A tapster is a good trade, an old cloak makes a new jerkin; a wither'd serving-man, a fresh tapster.

Merry Wives of Windsor, Act i, Scene 3. A fellow, sir, that I have known go about with troll-my-dames.

Winter's Tale, Act iv, Scene 2. I myself, sometimes leaving the fear of God on the left hand, and hiding mine honour in my necessity, am fain to shuffle, to hedge, and to lurch.

Merry Wives of Windsor, Act ii, Scene 2.
Yea, at that very moment,
Consideration like an angel came,
And whipp'd the offending Adam out of him.
Henry V, Act i, Scene 1.

I have liv'd long enough: My May of life
Is fall'n into the sear, the yellow leaf;
And that which should accompany old age,
As honour, love, obedience, troops of friends,
I must not look to have.

Macbeth, Act v, Scene 3.

SOME to our hero have a hero's name
Denied, because no father's he could claim;
Nor could his mother with precision state
A full fair claim to her certificate;
On her own word the marriage must depend-
A point she was not eager to defend :
But who, without a father's name, can raise
His own so high, deserves the greater praise:
The less advantage to the strife he brought,
The greater wonders has his prowess wrought;
He who depends upon his wind and limbs,
Needs neither cork or bladder when he swims;
Nor will by empty breath be puff'd along,
As not himself-but in his helpers-strong.
Suffice it then, our hero's name was clear,
For, call John Dighton, and he answer'd,
'Here!'

But who that name in early life assign'd
He never found, he never tried to find;
Whether his kindred were to John disgrace,
Or John to them, is a disputed case;

Who soon, thus cast upon the world, began To show the talents of a thriving man.

With spirit high John learn'd the world to brave,

And in both senses was a ready knave; Knave as of old, obedient, keen, and quick, Knave as at present, skill'd to shift and trick; Some humble part of many trades he caught, He for the builder and the painter wrought; For serving-maids on secret errands ran, The waiter's helper, and the hostler's man; And when he chanced (oft chanced he) place to lose,

;

His varying genius shone in blacking shoes :
A midnight fisher by the pond he stood,
Assistant poacher, he o'erlook'd the wood
At an election John's impartial mind
Was to no cause nor candidate confined;
To all in turn he full allegiance swore,
And in his hat the various badges bore:
His liberal soul with every sect agreed,
Unheard their reasons, he received their creed;
At church he deign'd the organ-pipes to fill,
And at the meeting sang both loud and shrill :
But the full purse these different merits gain'd,
By strong demands his lively passions drain'd;
Liquors he loved of each inflaming kind,
To midnight revels flew with ardent mind;
Too warm at cards, a losing game he play'd,
To fleecing beauty his attention paid;
His boiling passions were by oaths express'd,
And lies he made his profit and his jest.

Such was the boy, and such the man had

been,

But fate or happier fortune changed the scene; A fever seized him, ' He should surely dieHe fear'd, and lo! a friend was praying by ; With terror moved, this teacher he address'd, And all the errors of his youth confess'd : The good man kindly clear'd the sinner's

way

To lively hope, and counsell'd him to pray ; Who then resolved, should he from sickness rise,

His mind neglected, and his body bare;
All his success must on himself depend,
He had no money, counsel, guide, or friend;
But in a market-town an active boy
Appear'd, and sought in various ways employ;

lies:

His health restored, he yet resolved, and grew True to his masters, to their meeting true; His old companions at his sober face Laugh'd loud, while he, attesting it was grace,

embrace :

To his new friends such convert gave applause,
Life to their zeal, and glory to their cause:
Though terror wrought the mighty change,
yet strong

Was the impression, and it lasted long;
John at the lectures due attendance paid,
A convert meek, obedient, and afraid.
His manners strict, though form'd on fear
alone,

Pleased the grave friends, nor less his solemn tone,

A hand so ready, with such humble mind. And now, his health restored, his spirits

eased,

He wish'd to marry, if the teachers pleased.
They, not unwilling, from the virgin-class
Took him a comely and a courteous lass;
Simple and civil, loving and beloved,
She long a fond and faithful partner proved;
In every year the elders and the priest
Were duly summon'd to a christening feast;
Nor came a babe, but by his growing trade,
John had provision for the coming made;

inward groan :

The stern good men exulted, when they saw Those timid looks of penitence and awe; Nor thought that one so passive, humble, meek,

Had yet a creed and principles to seek.

