How, if on Swithin's feaft the welkin lours,
And every penthoufe ftreams with hally showers,
Twice twenty days fhall clouds their fleeces
drain,
185

245

250

Ah, Mulciber recall thy nuptial vow,
Think on the graces of thy Paphian spouse,
Think how her eyes dart inexhaufled charms,
And cant thou leave her bed for Patty's arms?
The Lemnian Power forfakes the realms above,
His blom glowing with terreftrial love :
Far in the lane a lonely hut he found;
No tenant ventur'd on th' unwholefome grounde
190Here fmokes his forge, he bares his finewy arm,
And early frokes the founding anvil warm:
Around his fhop the freely fparkles flew,
As for the fteed he fhap'd the bending shoe.
When blue-ey'd Patty near his window came,
His anvil refts, his forge forgets to flame.
To hear his foothing tales, fhe feigns delays;
What woman can refift the force of praife? 260

And wash the pavements with inceffant rain.
Let not fuch vulgar tales debale thy mind;
Nor Paul nor Swithin rule the clouds and wind.
If you the precepts of the Mufe defpife,
And flight the faithful warning of the kies,
Others you'll fee, when all the town's afloat,
Wrapt in th' embraces of a kerley coat,
Or double-bottom'd frieze; their guarded feet
Defy the muddy dangers of the street;
While you, with hat unloop'd, the fury dread 195
Of spouts high streaming, and with cautious tread
Shun every dathing pool, or idly ftor;
To feek the kind protection of a shop.
But bu finefs funmans; now with hafty feud w
You jostle for the wall, the fpatter'd mud
Hides all thy hofe behind; in vain you fcower,
Thy wig, alas! uncurl'd admits the fhower.
So fierce Alect's fnaky treffes fell,

200

210

Or thus hung Glaucus' beard, with briny dew 205
Clotted and trait, when firft bis amorous view
Surpris'd the bathing fair; the frighted maid
Now ftands a reck, transform'd by Circe's aid.
Good housewives all the winter's rage defpite,
Defended by the riding-hood's difguile;
Or, underneath th' umbrella's oily fhed, "
Safe through the wet on clinking pattens tread.
Let Perfian dames th' umbrella's ribs display,
To guard their beauties from the funny ray;
Or fweating faves fupport the fhady load,
When aftern monarchs fhow their ftate abroad:
Britain in winter only knows its aid,

215

To guard from chilly fhowers the walking maid.
But, O! forget not, Mufe, the patten's praife,
that female implement fhall grace thy lays; 220
Say from what art divine th' snvention came,
And from its origin deduce its name.

225

Where Lincoln wide extends her fenny foil,
A goodly yeoman liv'd, grown white with toil;
One only daughter blefs'd his nuptial bed,
Who from her infant hand the poultry fed:
Martha (her careful mother's name) the bore,
But now her careful mother was no more.
Whilft on her father's knee the damfel play'd,
Patty he fondly call'd the fmiling maid;
As years increas'd, her ruddy beauty grew,
And Patty's fame o'er all the village flew.
Soon as the grey-ey'd morning streaks the
fkies,

230

255

At firft the coyly every kifs with food,
And all Her cheek was flufh'd with modeft blood;
With headless nails he now furrounds her fhoes,
To fave her steps from rains and piercing dews.
She lik'd his foothing tales, his prelents wore, 265
And granted kiffè, but would grant no more.
Yet winter chill'd her feet, with cold the pines,
And on her check the fading rofe declines;
No more her humid eyes their laftre boaft,
And in hoarfe founds her melting voice is loft. 270
This Vulcan faw, and in his heavenly thought
A new machine mechanic fancy wrought,
Above the mire her fhelter'd fteps to raife,
And bear her fafely through the wintery ways.
Strait the new engine on his anvil glows, 275
And the pale virgin on the patten rofe.
No more her lungs are fhock with dropping
rheums,

10

And for the public fafety risk thy own.
For cafe and for dispatch, the morning's beft;
No tides of paffengers the streets moleft.
You'll fee a draggled damel here and there,
From Billingsgate her fishy traffick bear;
On doors the fallow milk-maid chalks her gains:
Ah! how unlike the milk-maid of the plains!
Before proud gates attending affes bray,
Or arrogate with folemn pace the way;
Thefe grave phyficians with their milky chear 14
The love-fick maid and dwindling beau repair;
Here rows of drummers ftand in martial file,
And with their vellurn thunder shake the pile,
To greet the new-made bride. Are founds like thefe
The proper prelude to a fate of peace? 20

Thus hardy Thefeus with intrepid feet Travers'd the dangerous labyrinth of Crete; But ftill the wandering paffes forc'd his ftay, 85 Till Ariadne's clue unwinds the way. But do not thou, like that bold thief, confide Thy venturous footsteps to a female guide; She'll lead thee with delufive fmiles along, Dive in thy fob, and drop thee in the throng. 90 When waggifh boys the ftunted beefom ply, 30To rid the flabby pavement, pafs not by

206

This bruth I give thee, grafp it in thy hand,
Temper the foot within this vale of oil,
And let the little tripod aid thy toil :
On this methinks I fee the walking crew,
At thy request, support the miry fhoe;
The fear grows black that was wie dit im-
brown'd,

The child, thro' various risks in years improv❜d, Į Go thrive. At fume frequented corner Band; At first a beggar's brat, compassion mov’d; His infant tongue foon learnt the canting art, Knew all the prayers and whines to touch the heart. Oh happy unown'd youths! your limbs can bear 145 The fcorching dog-ftar, and the winter's air; While the rich infant nurs'd with care and pain,. Thirfts, with each heat, and coughs with every

rain!.

