For this the yielding maid demands
Protection at her lover's hands;
And though by wafting years it fade,
Remembrance tells him, once 'twas paid.
And will you then this wealth conceal,
For age to ruft, or time to fteal?
The fummer of your youth to rove
A ftranger to the joys of love?
Then, when life's winter haftens on,
And youth's fair heritage is gone,
Dow'rlefs to court fome peafant's arms,
To guard your wither'd age from harms;
No gratitude to warm his breast,
For blooming beauty once poffefs'd;
How will you curfe that ftubborn pride
Which drove your bark across the tide,
And failing before folly's wind,
Left fenfe and happiness behind!
Corinna, left thefe whims prevail,
To fuch as you I write my tale.

A Colt, for blood and mettled speed
The choiceft of the running breed,
Of youthful ftrength and beauty vain,
Refus'd fubjection to the rein.
In vain the groom's officious fkill
Oppos'd his pride, and check'd his will;
In vain the mafter's formning care

Reftrain'd with threats, or footh'd with pray'r;
Of freedom proud, and fcorning man,
Wild o'er the fpacious plains he ran.
Where'er luxuriant nature fpread
Her flow'ry carpet o'er the mead,
Or bubbling ftreams foft-gliding pafs,
To cool and freshen up the gras,
Difdaining bounds, he cropt the blade,
And wanton'd in the fpoil he made.

In plenty thus the fuminer país d,
Revolving winter came at laft;
The trees no more a thelter vield,
The verdure withers from the field,
Perpetual fnows inveft the ground,
In icy chains the ftreams are bound,
Cold, nipping winds, and rattling hail,
His lank unfhelter'd fides affail.
As round he caft his rueful eyes,
He faw the thatch'd-roof cottage rife;
The profpect touch'd his heart with cheer,
And promis'd kind deliv`rance near.
A ftable, erft his fcorn and hate,
Was now become his with'd retreat ;
His paffion cool, his pride forgot,
A Farmer's welcome yard he fought.

The mafter faw his woeful plight,
His limbs that totter'd with his weight;
And, friendly, to the ftable led,
And faw him litter'd, dres'd, and fed.
In flothful ease all night he lay;
The fervants rofe at break of day;
The market calls-along the road
His back muft bear the pond'rous load;
In vain he ftruggles or complains,
Inceffant blows reward his palas.
To-morrow varies bur his toil;

Chain'd to the plough, he breaks the foil;

While fcanty meals at night repay
The painful labours of the day.

Subdued by toil, with anguifh rent, His felf-upbraidings found a vent. Wretch that I am! he fighing faid, By arrogance and folly led:

Had but my reftive youth been brought
To learn the leffon nature taught,
Then had I, like my fires of yore,
The prize from ev'ry courfer bore,
While man beftow'd rewards, and praife,
And females crown'd my latter days.
Now lafting fervitude's my lot,
My birth contemn'd, my ipced forgot;
Doom'd am I, for my pride, to bear
A living death, from year to year.

$251. Fable XIII. The Owl and the Nightingalt. TO know the mistress' humour right,

See if her maids are clean and tight;

If Betry waits without her stays,
She copies but her lady's ways.

When Mifs comes in with boift'rous fhout,
And drops no curt'fy going out,
Depend upon't, mamma is one

Who reads, or drinks too much alone.
If bottled beer her thirst affuage,
She feels enthusiastic rage,

And burns with ardour to inherit
The gifts and, workings of the fpirit.
If learning crack her giddy brains,
No remedy but death remains.
Sum up the various ills of life,
And all are fweet to fuch a wife.
At home fuperior wit fhe vaunts,
And twits her husband with his wants;
Her ragged offspring all around,
Like pigs, are wallowing on the ground;
Impatient ever of control,

She knows no order but of foul;
With books her litter'd floor is spread,
Of nameless authors, never read;
Foul linen, petticoats, and lace,
Fill up the intermediate space.
Abroad, at vifitings, her tongue
Is never ftiil, and always wrong;
All meanings the defines away,
And ftands with truth and fenfe at bay.
If c'er the meets a gentle heart,
Skill'd in the housewife's ufeful art,-
Who makes her family her care,
And builds contentment's temple there,
She starts at fuch miftakes in nature,
And cries, Lord help us! what a creature!
Meliffa, if the moral strike.

You'll find the fable not unlike.

