WHERE seven fair streets to one tall column* draw,
Two nymphs have ta'en their stand, in hats of straw;
Their yellower necks huge beads of amber grace,
And by their trade they're of the sirens' race:
With cloak loose-pinn'd on each, that has been red,
But, long with dust and dirt discoloured,
Belies its hue; in mud behind, before,
From heel to middle leg becrusted o'er.
One a small infant at the breast does bear;
And one in her right hand her tuneful ware,
Which she would vend. Their station scarce is taken,
When youths and maids flock round. His stall forsaken,
Forth comes a son of Crispin, leathern-capp'd,
Prepared to buy a ballad, if one apt
To move his fancy offers. Crispin's sons
Have, from uncounted time, with ale and buns
Cherish'd the gift of song, which sorrow quells;
And, working single in their low-roof'd cells,
Oft cheat the tedium of a winter's night
With anthems warbled in the muses' spight.
Who now hath caught the alarm? the servant-maid
Hath heard a buzz at distance; and afraid
To miss a note, with elbows red comes out.
Leaving his forge to cool, Pyracmon stout
Thrusts in his unwash'd visage. He stands by,
Who the hard trade of porterage does ply
With stooping shoulders. What cares he? he sees
The assembled ring, nor heeds his tottering knees,
But pricks his ears up with the hopes of song.
So, while the Bard of Rhodope his wrong
Bewail'd to Proserpine on Thracian strings,
The tasks of gloomy Orcus lost their stings,
The stone-vex'd Sysiphus forgets his load.
Hither and thither from the sevenfold road
Some cart or wagon crosses, which divides
The close-wedged audience; but, as when the tides
To ploughing ships give way, the ship being past,
They reunite, so these unite as fast.
The older songstress hitherto hath spent
Her elocution in the argument
Of their great song in prose; to wit, the woes
Which maiden true to faithless sailor owes-
Ah! "Wandering He!"—which now in loftier verse
Pathetic they alternately rehearse.
All gaping wait the event. This critic opes
His right ear to the strain. The other hopes
To catch it better with his left. Long trade
It were to tell, how the deluded maid
A victim fell. And now right greedily
All hands are stretching forth the songs to buy,
That are so tragical; which she, and she,
Deals out, and sings the while; nor can there be
A breast so obdurate here, that will hold back
His contributions from the gentle rack
Of music's pleasing torture.
The staff-propp'd beggar, his thin-gotten pelf
Brings out from pouch, where squalid farthings rest,
And boldly claims his ballad with the best.
An old dame only lingers. To her purse
The penny sticks. At length, with harmless curse,
"Give me," she cries. "I'll paste it on my wall,
While the wall lasts, to show what ills befall
Fond hearts, seduced from innocency's way;
How maidens fall, and mariners betray."
OF THE PARISH OF SAINT MARGARET'S, WESTMINSTER,
FOR much good-natured verse received from thee,
A loving verse take in return from me.
"Good-morrow to my masters," is your cry;
And to our David "twice as good," say I.
Not Peter's monitor, shrill chanticleer,
Crows the approach of dawn in notes more clear,
Or tells the hours more faithfully. While night
Fills half the world with shadows of affright,
You with your lantern, partner of your round,
Traverse the paths of Margaret's hallow'd bound. -
The tales of ghosts which old wives' ears drink up,
The drunkard reeling home from tavern cup,
Nor prowling robber, your firm soul appal;
Arm'd with thy faithful staff, thou slight'st them all.
But if the market gard'nér chance to pass,
Bringing to town his fruit, or early grass,
The gentle salesman you with candour greet,
And with reit'rated "good-mornings" meet.
Announcing your approach by formal bell,
Of nightly weather you the changes tell;
Whether the moon shines, or her head doth steep
In rain-portending clouds. When mortals sleep
In downy rest, you brave the snows and sleet
Of winter; and in alley, or in street,
Relieve your midnight progress with a verse.
What though fastidious Phœbus frown averse
On your didactic strain-indulgent night
With caution hath seal'd up both ears of spite,
And critics sleep while you in staves do sound
The praise of long-dead saints, whose days abound
In wintry months; but Crispin chief proclaim:
Who stirs not at that prince of cobblers' name?
Profuse in loyalty some couplets shine,
And wish long days to all the Brunswick line!
To youths and virgins they chaste lessons read;
Teach wives and husbands how their lives to lead;
Maids to be cleanly, footmen free from vice;
How death at last all ranks doth equalize;
And, in conclusion, pray good years befall,
With store of wealth, your "worthy masters all.”
For this and other tokens of good-will,
On boxing day may store of shillings fill
Your Christmas purse; no householder give less,
When at each door your blameless suit you press:
And what you wish to us (it is but reason)
Receive in turn-the compliments o' th' season!
36*
ON A DEAF AND DUMB ARTIST.
AND hath thy blameless life become
A prey to the devouring tomb?
A more mute silence hast thou known,
A deafness deeper than thine own,
While time was? and no friendly muse,
That mark'd thy life, and knows thy dues,
Repair with quickening verse the breach,
And write thee into light and speech?
The Power that made the torgue restrain'd
Thy lips from lies and speeches feign'd;
Who made the hearing, without wrong
Did rescue thine from siren's song.
He let thee see the ways of men,
Which thou with pencil, not with pen,
Careful beholder, down didst note,
And all their motley actions quote,
Thyself unstain'd the while. From look
Or gesture reading, more than book,
In letter'd pride thou took'st no part,
Contented with the silent art,
'Thyself as silent. Might I be
As speechless, deaf, and good as he!
GREAT Newton's self, to whom the world's in debt,
Owed to schoolmistress sage his alphabet;
But quickly wiser than his teacher grown,
Discover'd properties to her unknown;
Of A plus B, or minus, learn'd the use,
Known quantities from unknown to educe;
* Benjamin Ferrers-Died A. D. 1732.
And made no doubt, to that old dame's surpriseThe Christcross-row his ladder to the skies.
Yet, whatsoe'er geometricians say,
Her lessons were his true PRINCIPIA!
THE frugal snail, with forecast of repose,
Carries his house with him where'er he goes;
Peeps out and if their comes a shower of rain,
Retreats to his small domicil amain.
Touch but a tip of him, a horn-'tis well-
He curls up in his sanctuary shell.
He's his own landlord, his own tenant; ́stay
Long as he will, he dreads no quarter-day.
Himself he boards and lodges; both invites
And feasts himself; sleeps with himself o' nights.
He spares the upholsterer trouble to procure
Chattels; himself is his own furniture,
And his sole riches. Whereso'er he roam-
Knock when you will-he's sure to be at home.
NIGH London's famous bridge, a gate more famed
Stands, or once stood, from old Belinus named,
So judged antiquity; and therein wrongs
A name, allusive strictly to two tongues."
Her school hard by the goddess Rhetoric opes,
And gratis deals to oyster-wives her tropes.
With Nereid green, green Nereid disputes,
Replies, rejoins, confutes, and still confutes.
One her coarse sense by metaphors expounds,
And one in literalities abounds;
* Billingis in the Latin.
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