The Goddefs long had mark'd the child's diftrefs,

#55

And in thy pocket gingling halfpence found, 20
The Goddels plunges fwift beneath the flood,
And dafines all around her thowers of mud:
The youth ftrait chose his post: the labour ply'd
Where branching fereets from Charing-crofs di-
vide;

His treble voice refounds along the Meufe, 215
And Whitehall ecies-Clean your Honour's
" fhoes !"

Like the fweet ballad, this amusing ley
Too long detains the walker on his way;
While he attende, new dangers round him throng,
The buty city aks inftructive fong-

220

Where, elevated o'er the gaping crowd, 60Clafp in the board the per ur'd head is bow'd, Betimes retreat; here, thick as Railitones pour, Turnips and hal-hatch d eggs (a mingled fna ver) Among the rabble rain: fome random throw 223 May with the trickling yolk thy cheek o'erflow. Though expedition bids, yet never ffray Where no rang'd pofts defend the ragged way Here laden carts with thundering waggons meet, Wheek clifh with wheels, and bar the marrow freet;

And long had fought his sufferings to redrefs. 250
She prays the Gods to take the fondling's part,
To teach his hands fome beneficial art
Practis'dim ftreets: the Gods her fuit allow'd,
And made him useful to the walking crowd;`
To cleanse the miry feet, and o'er the fhoe
With nimble fill the gloffy black renew..
Each power contributes to relieve the poor:
With the ftrong briftles of the mighty boar
Diana forms his bruth; the God of Day
A tripod gives, amid the crowded way
To mife the dirty foot, and ease his toil;
Kind Neptune fills his vafe with fetid o
Preft from th' enormous whate; the God of Fire,
From whofe dominions froky clouds afpite,
Among these generous prefents joins his part, 165
And aids with foot the new japanning art.
Pleas'd fhe receives the gifts; the downward glides,
Lights in Fleet-ditch, and fhoots beneath the tides.
Now dawns the morn, the furdy lad awakes,
Leaps from his ftall, his tangled hair he thakes; 170
Then leaning o'er the rails, he mufing food,
And view'd' below the black canal of mud,
Where common fhores a lulling murmur keep,
Whole torrents ruth from Holborn's fatal feep:
Penfive through idleness, tears flow'd' apace, 175
Which eas'd his loaded heart, and wath'd his face!
At length he fighing cry'd, That boy was bleft,
Whofe infant lips have drain'd a mother's breaft;
But happier far are thofe (if fuch be known)
Whom both a father and a mother own:
But I, alas! hard fortune's utmoß seorn,
Who ne'er knew parent, was an orphan born "
Some boys are rich by birth beyond all wants,
Belov'd by uncles, and kind good okl aunts;
When time comes round, a Christmas-box they
bear,
185
And one day makes them rich for all the year..
Had I the precepts of a father learn'd,
Perhaps then the coachman's fare had earn'd,
For leffer boys can drive; I thirsty ftand,
And fee the double flaggon charge their hand,
See them puff off the froth, and guip amain,
While with dry tongue I lick my lips, in vain.
While thus he fervent prays, the heaving tide,
In w iden'd circles, beats on either fide;

230

The lafhing whip refounds, the horses ffrain,
And blood in anguifh buifts the fwelling vein..

barbarous men! your cruel breafts auage;
Why vent ye on the generous feed your rage?
Does not his fervice earn your daily bread? 255
Your wives, aur children, by his labours fed !
If, as the Saman taught, the foul revives,
And, fhifting feats, in other bodies lives;
Severe fhall be the brutai coachrman's change,
Doom'd in a hackney horse the town to range: 2
Carmen, transform'd, the groaning road fhall draw,

Whom other wronts with the lafh fhalkawe.
Who would of Wating-freet the dangers are,
When the broad prvement of Cheapside is near?
Or who that rugged reet would craver'eo'er.245
That ftrehe,O Fleet-ditch, from thy black thote
To the Tower's moated walls? Here Beams a cend
That, in mix'd fumes, the wrinkled nose offend..
Where chandlers'cauldrons boil; where fifty prey
Hide the wet ftall, long abfene from the fea: 250
And where the cleaver chops the heifer's poily
And where huge hogffieads fweat with trainy oil
Thy breathing noftril hold; but how thall I
Pals, where in piles Carnavian cheefes lie;
Cheefe, that the table's cofing rites denies, 255
And bills me with th' unwilling chaplain rife?

