"Two sturdy oxen turn the soil,

"Whilst NEDDY leads them in the toil.

"Light is his task, nor I refuse

"My richest pastures to his use.

" IN GRATITUDE to Heav'n I bend;

"Nor e'er neglect my early FRIEND. "Year after year I richer grow;

66

My num'rous herds around me low; "On many a fair and fertile plain,

"Wav'd to the breeze my golden grain.

"When our good VICAR " sought that bourn

"From whence no travellers return,”

His daughter left in want to mourn; "I wish'd to sooth the ORPHAN's sigh,

And wipe the tear from SORROW's eye.

"With this intent I sought the Maid,

" And NEDDY in my hand I lead,

“ Madam, said I, (in my blunt way)

"We're come our honest debts to pay."

"Debts! my good friend—you nothing owe!"

"Remember-twenty years ago,

"(I, Madam, haʼnt forgot it yet)

"You lent me this your little Pet;

By his joint labour and my own,

"From poor to rich, GILES PLOUGH has grown.

"I now return the Ass to you;

" And with him half my wealth—his due,

"Nor as a gift presume to give it,

"But as your own you will receive it.

"

Pleas'd, thro' her tears the Maiden smiles;

"But still she said-ah no, friend GILES,

"I can't consent to take from thee,

"The fair reward of industry."

"Was not the seed first sown by you?

"Soon to a stately tree it grew;

"When piercing winds or heats invade,

"Shall it not shelter you or shade!

"Then tell me, MARY, tell me whether

"You'll NEDDY take and GILES together?

"She blush'd-but now to end my

"In time I happily prevail.

tale

"Thus NEDDY was my friend thro' life,

"Blest me with riches and a wife;

"At length, poor beast! with years opprest

"He lies-where even asses rest.

INGRATITUDE;

OR,

THE SQUIRE AND HIS RACE HORSE.

A TALE.

WHO has not heard, both far and near,

Of MATCHLESS, SQUANDER's famous mare?

I had the tale from WILL the

groom,

(A better never wielded comb)

A shrewd yet tender-hearted fellow;

Tho' oft he'd get a little mellow,
When talking of his favourite mare,
Next to his wife and children dear.

The tale he told with many a sigh,

And oft the tear bedimm'd his eye.
In his own simple language take it,
No better can your Poet make it.

"Those bones were her's beside the way,

"O'er which I wept full many a day;

"Sure Heav'n ne'er form'd a lovelier creature, "MATCHLESS she was by name and nature.

"Her dam of high Arabian breed, "Renown'd for beauty as for speed. "ECLIPSE-the famous was her sire: "Goes SANCHO or PAVILION higher? "In every limb true beauty shin'd,

"And with her beauty, strength combin❜d.