My wife's gay friends th' unwelcome imp admire, 'And fill the room with gratulation dire;

While I in silence sate, revolving all!

'That influence antient men, or that befall;

'A gay pert guest-Heav'n knows his business-came;
A glorious boy, he cried, and what the name?
Angry I growl'd; my spirit cease to tease,
• Name it yourselves,-Cain, Judas, if you please,
'His father's give him, should you that explore,
The Devil's or your's :-I said, and sought the door.
'My tender partner not a word or sigh

'Gives to my wrath, nor to my speech reply
'But takes her comforts, triumphs in my pain,
'And looks undaunted for a birth again.'-
Heirs thus denied, afflict the pining heart,
And thus afforded, jealous pangs impart;
To prove these arrows of the giant's hand,
Are not for man to stay or to command.
Then with their infants three, the parents came,
And each assign'd-'twas all they had-a name:
Names of no mark or price; of them not one
Shall court our view, on the sepulchral stone;
Or stop the Clerk, the engraven scrolls to spell,
Or keep the Sexton from the sermon-bell.

An orphan girl succeeds: ere she was born,
Her father died, her mother on that morn;
The pious mistress of the school sustains,
Her parents' part, nor their affection feigns,

But pitying feels; with due respect and joy,
I trace the matron at her lov'd employ;
What time the striplings weary'd ev'n with play,
Part at the closing of the Summer's day,

And each by different path, returns the well-known

way.

Then I behold her at her cottage door,
Frugal of light ;-her Bible laid before,
When on her double duty she proceeds,
Of Time as frugal; knitting as she reads:
Her idle neighbours, who approach to tell
Of news or nothing, she by looks compel,
To hear reluctant, while the lads who pass,
In pure respect, walk silent on the grass;
Then sinks the day, but not to rest she goes,
Till solemn prayers the daily duties close.
But I digress, and lo! an infant train,
Appear, and call me to my task again.

'Why Lonicera wilt thou name thy child?'
I ask'd the gardener's wife, in accent mild:
"We have a right," replied the sturdy dame;
And Lonicera was the infant's name.
If next a son shall yield our gardener joy,
Then Hyacinthus shall be that fair boy,
And if a girl, they will at length agree,
That Belladonna that fair maid shall be.

High-sounding words our worthy Gardener gets,
And at his club to wondering swains repeats:
He then of Rhus and Rhododendron speaks,
And Allium calls his onions and his leeks;

Nor weeds are now, for whence arose the weed, Scarce plants, fair herbs and curious flowers proceed; Where Cuckoo-pints and Dandelions sprung,

(Gross names had they, our plainer sires among ;) There Arums, there Leontodons we view,

And Artimisia grows, where Wormwood grew.

But though no weed exists, his garden round,
From Rumex strong our Gardener frees his ground,
Take soft Senecio from the yielding land,
And grasps the arm'd Urtica in his hand.

Not DARWIN'S self had more delight to sing
Of floral courtship, in th' awaken'd spring;
Than Peter Pratt, who simpering loves to tell,
How rise the Stamens, as the Pistils swell;
How bend and curl the moist-top to the spouse,
And give and take the vegetable vows;
How those esteem'd of old, but tips and chives,
Are tender husbands and obedient wives;
Who live and love within the sacred bower,-
That bridal bed, the vulgar term a Flower.

Hear Peter proudly, to some humble friend,
A wonderous secret, in his science lend,

"Would you advance the nuptial hour, and bring "The fruit of Autumn with the flowers of Spring; "View that light frame where Cucumis lies spread, “And trace the husbands in their golden bed, "Three turged Anthers;-then no more delay, "But haste and bear them to their spouse away; "In a like bed, you'll see that spouse reclin'd, ("Oh! haste and bear them, they like love are blind,)

"Then by thyself, from prying glance secure,
"Twirl the full tip and make the marriage sure;
"A long-abiding race the deed shall pay,
"Nor one unblest abortion pine away."

T'admire their friend's discourse our swains agree,
And call it science and philosophy.

'Tis good, 'tis pleasant, through th' advancing year, To see unnumber'd growing forms appear;

What leafy-life from Earth's broad bosom rise!
What insect myriads seek the summer skies!
What scaly tribes in every streamlet move!
What plumy people sing in every grove!

All with the year awak'd, to life's great duty, Love.J
Then names are good, for how, without their aid
Is knowledge gain'd by man, to man convey'd?
But from that source, shall all our pleasure flow?
Shall all our knowledge be, those names to know?
Then He with memory blest, shall bear away
The palm from GREW, and MIDDLETON, and RAY;
No! let us rather seek in grove and field,
What food for wonder, what for use they yield;
Some just remark, from Nature's people bring,
And some new source of homage for her King.
Pride lives with all; strange names our rustics give
To helpless infants, that their own may live;
Pleas'd to be known, some notice they will claim,
And find some bye-way to the house of Fame.

The straitest furrow lifts the ploughman's heart, Or skill allow'd firm in the bruiser's art;

The bowl that beats the greater number down,
Of tottering nine-pins, gives to fame the clown;
Or foil'd in these, he opes his ample jaws,
And lets a frog leap down, to gain applause;
Or grins for hours, or tipples for a week,
Or challenges a well-pinch'd pig, to squeak;
Some idle deed, some child's preposterous name,
Shall make him known, and give his folly, fame.

To name an infant, met our village-sires,
Assembled all, as such event requires ;
Frequent and full, the rural sages sate,
And speakers many, urg'd the long debate,——
Some harden'd knaves, who rov'd the country round,
Had left a babe within the parish bound,-

First, of the fact they question'd-" Was it true?".
The child was brought-"What then remain'd to do?"
"Was't dead or living?" This was fairly prov'd,
'Twas pinch'd, it roar'd, and every doubt remov'd;
Then by what name th' unwelcome guest to call,
Was long a question, and it pos'd them all;
For he who lent a name to babe unknown,
Censorious men might take it for his own;
They look'd about, they ask'd the name of all,
And not one Richard answer'd to the call;
Next they enquir'd the day, when passing by,
Th' unlucky peasant heard the stranger's cry;
This known; how food and raiment they might give,
Was next debated-for the rogue would live;