THE POET'S NEW-YEAR'S GIFT. To MRS. (now LADY) THROCKMORTON. MARIA! I have every good For thee wish'd many a time, To wish thee fairer is no need, More prudent, or more sprightly, What favour then, not yet possess'd, In wedded love already bless'd To thy whole heart's desire? None here is happy but in part; There dwells some wish in every heart, That wish, on some fair future day, ODE TO APOLLO. ON AN INKGLASS ALMOST DRIED IN THE SUN. PATRON of all those luckless brains, Ah why, since oceans, rivers, streams, Why, stooping from the noon of day, Too covetous of drink, Upborne into the viewless air, It floats a vapour now, Impell'd through regions dense and rare, Ordain'd perhaps, ere summer flies, To form an Iris in the skies, Illustrious drop! and happy then Phoebus, if such be thy design, Give wit, that what is left may shine PAIRING TIME ANTICIPATED. A FABLE. I SHALL not ask Jean Jacques Rousseau*, 'Tis clear, that they were always able Must have a most uncommon skull. It chanced then on a winter's day, To forestall sweet St. Valentine, In many an orchard, copse, and grove, And with much twitter and much chatter, Began to agitate the matter. At length a Bulfinch, who could boast And, silence publicly enjoin'd, My friends! be cautious how ye treat I fear we shall have winter yet. A Finch, whose tongue knew no control, With golden wing, and satin poll, * It was one of the whimsical speculations of this philosopher, that all fables which ascribe reason and speech to animals should be withheld from children, as being only vehicles of deception. But what child was ever deceived by them, or can be, against the evidence of his senses? A last year's bird, who ne'er had tried By his good-will would keep us single Till death exterminate us all. I marry without more ado: My dear Dick Redcap, what say you? Dick heard, and tweedling, ogling, bridling, Turning short round, strutting and sideling, Attested, glad, his approbation Of an immediate conjugation. All pair'd, and each pair built a nest. But though the birds were thus in haste, The wind, of late breathed gently forth, Grew quarrelsome, and peck'd each other, Parted without the least regret, Except that they had ever met, And learn'd in future to be wiser Than to neglect a good adviser. MORAL. Misses the tale that I relate This lesson seems to carry- THE DOG AND THE WATER-LILY. NO FABLE. THE noon was shady, and soft airs My spaniel, prettiest of his race, (Two nymphs* adorn'd with every grace Now wanton'd lost in flags and reeds, Now starting into sight, Pursued the swallow o'er the meads It was the time when Ouse display'd With cane extended far I sought But still the prize, though nearly caught, Beau mark'd my unsuccessful pains But with a cherup clear and strong, I thence withdrew, and follow'd long * Sir Robert Gunning's daughters. |