An Owl, puff'd up with felf-conceit,
Lov'd learning better than his meat;
Old manufcripts he treafur'd up,
And rummag'd ev'ry grocer's fhop;
At paftry-cooks was known to ply,
And frip for fcience ev'ry pye.
For modern poetry, and wit,
He had read all that Blackmore writ

So

Ye pow'rs whom men and birds obey, Great rulers of your creatures, fay, Why mourning comes by blifs convey'd, And even the fweets of love allay'd? Where grows enjoyment, tall and fair, Around it twines entangling care; While fear for what our fouls poffefs Enervates ev'ry pow'r to blefs: Yet friendship forms the blifs above; And, life, what art thou without love? Our hero, who had heard apart, Felt fomething moving in his heart; But quickly, with difdain, fupprefs'd The virtue rifing in his breaft; And firft he feign'd to laugh aloud; And next, approaching, fmil'd and bow'd: Madam, you must not think me rude; Good manners never can intrude; I vow I come thro' pure good nature(Upon my foul, a charming creature!) Are thefe the comforts of a wife? This careful, cloifter'd, moping life? No doubt, that odious thing, call'd Duty, Is a fweet province for a beauty. Thou pretty ignorance! thy will Is meafur'd to thy want of ikill, That good old-fafhion'd dame, thy mother, Has taught thy infant years no other : The greateft ill in the creation

Is fure the want of education.

But think ye-tell me without feigning-
Have all these charms no farther meaning?
Dame nature, if you don't forget her,
Might teach your ladyfhip much better.
For fhame! reject this mean employment,
Enter the world, and tafte enjoyment,
Where time by circling blifs we measure ;.
Beauty was form'd alone for pleasure :
Come, prove the bleffing, follow me;
Be wife, be happy, and be free.

Kind Sir, replied our matron chaste,
Your zeal feems pretty much in haste;
I own, the fondness to be bleft
Is a deep thirst in every breast;
Of bleffings too I have my fore,

Yet quarrel not fhould Heaven give more;
Then prove the change to be expedient,
And think me, Sir, your most obedient.
Here turning, as to one inferior,
Our gallant fpoke, and finil'd fuperior:
Methinks, to quit your boafted station
Requires a world of hesitation;
Where brats and bonds are held a bleffing,
The cafe, I doubt, is past redreffing.
Why, child, fuppofe the joys I mention
Were the mere fiuits of my invention,
You've caufe fufficient for your carriage,
In flying from the curfe of marriage;
That fly decoy, with varied fnares,
That takes your widgeons in by pairs;
Alike to husband and to wife,
The cure of love, and bane of life;
The only method of forecafting,

To make misfortune firm and lafting;

The fin, by Heaven's peculiar fentence,
Unpardon'd through a life's repentance.
It is the double fnake that weds
A common tail to diff'rent heads,
That lead the carcase still astray,
By dragging each a diff'rent way.
Of all the ills that may attend me,
From marriage, mighty gods, defend me !
Give me frank nature's wild demefne,
And boundlefs tract of air ferene,
Where fancy, ever wing'd for change,
Delights to sport, delights to range:
There, Liberty! to thee is owing
Whate'er of blifs is worth bestowing;
Delights ftill varied, and divine,
Sweet goddess of the hills! are thine.

What fay you now, you pretty pink, you ?
Have I for once fpoke reafon, think you?
You take me now for no romancer-
Come, never study for an answer !
Away caft ev'ry care behind
ye,
And fly where joy alone thall find ye.
Soft yet, return'd our female fencer;
A queftion more, or fo-and then, Sir.
You've rallied me with fenfe exceeding,
With much fine wit, and better breeding;
But pray, Sir, how do you contrive it?
Do thofe of your world never wive it?

66

No, no. How then?" Why, dare I tell? "What does the bus'nefs full as well."

Do you ne'er love?" An hour at leifure."
Have you no friendships? "Yes, for pleasure.”
No care for little ones?" "We get 'em ;
"The reft the mothers mind-and let 'em."

Thou wretch, rejoin'd the kindling Dove,
Quite loft to life, as loft to love!
Whene'er misfortune comes, how just!
And come misfortune furely muft.
In the dread feafon of difmay,
In that your hour of trial, fay,
Who then fhall prop your finking heart?
Who bear affliction's weightier part?

Say, when the black-brow'd welkin bends,
And winter's gloomy form impends,
To mourning turns all tranfient cheer,
And blafts the melancholy year;
For times at no perfuafion ftay,
Nor vice can find perpetual May;
Then where's that tongue by folly fed,
That foul of pertnefs whither fled?
All shrunk within thy lonely neft,
Forlorn, abandon'd, and unbleft.
No friends, by cordial bonds allied,
Shall feek thy cold, unfocial fide;
No chirping prattlers to delight
Shall turn the long-enduring night;
No bride her words of balm impart,
And warm thee at her constant heart.
Freedom, reftrain'd by reafon's force,
Is as the fun's unvarying courfe;
Benignly active, fweetly bright,
Affording warmth, arding light;
But, torn from virtue's facred rules,
Becomes a comet, gaz'd by fools,

Foreboding

Foreboding cares, and ftorms, and ftrife,
And fraught with all the plagues of life.
Thou fool! by union ev'ry creature
Sublifts, through univerfal nature;
And this, to beings void of mind,
Is wedlock of a meaner kind.

