A curious fowl and sparagrass I chose (For I remember you were fond of those); Three shillings cost the first, the last seven groats;

Sullen you turn from both, and call for oats. Others bring goods and treasure to their houses,

Something to deck their pretty babes and

spouses;

My only token was a cup like horn,

That's made of nothing but a lady's corn.
"Tis not for that I grieve; no, 'tis to see
The groom and sorrel mare preferred to me!
These for some moments when you deign to
quit,

And (at due distance) sweet discourse admit,
"Tis all my pleasure thy past toil to know,
For pleased remembrance builds delight on woe.
At every danger pants thy consort's breast,
And gaping infants squall to hear the rest.
How did I tremble, when, by thousands bound,
I saw thee stretched on Lilliputian ground?
When scaling armies climbed up every part,
Each step they trod, I felt upon my heart.
But when thy torrent quenched the dreadful
blaze,

King, Queen, and nation, staring with amaze,
Full in my view how all my husband came,
And what extinguished theirs, increased my
flame.

Those spectacles, ordained thine eyes to save,
Were once my present; Love that armour gave.
How did I mourn at Bolgolam's decree!
For when he signed thy death, he sentenced me.
When folks might see thee all the country
round

For sixpence, I'd have given a thousand pound.

Lord! when the giant-babe that head of thine
Got in his mouth, my heart was up in mine!
When in the marrow-bone I see thee rammed;
Or on the house-top by the monkey crammed,
The piteous images renew my pain,
And all thy dangers I weep o'er again.
But on the maiden's nipple when you rid,
Pray Heaven, 'twas all a wanton maiden did!
Glumdalclitch too-with thee I mourn her case:
Heaven guard the gentle girl from all disgrace!
O may the King that one neglect forgive,
And pardon her the fault by which I live!
Was there no other way to set him free?
My life, alas! I fear proved death to thee.
O teach me, dear, new words to speak my
flame!

Teach me to woo thee by thy best-loved name!
Whether the style of Grildrig please the most,
So called on Brobdignag's stupendous coast,
When on the monarch's ample hand you sate,
And hollooed in his ear intrigues of state;
Or Quinbus Flestrin more endearment brings;
When like a mountain you looked down on
kings:

If ducal Nardac, Lilliputian peer,

Or Glumglum's humbler title soothe thy ear : Nay, would kind Jove my organs so dispose, To hymn harmonious Houyhnhnm through the

nose,

I'd call thee Houyhnhnm, that high-sounding

name;

Thy children's noses all should twang the same. So might I find my loving spouse of course Endued with all the virtues of a horse.

THE DUNCIAD.

IN FOUR BOOKS.

WITH

THE PROLEGOMENA OF SCRIBLERUS,

THE HYPERCRITICS OF ARISTARCHUS,

AND

NOTES VARIORUM.

FACSIMILE OF THE FRONTISPIECE TO THE DUNCIAD,
A.D. 1729.