III. Then maids and youths fhall linger here, To hear the Woodland Pilgrim's knell. IV. Remembrance oft fhall haunt the fhore When Thames in fummer wreaths is drest, And oft fufpend the dashing oar To bid his gentle spirit rest! V. And oft as Eafe and Health retire But Thou, who own'st that earthy bed, Yet lives there one, whose heedless eye Shall fcorn thy pale fhrine glimm'ring near? With him, fweet bard, may Fancy die, And Joy defert the blooming year. *RICHMOND Church. VIII. But thou, lorn Stream, whose fullen tide No fedge-crown'd Sifters now attend, Now waft me from the green hill's fide Whofe cold turf hides the buried Friend! IX. And fee, the fairy valleys fade, Dun Night has veil'd the folemn view! X. The genial meads affign'd to blefs XI. Long, long, thy ftone and pointed clay THE THE CHILD BIRTH. IN THE MANNER OF GAY. HE doleful dumps I fing, and tearful woes, Of MARIAN teeming with unlawful throes: The sheenest lafs in Berkshire was she known, Of all that butter fell to Reading town: Not the fev'n fifters could o'er her prevail, The golden farmer's daughters of the vale, Tho' every Oxford muse their charms has fung, And graveft doctors * join'd the tuneful throng. Ye peers! who careless of ambition, chuse To court the labours of the past'ral muse; And all the wond'rous bards who try the lay, Where black Cam rolls, or Ifis' eddies play, Affift the labours of an humble swain, Rude to the pipe, and novice on the plain. Nine months fucceffive now had rolled round Since MARIAN first the pleasing mischief found; In vain her hands had cull'd th' abortive weed, Nor aught avail'd the 'pothecary's aid: *The Rev. Dr WILKES wrote a poem upon them. Her womb began with fatal fize to fwell, And fick'ning qualms the blufhful fecret tell: Then all in fad despair she made her moan, Lodona's waters echoed groan for groan. "Ah! faithlefs COLIN CLOUT! ah, lucklefs I! "And canft thou, cruel! from thy MARIAN fly? "How often haft thou fuck'd my panting breath? "How often fwore to love me true till death? "But to the Juftice I'll reveal my plight, "And with a conftable purfue thy flight. -Ah! how unequal, as our parfon preaches, "Are this world's goods ! and fure he rightly teaches; "For what to maidens brings eternal stain, 66 (Sad management!) gives honour to the swain. ""Twas on the blitheft morn of all the year, "When new-born May bids ev'ry fhepherd chear; "When artful maids their rival fancies show, "And well-wrought garlands bloom on every bough; "When gaudy fairs befpangle ev'ry street, "And lowing cows the novel pafture greet; "Fresh rofe I, MARIAN hight, from ruftic bed, "The morning dream ftill hov'ring o'er my head; Gay fhews and fweethearts had employ'd my thought, 66 "The kifs imprinted, and the fairing bought! "And donn'd the funday gown berob'd with red. "Thus all bedight, and ready for the fair, "I fat impatient with a wistful air, "Expecting COLIN CLOUT, my perjur'd swain, "Who always follow'd MARIAN on the plain : "With him the moon-light walk I us'd to tread, "With him I danc'd upon the fportive mead; "That very morn had taught the fnails to crawl, "And print mysterious letters on the wall. "At length he came, and I with joyous meed "Mounted behind him on the pillion'd steed: "Sweetly I fung, he whiftled to the lay, "Sweetly I fung the fong, and fung the day: "What beauteous fcenes began the tuneful tale! "And next I humm'd the fweets of Arno's vale; "Then MOLLY MOGG, fair damfel of the Rose, "And lovely PEGGY, taste of London beaux. "And now in view gay Reading ftrikes our eyes, "And all the dainties of the fair arise: "Here* Birmingham its boasted ware displays, "There leather breeches hight, and bodice stays; "Here pofied garters flutter'd in the way, "There painted hobby-horfes feem to neigh; "Here belles in gingerbread all gilded over, "And little gew-gaw HYs act the lover. "Shepherds and nymphs from every part repair, "All who from Oxford hills direct the fhare, * A town famous for working in steel. |