The faith that reason finds, confirms, avows, The hopes, the views, the comforts he allows These were not his, who by his feelings found, And by them only, that his faith was sound; Feelings of terror these, for evil past, Feelings of hope, to be received at last; Now weak, now lively, changing with the day,

These were his feelings, and he felt his way. Sprung from such sources, will this faith remain

While these supporters can their strength retain :

As heaviest weights the deepest rivers pass, While icy chains fast bind the solid mass; So, born of feelings, faith remains secure, Long as their firmness and their strength endure:

But when the waters in their channel glide, A bridge must bear us o'er the threat'ning

tide;

Such bridge is reason, and there faith relies, Whether the varying spirits fall or rise.

His patrons, still disposed their aid to lend, Behind a counter placed their humble friend; Where pens and paper were on shelves display'd,

And pious pamphlets on the windows laid: By nature active, and from vice restrain'd, Increasing trade his bolder views sustain'd; His friends and teachers, finding so much zeal In that young convert whom they taught to feel,

CR.

deal

With one whose care was equal to his zeal.

In human friendships, it compels a sigh, To think what trifles will dissolve the tie. John, now become a master of his trade, Perceived how much improvement might be made;

6

And as this prospect open'd to his view,
A certain portion of his zeal withdrew;
His fear abated- What had he to fear-
His profits certain, and his conscience clear?'
Above his door a board was placed by John,
And Dighton, stationer,' was gilt thereon;
His window next, enlarged to twice the size,
Shone with such trinkets as the simple prize;
While in the shop with pious works were seen
The last new play, review, or magazine :
In orders punctual, he observed-The books
He never read, and could he judge their looks?
Readers and critics should their merits try,
He had no office but to sell and buy ;
Like other traders, profit was his care;
Of what they print, the authors must beware.'
He held his patrons and his teachers dear,
But with his trade-they must not interfere.
'Twas certain now that John had lost the

dread

And pious thoughts that once such terrors bred;

His habits varied, and he more inclined
To the vain world, which he had half resign'd:
He had moreover in his brethren seen,
Or he imagined, craft, conceit, and spleen;
They are but men,' said John, and shall

I then

Fear man's control, or stand in awe of men ? 'Tis their advice (their convert's rule and law),

And good it is-I will not stand in awe.'

Then you beheld us abject, fallen, low,
And felt your glory from our baseness grow;
Touch'd by your words, I trembled like the
rest,

shall find

A man of spirit, though to peace inclined;
Call me ungrateful! have I not my pay
At all times ready for the expected day?—
To share my plenteous board you deign to
come,

Myself your pupil, and my house your home;
And shall the persons who my meat enjoy
Talk of my faults, and treat me as a boy?
Have you not told how Rome's insulting
priests

Led their meek laymen like a herd of beasts;
And by their fleecing and their forgery made
Their holy calling an accursed trade?
Can you such acts and insolence condemn,
Who to your utmost power resemble them?
'Concerns it you what books I set for sale?
The tale perchance may be a virtuous tale;
And for the rest, 'tis neither wise nor just,
In you, who read not, to condemn on trust;
Why should th' Archdeacon's Charge your
spleen excite?

He, or perchance th' archbishop, may be right.
'That from your meetings I refrain, is true;
I meet with nothing pleasant-nothing new;
But the same proofs, that not one text explain,
And the same lights, where all things dark

remain ;

I thought you saints on earth-but I have found

Some sins among you, and the best unsound;
You have your failings, like the crowds below,
And at your pleasure hot and cold can blow:
When I at first your grave deportment saw,
(I own my folly,) I was fill'd with awe;
You spoke so warmly, and it seems so well,
I should have thought it treason to rebel;
Is it a wonder that a man like me
Should such perfection in such teachers see;
Nay, should conceive you sent from Heav'n
to brave

The host of sin, and sinful souls to save?
But as our reason wakes, our prospects clear,
And failings, flaws, and blemishes appear.
'When you were mounted in your rostrum
high,

fess'd:

These, I exclaim'd, are men divine, and gazed On him who taught, delighted and amazed; Glad when he finish'd, if by chance he cast One look on such a sinner, as he pass'd.