While, womb'd in space, primæval clay
A yet unfathion'd embryo lay,
The Source of endlefs good above
Shot down his fpark of kindling love;
Touch'd by the all-enlivening flame,
Then motion first exulting came;
Each atom fought its fep'rate clafs
Through many a fair enamour'd mafs;
Love cat the central charm around,
And with eternal nuptials bound.
Then form and order o'er the sky
Firit train'd their bridal pomp on high;
The fun difplay'd his orb to fight,
And burnt with hymeneal light.
Hence nature's virgin-womb conceiv'd,
And with the genial burden heav'd;
Forth came the oak, her first-born heir,
And fcal'd the breathing steep of air;
Then infant items, of various ufe,
Imbib'd her foft maternal juice;
The flow'rs, in early bloom difclos'd,
Upon her fragrant breaft repos'd;
Within her warm embraces grew
A race of endless form and hue;
Then pour'd her leffer offspring round,
And fondly cloth'd their parent ground.
Nor here alone the virtue reign'd,
By matter's cumb'ring form detain'd;
But thence, fubliming and refin'd,
Apir'd, and reach'd its kindred Mind.
Caught in the fond celeftial fire,
The mind perceiv'd unknown defire;
And now with kind effufion flow'd,
And now with cordial ardours glow'd,
Beheld the fympathetic fair,

And lov'd its own resemblance there; On all with circling radiance fhone, Btcent ring fix'd on one alone; There clafp'd the heaven-appointed wife, And doubled every joy of life. Here ever bleffing, ever bleft Kutides this beauty of the breast; As from his palace here the god Sil beams effulgent blifs abroad; Here gems his own eternal round, The ring by which the world is bound; Here bids his feat of empire grow, And builds his little heaven below. The bridal partners thus allied, And thus in fweet accordance tied, O body, heart, and spirit live, arch'd by ev'ry joy they give; ve echo, from her vocal hold, ktar'd in mufic twenty-fold. Their union, firm and undecay'd, time can thake, nor pow'r invade; , as the ftem and scion ftand Ingrafted by a skilful hand,

They check the tempeft's wintry rage,
And bloom and strengthen into age.
A thousand amities unknown,
And pow'rs perceiv'd by love alone,
Endearing looks and chafte defire,
Fan and support the mutual fire;
Whofe flame, perpetual as refin'd,
Is fed by an immortal mind.

Nor yet the nuptial fanction ends:
Like Nile it opens, and defcends;
Which, by apparent windings led,
We trace to its celeftial head.
The fire, first springing from above,
Becomes the fource of life and love,
And gives his filial heir to flow
In fondnefs down on fons below :
Thus, roll'd in one continued tide,
To time's extreme verge they glide;
While kindred ftreams, on either hand,
Branch forth in bleffings o'er the land.

Thee, wretch! no lifping babe shall name,
No late-returning brother claim,
No kinfiman on thy fight rejoice,
No filter greet thy ent'ring voice;
With partial eyes no parent fec,
And blefs their years reftor'd in thee.
In age rejected or declin'd,
An alien even among thy kind,
The partner of thy fcorn'd embrace
Shall play the wanton in thy face;
Each fpark unplume thy little pride,
All friendship fly thy faithlefs fide.
Thy name fhall like thy carcafe rot,
In ficknefs fpurn'd, in death forgot.

All-giving Pow'r great Source of life!
Oh hear the parent, hear the wife!
That life thou lendeft from above,
Though little, make it large in love;
O bid my feeling heart expand
To ev'ry claim, on ev'ry hand;
To thofe from whom my days I drew,
To thefe in whom those days renew,
To all my kin, however wide,
In cordial warmth as blood allied,
To friends with steely fetters twin'd,
And to the cruel, not unkind!

But chief the lord of my defire,
My life, myfelf, my foul, my fire,
Friends, children, all that with can claim,
Chatte pallion clafp, and rapture name-
O fpare him, fpare him, gracious Pow't!
O give him to my latest hour!
Let me my length of life employ
To give my fole enjoyment joy.
His love let mutual love excite,
Turn all my cares to his delight;
And ev'ry needlefs bleffing spare,
Wherein my darling wants a fhare.
When he with graceful action woos,
And fweetly bills, and fondly coos,
Ah! deck me, to his eyes alone,
With charms attractive as his own;
And, in my circling wings carefs'd,
Give all the lover to my breaft.