O bear me to the paths of fair Pall-mall !
Safe are thy pavements, graceful is thy smell!
At diftance rolls along the gilded coach,
Nor fturdy carmen on thy walks encroach; 2f0
No lets would bar thy ways were chair den; 'd,
| The soft supports of laziness and pride:

* Llame-freet Chefire, amcients, facullat

Shops breathe perfumes, through fafhes ribbons
glow,

The mutual arms of ladies and the beau
Yet till ev'n here, when rains the paffage hide, 265
Off the loofe ftone Ipirts up a muddy tide
Beneath thy careless foot; and from on high,
Where malons mount the ladder, fragments fly,
Mortar and crumbled lime in thowers descend,
And o'er thy head deftructive tiles impend. 270
But fometimes let me leave the noty roads,
And flent wander in the clole abodes,
Where wheels ne'er fhake the ground; there
penfive tray,

in ftadious thought, the long uncrowded way
Here I remark each walker's different face, 275
And in their look their various bufinets trace.
The broker here his fpacious beaver wears,
Upon his brow fit eoufies and cares;
Bent on fome mortgage (to avoid repreach)
He leeks by-treets, and faves th' expenfive
280

coach.

Soft, at low doors, old letchers tap their cane,
Fur fair reclute, whotravels Drury-lane;
Here rowns uncomb'd the lavish rake, to fhun
His Fleet-treet draper's everlasting dun.

285

She bids the fnow defcend in flaky fheets,
And in her hoary mantle clothe the ftreets.
Let not the virgin tread thefe flippery roads,
| The gathering fleece the hollow patten loads ;
But, if thy footitep de with clotted froft, $25
Strike off the breaking balls against the poft,
On filent wheel the paffing coaches roll;
Oft' look behind, and ward the threatening pole
In harden'd orbs the school-boy moulds the inow,
To mark the coachman with a dext'rous
throw.
330

Why do ye, boys, the kennel's furface spread,
To tempt with faithlefs pals the matron's tread?
How can you laugh to fee the damfel spurn,
Sink in your frauds, and her green stocking
mourn?
AtWhite's the harness'd chairman idly ftands, 335
And fwings around his wailt his tingling hands;
The fempftrefs fpeeds to Change with red-tipt nofe,
The Belgian itove beneath her footitool glows;
In half-whipt muflin needles useless fie,
And fhuttle-cocks across the counter #y.
Thefe iports warm harmless; why then will ye
prove,

340

345

Deluded maids, the dangerous #ame of love? Careful obtervers, ftudious of the town, Where Covent Garden's famous temple ftands Shun the misfortunes that difgrace the clown; That boafts the work of Jones' immortal hands; Untempted, they contemn the juggler's feats, Columns with plain magnificence appear, Pals by the Meufe, nor try the thimble's cheats. And graceful porches lead along the fquare: When days bound high; they never crofs behind, Here oft, my course I bend; when lo!'from far Where bubbling yet is blown by gufts of wind:290py the furies of the foot-ball war: And when up Ludgate-hill huge carts move now, Far from the ftraining feeds fecurely go, Whole dashing hoofs behind them ing the mire, And mark with muddy blots the gazing 'quire. The Parthian thus his javelin backward

throws,

And as he lies infefts pursuing foes.

295

The thoughtless wits fhall frequent forfeits pay,
Who 'gainst the fentry's box difcharge their tea.
Bo thou forme court or fecret corner feek,
Nor fluth with fhame the paffing virgin's cheek.3co
Yet let me not defcend to trivial fong,
Nor vulgar eftcumftance my verle prolong.
Why fhould I teach the maid, when torrents pour,
Her head to fhelter from the fudden fhower?
Nature will beft her ready hand inform,
With her ipread petticoat to fence the storm.
Does not each walker know the warning fign,
When wifps of ftraw depend upon the twine
Crofs the clofe ftreet; that then the paver's art
Renews the ways, deny'd to coach and cart? 310
Who knows not that the coachman lafhing by
Oit' with his flourish cuts the heedless eye;
And when he takes his ftand, to wait a fare,
His hores forehead; fhun the winter's air?
Nor will from where faminer's fultry rays 315
Parch the dry ground, and spread with dufl the

350

The 'prentice quits his fhop, to join the crew,
Increafing crowds the flying game puríue.
Thus, as you roll the ball o'er fnowy ground,
The gathering globe augments with every round.
But whither thall I run? the throng draws niek,
The ball now fkims the ftreet, now foars on high?
The dextrous glazier @trong returns the bound, 355
And gingling fafhes on the pent-house found.

O, roving Mufe! recal that wondrous year,
When winter reign'd in bleak Britannia's air;
When hoary Thames, with frotted oziers crown'd,
Was three long moons in icy fetters bound. ` 360
The waterman, forlorn, along the fhore,
Penfive reclines upon his ufeleis oar;
See harness'd steeds defert the stony town,
And wander roads unstable, not their own;
Wheels o'er the harden'd waters fmoothly

glide,

$65
And rafe with whiten'd tracks the flippery tide;
Here the fat cook piles high the. Blazing fire,
And fearce the fpit can turn the fteer entire ;
Booths fudden hide the Thames, long streets ap-