'But when I view'd you in a clearer light, And saw the frail and carnal appetite; When, at his humble pray'r, you deign'd to eat,

Saints as you are, a civil sinner's meat; When as you sat contented and at ease, Nibbling at leisure on the ducks and peas, And, pleased some comforts in such place to find,

You could descend to be a little kind; And gave us hope, in Heaven there might be room

For a few souls beside your own to come; While this world's good engaged your carnal view,

And like a sinner you enjoy'd it too;
All this perceiving, can you think it strange
That change in you should work an equal
change?'

'Wretch that thou art,' an elder cried, ' and gone For everlasting.'- - Go thyself,' said John; 'Depart this instant, let me hear no more; My house my castle is, and that my door.'

The hint they took, and from the door

withdrew,

And John to meeting bade a long adieu;
Attach'd to business, he in time became
A wealthy man of no inferior name.
It seem'd, alas! in John's deluded sight,
That all was wrong because not all was right;
And when he found his teachers had their

stains,

Resentment and not reason broke his chains :
Thus on his feelings he again relied,
And never look'd to reason for his guide:
Could he have wisely view'd the frailty shown,
And rightly weigh'd their wanderings and his

own,

He might have known that men may be sincere,

That doctrines sound and sober they may teach,

Who love to eat with all the glee they preach; Nay, who believe the duck, the grape, the pine,

Were not intended for the dog and swine: But Dighton's hasty mind on every theme Ran from the truth, and rested in th' extreme: Flaws in his friends he found, and then withdrew

(Vain of his knowledge) from their virtues too. Best of his books he loved the liberal kind, That, if they improve not, still enlarge the mind;

And found himself, with such advisers, free
From a fix'd creed, as mind enlarged could be.
His humble wife at these opinions sigh'd,
But her he never heeded till she died;
He then assented to a last request,
And by the meeting-window let her rest;
And on her stone the sacred text was seen,
Which had her comfort in departing been.

Dighton with joy beheld his trade advance,
Yet seldom published, loth to trust to chance;
Then wed a doctor's sister-poor indeed,
But skill'd in works her husband could not
read;

Who, if he wish'd new ways of wealth to seek, Could make her half-crown pamphlet in a week:

This he rejected, though without disdain, And chose the old and certain way to gain. Thus he proceeded; trade increased the while,

And fortune woo'd him with perpetual smile:
On early scenes he sometimes cast a thought,
When on his heart the mighty change was
wrought;

And all the ease and comfort converts find
Was magnified in his reflecting mind:
Then on the teacher's priestly pride he dwelt,
That caused his freedom, but with this he
felt

The danger of the free-for since that day, No guide had shown, no brethren join'd his way;

Forsaking one, he found no second creed,
But reading doubted, doubting what to read.
Still, though reproof had brought some
present pain,

The gain he made was fair and honest gain;
He laid his wares indeed in public view,
But that all traders claim a right to do:

By means like these, he saw his wealth increase,

And felt his consequence, and dwelt in peace.

Our hero's age was threescore years and five, When he exclaim'd, 'Why longer should I strive ?

Why more amass, who never must behold
A young John Dighton to make glad the old?'
(The sons he had to early graves were gone,
And girls were burdens to the mind of John.)
Had I a boy, he would our name sustain,
That now to nothing must return again;
But what are all my profits, credit, trade,
And parish-honours ?-folly and parade.'
Thus Dighton thought, and in his looks

appear'd

Sadness increased by much he saw and heard : The brethren often at the shop would stay, And make their comments ere they walk'd

away:

They mark'd the window, fill'd in every pane With lawless prints of reputations slain ; Distorted forms of men with honours graced, And our chief rulers in derision placed : Amazed they stood, remembering well the days,

When to be humble was their brother's praise; When at the dwelling of their friend they stopp'd

To drop a word, or to receive it dropp'd; Where they beheld the prints of men renown'd, And far-famed preachers pasted all around; (Such mouths! eyes! hair! so prim! so fierce so sleek!

They look'd as speaking what is wo to speak): On these the passing brethren loved to dwell— How long they spake ! how strongly! warmly! well!

What power had each to dive in mysteries deep,

To warm the cold, to make the harden'd weep; To lure, to fright, to soothe, to awe the soul, And list'ning flocks to lead and to control!

But now discoursing, as they linger'd near, They tempted John (whom they accused) to hear

Their weighty charge- And can the lost-one feel,

As in the time of duty, love, and zeal;
When all were summon'd at the rising sun,
And he was ready with his friends to run ;
When he, partaking with a chosen few,
Felt the great change, sensation rich and new?