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Of nature's laws his carols first begun,

Why the
grave owl can never face the fun.
For owls, as fwains obferve, deteft the light,
And only fing and feek their prey by night.
How turnips hide their swelling heads below,
And how the clofing colworts upwards grow;
How Will-a-Wifp misleads night-faring clowns,
O'er hills, and finking bogs, and pathlefs downs.
Of ftars he told, that fhoot with fhining trail,
And of the glow-worms light that gilds his tail.
He fung, where wood-cocks in the fummer feed,
And in what climates they renew their breed;
Some think to northern coafts their flight they tend,
Or to the moon, in midnight hours, afcend.
Where swallows in the winter's seafon keep.
And how the drowsy bat and dormouse sleep.
How nature does the puppy's eyelid close,
Till the bright fun has nine times fet and rofe;
For huntfmen, by their long experience find,
That puppies, ftill, nine rolling funs are blind.

Now he goes on, and fings of fairs and fhows;
For ftill new fairs before his eyes arose.
How pedlars ftalls with glitt'ring toys are laid,
The various fairings of the country-maid.
Long filken laces hang upon the twine,
And rows of pins and amber bracelets shine;
How the tight lafs knives, combs, and fciffars fpies,
And looks on thimbles with defiring eyes.

Of lott'ries, next, with tuneful note, he told,
Where filver spoons are won, and rings of gold.

The

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The lads and laffes trudge the street along,
And all the fair is crouded in his fong.
The mountebank now treads the stage, and sells
His pills, his balfams and his ague-spells;
Now o'er and o'er the nimble tumbler springs,
And on the rope the vent'rous maiden swings;
Jack Pudding, in his party-colour'd jacket,
Toffes the glove, and jokes at every packet.

Of Raree-shows he fung, and Punch's feats,

Of pockets pick'd in crowds, and various cheats.
Then fad he fung, The Children in the Wood.
Ah barb'rous uncle, ftain'd with infant blood;
How blackberries they pluck'd in defarts wild,
And, fearless, at the glittering fauchion fmil'd;
Their little corps the robin-red-breaks found,
And ftrew'd, with pious bill, the leaves around.
Ah gentle birds! if this verse lass fo long,
Your names hall live for ever in my fong.

For buxom Joan he sung the doubtful strife,
How the fly failor made the maid a wife.
To louder ftrains he rais'd his voice, to tell
What woeful wars in Chevy-chace befel,
When "Piercy drove the deer with hound and horn,
Wars to be wept by children yet unborn !"
Ah With'rington, more years thy life had crown'd,
If thou hadft never heard the horn or hound!
Yet fhall the 'fquire who fought on bloody ftumps,
By future bards be wail'd in doleful dumps.
All in the land of Effex next he chaunts,

How to fleek mares ftarch Quakers turn gallants:

How

How the grave brother stood on bank so green.
Happy for him if mares had never been!

Then he was feiz'd with a religious qualm,
And, on a sudden, fung the hundredth pfalm.
He fung of Taffey Welch, and Sawney Scot,
Lilly-bullero, and the Irish Trot.

Why should I tell of Bateman or of Shore,
Or Wantley's dragon flain by valiant Moore,
The bower of Rofamond, or Robin Hood,

And how the grass now grows where Troy town flood?
His carrols ceas'd: the lift'ning maids and fwains
Seem ftill to hear fome foft imperfect strains.
Sudden he rofe; and, as he reels along,

Swears kiffes fweet should well reward his fong.
The damfels laughing fly: the giddy clown
Again upon a wheatsheaf drops adown;

The pow'r that guards the drunk his fleep attends,
Till, ruddy, like his face, the fun defcends.

MAC

MAC FLECKNOE.

The feverity of this fatire, and the excellence of its versification, give it a distinguished rank in this fpecies of compofition. At present, an ordinary reader would scarce fuppofe that Shadwell, who is here meant by Mac Flecknoe, was worth being chaftifed, and that Dryden's defcending to fuch game was like an eagle's fooping to catch flies. The truth, however, is, Shadwell, at one time, held divided reputation with this great poet. Every age produces its fashionable dunces, who, by following the tranfient topic, or humour, of the day, fupply talkative ignorance with materials for converfation.

A

LL human things are fubject to decay,

And, when Fate fummons, monarchs muft obey. This Flecknoe found, who, like Auguftus, young Was call'd to empire, and had govern'd long; In profe and verse was own'd, without dispute, Through all the realms of Nonfenfe, abfolute. This aged prince, now flourishing in peace, And blefs'd with iffue of a large increase; Worn out with business, did, at length debate To fettle the fucceffion of the state: And pond'ring which, of all his fons, was fit To reign, and wage immortal war with Wit,

Cry'd,

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