meagre fhade For when, by chance, the Upon thy hand his finger laid, Thy hand as dry and cold as lead,. He felt about his heart a damp, That quite extinguish'd Cupid's lamp : And leaves my lady in the fuds. 95 100 On STEPHEN DUCK, the THRESHER, and favourite POET. THE A QUIBBLING EPIGRAM. Written in the year 1730. HE thresher Duck could o'er the Queen prevail, The proverb fays, No fence against a flail. From threshing corn he turns to thresh his brains ; For which her Majefty allows him grains. Tho' 'tis confefs'd, that those who ever faw His poems, think them all not worth a straw! Thrice happy Duck, employ'd in threshing stubble! Thy toil is leffen'd, and thy profits double. 5 A PANEGYRIC on the DEAN, in the perfon of a LADY in the north t. Written in the year 1730. REfolv'd my gratitude to fhow, Thrice Rev'rend Dean, for all I owe, The Lady of Sir Arthur Achefon. 5 INDULGENT you to female kind, Nine more fuch champions as the Dean By you fo oft, fo highly prais'd! Transform'd, by your convincing tongue, IMPATIENT to be out of debt, 10 15 20 The bard, who humbly daigns to chufe 25 Behind my back, before my nofe, He founds my praise in verfe and profe, My heart with emulation burns And then, to mend the matter still, I thus begin: My grateful mufe 30 35 40 A village near Sir Arthur Achefon's houfe, where the author Robert and Darby's || coadjutor: paffed two fummers. The names of two overseers. And as you in commiffion fit, To rule the dairy next to Kit *. IN each capacity I mean 54 By your example and affiftance, 55 PROCEED We to your preaching † next ; How nice you split the hardest text! The author preached but once while he was there. 65 7。 But then, a parfon so genteel, So nicely clad from head to heel; So fine a gown, a band fo clean, As well become St Patrick's Dean; That cow-boys know you by your drefs! ; I lead you to a nobler scene * You next to Dennis † bear the sway : Το you we often truft the key: To drink Sir Arthur's health and mine; Your usher's post must next be handled : How blefs'd am I by fuch a man led! * He fometimes used to direct the butler. He fometimes ufed to walk with the Lady 75 $5 90 95 100 105 Under whose wife and careful guardship Now as a jefter I accoft you; How far to go, and when to fpare. By long experience grown fo wife, fpeak. With fuch dexterity you' fit 110 i15 120 125 And, fure as they're alive, at night, As foon as gone, will fhow their fspight: 140 *The neighbouring ladies were no great understanders of raillery. + The clown that cut down the old thorn at Market-hill. the poem, above, p. 330. In bad weather the author used to direct my Lady in her reading. See |