, fir, to our worthy friends explain,
What does your emblematic worship mean?
Quoth Andrew, honeft English let us fpeak:
Your emble- (what d'ye call 't) is heathen Greek.
To tongue or pudding thou haft no pretence:
Learning thy talent is; but mine is sense.
That bufie fool I was, which thou art now;
Defirous to correct, not knowing how;
With very good defign, but little wit,
Blaming or praifing things, as I thought fit.
I for this conduct had what I deferv'd;
And, dealing honeftly, was almost starv'd.
But, thanks to my indulgent ftars, I eat;
Since I have found the fecret to be great.
O, dearest Andrew, fays the humble droll,
Henceforth may I obey, and thou controll;
Provided thou impart thy useful skill.
Bow then, fays Andrew; and, for once, I will.—
Be of your patrons mind, whate'er he says;
Sleep very much ; think little; and talk lefs:
Mind neither good nor bad, nor right nor wrong;
But eat your pudding, flave; and hold your tongue.
A reverend prelate ftopt his coach and fix,
To laugh a little at our Andrew's tricks :
But, when he heard him give this golden rule,
Drive on (he cry'd); this fellow is no fool.
His spouse is in despair:
With frequent fobs, and mutual cries,
They both exprefs their care.
A diff'rent caufe, fays parfon Sly, 5 The fame effect may give:
Poor Lubin fears, that he fhall die;
His wife, that he may live.
OCCASIONED BY VERSES SENT TO THE
AUTHOR IN HIS RETIREMENT, BY
MRS. ELIZABETH HIGGONS.
WRITTEN IN THE YEAR 1690.
BY GEO. GRANVILLE, LORD LANSDOWNE.'
CEASE, tempting Siren, cease thy flatt'ring ftrain,
Sweet is thy charming fong, but fung in vain :
When the winds blow, and loud the tempefts roar,
What fool would trust the waves, and quit the shore?
Early, and vain, into the world I came,
Big with falfe hopes, and eager after fame;
Till looking round me, ere the race began,
Madmen, and giddy fools were all that ran :
Reclaim'd betimes, I from the lifts retire,
And thank the gods who' my retreat inspire. 10
In happier times our ancestors were bred,
When virtue was the only path to tread :
Give me, ye gods! but the fame road to fame,
Whate'er my fathers dar'd, I dare the fame.
Chang'd is the fcene, fome baneful planet rules
An impious world, contriv'd for knaves and fools.
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