Then with luscious plenty gay,
Round his chamber dance and play;
Or from wine as courage springs,
O'er his face extend my wings;
And when feast and frolic tire,
Drop asleep upon his lyre.

This is all, be quick and go,

More than all thou canst not know;

Let me now my pinions ply,
I have chatter'd like a pye.

LINES

Written in ridicule of certain Poems

published in 1777.

WHERESOE’ER I turn my view,

All is strange, yet nothing new;

Endless labour all along,

Endless labour to be wrong;

Phrase that time has flung away,

Uncouth words in disarray,
Trick'd in antique ruff and bonnet,
Ode, and elegy, and sonnet.

PARODY

OF A TRANSLATION,

FROM THE MEDEA OF EURIPIDES,

ERR shall they not, who resolute explore
Times gloomy backward with judicious eyes;
And, scanning right the practises of yore,
Shall deem our hoar progenitors unwise.

They to the dome where smoke with curling play
Announc'd the dinner to the regions round,
Summon'd the singer blythe, and harper gay,
And aided wine with dulcet-streaming sound.

The better use of notes, or sweet or shrill,
By quiv'ring string, or modulated wind;
| Trumpet or lyre-to their harsh bosoms chill,
Admission ne'er had sought, or could not find.

Oh! send them to the sullen mansions dun,
Her baleful eyes where Sorrow rolls around;
Where gloom-enamour'd Mischief loves to dwell,
And Murder, all blood-bolter'd, schemes the wound.

When cates luxuriant pile the spacious dish,
And purple nectar glads the festive hour;

K

The guest, without a want, without a wish, Can yield no room to music's soothing power.

BURLESQUE

On the modern Versification of ancient

Legendary Tales.

AN IMPROMPTU.

THE tender infant meek and mild,

Fell down upon the stone;

The nurse took up the squealing child,
But still the child squeal'd on.

EPITAPH

1

FOR MR. HOGARTH.

THE hand of him here torpid lies, That drew th' essential form of grace; Here clos❜d in death th' attentive eyes That saw the manners in the face.

TRANSLATION

Of the two first Stanzas of the Song" Rio verde, Rio verde," printed in Bishop Percy's Reliques of Ancient English Poetry.

AN IMPROMPTU.

GLASSY water, glassy water,

Down whose current clear and strong,
Chiefs confus'd in mutual slaughter,
Moor and Christian roll along.

TO MISS THRALE,

On her completing her thirty-fifth Year.

AN IMPROMTU.

OFT in danger, yet alive, We are come to thirty-five; Long may better years arrive, Better years than thirty-five. Could philosophers contrive Life to stop at thirty-five,

Time his hours should never drive

O'er the bounds of thirty-five.

High to soar, and deep to dive,

Nature gives at thirty-five.

Ladies, stock and tend your hive,
Trifle not at thirty-five;

For, howe'er we boast and strive,
Life declines from thirty-five:
He that ever hopes to thrive,
Must begin by thirty-five.

And all who wisely wish to wive
Must look on Thrale at thirty-five.

IMPROMPTU TRANSLATION

Of an Air in the Clemenza de Tito of Metastasio, beginning," Deh se piacermi vuoi.”

WOULD you hope to gain my heart,

Bid your teasing doubts depart ;

He who blindly trusts will find
Faith from ev'ry gen'rous mind :
He who still expects deceit,
Only teaches how to cheat.

LINES

Written under a Print representing
Persons skaiting.

O'ER crackling ice, o'er gulphs profound,

With nimble glide the skaiters play;