Then

Then in our chaste connubial bed,
My bofom pillow'd for his head,
His

eyes with blifsful flumbers clofe,
And watch, with me, my lord's repofe;
Your peace around his temples twine,
And love him with a love like mine.
And, for I know his gen'rous flame,
Beyond whate'er my fex can claim,
Me too to your protection take,
And fpare me for my hufband's fake.
Let one unruffled, calm delight
The loving and belov'd unite;

One
defire our bofoms warm,
pure
One will direct, one with inform;
Through life, one mutual aid fuftain;
In death, one peaceful grave contain.

While, fwelling with the darling theme,
Her accents pour'd an endless stream,
The well-known wings a found impart
That reach'd her ear, and touch'd her heart;
Quick dropp'd the mufic of her tongue,
And forth with cager joy the fprung.
As fwift her ent'ring confort flew,
And plum'd, and kindled at the view;
Their wings, their fouls, embracing meet,
Their hearts with anfwering meafure beat;
Half loft in fecret fweets, and blefs'd
With raptures felt, but ne'er exprefs'd.
Straight to her humble roof the led
The partner of her fpotlefs bed;
Her young, a flutt'ring pair, arife,
Their welcome fparkling in their eyes;
Tranfported, to their fire they bound,
And hang with fpeechlefs action round.
In pleature wrapt the parents fland,
And fee their little wings expand;
The fire his life-fuftaining prize
To each expecting bill applics,
There fondly pours the wheaten fpoil,
With transport given, tho' won with toil;
While, all-collected at the fight,
And filent through fupreme delight,
The Fair high heaven of blifs beguiles,
And on her lord and infants fimiles.

The Sparrow, whofe attention hung
Upon the Dove's enchanting tongue,
Of all his little flights difarm'd,
And from himfelf by virtue charm'd,
When now he faw what only feem'd,
A fact fo late a fable deem'd,
His foul to envy he refign'd,
His hours of folly to the wind;
In fecret with a turtle too,
And, fighing to himfelf, withdrew.

253. Fable XV. The Female Seducers.
TIS faid of widow, maid, and wife,
That honour is a woman's life;
Unhappy fex! who only claim
A being in the breath of fame;
Which, tainted, nor the quick'ning gales
That fweep Sabea's fpicy vales,
Nor all the healing fweets reftore,
That breathe along Arabia's thore.

The trav'ller, if he chance to fray,
May turn uncenfur'd to his way;
Polluted ftreams again are pure,
And deepest wounds admit a cure.
But woman no redemption knows,
The wounds of honour never clofe.

Tho' diftant ev'ry hand to guide,
Nor skill'd on life's tempeftuous tide,
If once her feeble bark recede,
Or deviate from the courfe decreed,
In vain fhe feeks the friendlefs fhore,
Her fwifter folly flies before!
The circling ports against her clofe,
And fhut the wand'rer from repofe;
Till, by conflicting waves opprefs'd,
Her found'ring pinnace finks to rest.

Are there no offerings to atone
For but a fingle error -None.
Tho' woman is avow'd, of old,
No daughter of celestial mould,
Her temp'ring not without allay,
And form'd but of the finer clay,
We challenge from the mortal dame
The ftrength angelic natures claim;
Na more-for facred ftories tell,
That even immortal angels fell.

Whatever fills the teeming fphere
Of humid earth, and ambient air,
With varying elements endued,
Was form'd to fall, and rite renew'd.

The ftars no fix'd duration know;
Wide oceans cbb, again to flow;
The moon repletes her waning face,
All beautcous, from her late difgrace;
And funs, that mourn approaching night.
Refulgent rife with new-born light.

In vain may death and time fubdue,
While nature mints her race anew;
And holds fome vital fpark apart,
Like virtue, hid in ev'ry heart.
'Tis hence reviving warmth is feen,
To clothe a naked world in greep.
No longer barr'd by winter's cold,
Again the gates of life unfold;
Again each infect tries his wing,
And lifts fresh pinions on the fpring;
Again from ev'ry latent root
The bladed ftem and tendril fhoot,
Exhaling incenfe to the fkies,
Again to perith, and to rife.

And must weak woman then difown
The change, to which a world is prone
In one meridian brightnefs fhine,
And ne'er like ev'ning funs decline?
Refolv'd and firm alone? Is this
What we demand of woman—Yes.

But fhould the fpark of veftal fire
In fome unguarded hour expire;
Or thould the nightly thief invade
Hefperia's chafte and facred fhade,
Of all the blooming spoil poffefs'd,
The dragon Honour charin'd to reft,
Shall virtue's flame no more return?
No more with virgin splendour burn?

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