What news? what news? your tidings tell;

Tell me you must and shall

Say why bare-headed you are come,

Or why you come at all?

Now Gilpin had a pleasant wit,
And lov'd a timely joke;
And thus unto the calender
In merry guise he spoke :-

I came because your horse would come;
And, if I well forebode,

My hat and wig will soon be here--
They are upon the road.

The calender, right glad to find

His friend in merry pin,

Return'd him not a single word,

But to the house went in;

168

Whence straight he came with hat and wig;

A wig that flow'd behind,

A hat not much the worse for wear,

Each comely in its kind.

He held them up, and, in his turn,
Thus show'd his ready wit-
My head is twice as big as your's,
They therefore needs must fit.
But let me scrape the dirt away
That hangs upon your face;

And stop and eat, for well you may
Be in a hungry case.

Said John--It is my wedding-day,
And all the world would stare,
If wife should dine at Edmonton
And I should dine at Ware!

176

184

192

For, while he spake, a braying ass

Did sing most loud and clear;

Whereat his horse did snort, as he
Had heard a lion roar,

And gallop'd off with all his might,
As he had done before.

208

Away went Gilpin, and away
Went Gilpin's hat and wig!
He lost them sooner than at first-
For why?-they were too big!

Now, mistress Gilpin, when she saw
Her husband posting down

Into the country far away,

She pull'd out half a crown;

And thus unto the youth she said

That drove them to the Bell

This shall be yours when you bring back

My husband safe and well.

The youth did ride, and soon did meet

John coming back amain;

Whom in a trice he tried to stop,

.

By catching at his rein;

But, not performing what he meant,
And gladly would have done,

216

224

The frighted steed he frighted more,
And made him faster run.

Away went Gilpin, and away

Went post-boy at his heels!—

The post-boy's horse right glad to miss

The lumb'ring of the wheels.

232

Six gentlemen upon the road,
Thus seeing Gilpin fly,

With post-boy scamp'ring in the rear,
They rais'd the hue and cry:

Stop thief! stop thief!--a highwayman!

And so he did--and won it too!--
For he got first to town;

Nor stopp'd till where he had got up
He did again get down.

248

Now let us sing--Long live the king,
And Gilpin long live he;

And, when he next doth ride abroad,
May I be there to see!

TO A LADY

WHO WORE A LOCK OF HIS HAIR SET WITH DIAMONDS

[Written 1782 (?). Published by Benham, 1870.]

THE star that beams on Anna's breast
Conceals her William's hair,

"Twas lately sever'd from the rest
To be promoted there.

The heart that beats beneath that breast
Is William's, well I know;

A nobler prize and richer far

Than India could bestow.

She thus his favour'd lock prefers,
To make her William shine;
The ornament indeed is hers,
But all the honour mine.

EPITAPH ON A HARE

10

[Written March, 1783. Published in The Gentleman's Magazine, Dec., 1784; afterwards in 1800. A MS. copy is in the British Museum.]

HERE lies, whom hound did ne'er pursue,

Nor swifter greyhound follow,

Whose foot ne'er tainted morning dew,

Nor ear heard huntsman's hallo',

Old Tiney, surliest of his kind,
Who, nurs'd with tender care,
And to domestic bounds confin'd,
Was still a wild Jack-hare.

Though duly from my hand he took
His pittance ev'ry night,

He did it with a jealous look,
And, when he could, would bite.

8

His diet was of wheaten bread,

And milk, and oats, and straw,

Thistles, or lettuces instead,

With sand to scour his maw.

16

On twigs of hawthorn he regal'd,
On pippins' russet peel;

And, when his juicy salads fail'd,

Slic'd carrot pleas'd him well.

To a Lady-9 lock suggested by Benham: lot 1870.

On a Hare 4 hallo'] hollow BM. 5 Old Tiney] Tiney, the BM., 1784. 16 scour] cleanse 1784.

A Turkey carpet was his lawn,

Whereon he lov'd to bound,
To skip and gambol like a fawn,
And swing his rump around.
His frisking was at evening hours,
For then he lost his fear;

But most before approaching show'rs,
Or when a storm drew near.

Eight years and five round-rolling moons
He thus saw steal away,
Dozing out all his idle noons,

And ev'ry night at play.

I kept him for his humour' sake,
For he would oft beguile

My heart of thoughts that made it ache,
And force me to a smile.

But now, beneath this walnut-shade
He finds his long, last home,

And waits in snug concealment laid,
'Till gentler Puss shall come.

He, still more aged, feels the shocks
From which no care can save,
And, partner once of Tiney's box,
Must soon partake his grave.

24

32

40

22 Whereon] On which BM.

31 Dozing] Slumb'ring BM.

1784.

10

24 his rump] himself 1784. 33 his humour'] old service BM.,

41 He] She BM. still more aged] still more antient

BM.: in his turn 1784. feels] must feel 1784. 44 Must soon partake] Be partner of 1784.

N

SONG ON PEACE

WRITTEN AT THE REQUEST OF LADY AUSTEN [Written May (?), 1783. Published by Hayley, 1803.]

AIR-My fond Shepherds of late.

No longer I follow a sound;
No longer a dream I pursue;
Oh happiness, not to be found,
Unattainable treasure, adieu!

I have sought thee in splendour and dress;
In the regions of pleasure and taste;
I have sought thee, and seem'd to possess,
But have prov'd thee a vision at last.

An humble ambition and hope

The voice of true wisdom inspires; "Tis sufficient, if peace be the scope, And the summit of all our desires.

Peace may be the lot of the mind,

That seeks it in meekness and love;

But rapture and bliss are confin'd
To the glorified spirits above.

SONG

ALSO WRITTEN AT THE REQUEST OF

LADY AUSTEN

8

16

[Written in the summer of 1783. Published by Hayley, 1803.] AIR-The Lass of Pattie's Mill.