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But of happier command,
Neptune of the furrow'd land;

And, your wonder vain to shorten,
Pointer to Sir John Throckmorton.

EPITAPH ON MR. CHESTER, OF CHICHELEY [Written April, 1793. Published by Hayley, 1803.] TEARS flow, and cease not, where the good man lies, Till all who know him follow to the skies.

Tears therefore fall where CHESTER's ashes sleep; Him wife, friends, brothers, children, servants, weep-

And justly-few shall ever him transcend
As husband, parent, brother, master, friend.

ON

A PLANT OF VIRGIN'S-BOWER
DESIGNED TO COVER A GARDEN-SEAT
[Written May (?), 1793. Published by Johnson, 1815.]
THRIVE gentle plant! and weave a bow'r
For Mary and for me,

And deck with many a splendid flow'r
Thy foliage large and free.

Thou cam'st from Eartham, and wilt shade
(If truly I divine)

Some future day th' illustrious head

Of him who made thee mine.

Should Daphne show a jealous frown
And envy seize the bay,

Affirming none so fit to crown
Such honour'd brows as they,

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Thy cause with zeal we shall defend,
And with convincing pow'r;

For why should not the Virgin's Friend
Be crown'd with Virgin's-bow'r?

TO MY COUSIN ANNE BODHAM

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ON RECEIVING FROM HER A NETWORK PURSE
MADE BY HERSELF

[Written May, 1793. Published by Hayley, 1803.]
My gentle Anne, whom heretofore,
When I was young, and thou no more
Than plaything for a nurse,

I danced and fondled on my knee,
A kitten both in size and glee!
I thank thee for my purse.

Gold pays the worth of all things here;
But not of love:-that gem's too dear
For richest rogues to win it;

I, therefore, as a proof of love,
Esteem thy present far above

The best things kept within it.

INSCRIPTION

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FOR AN HERMITAGE IN THE AUTHOR'S GARDEN
[Written May, 1793. Published by Hayley, 1803.]
THIS cabin, Mary, in my sight appears,
Built as it has been in our waning years,
A rest afforded to our weary feet,
Preliminary to--the last retreat.

INSCRIPTION FOR A MOSS-HOUSE IN THE
SHRUBBERY AT WESTON

[Written 1793 (?). Published by Grimshawe, 1835.]
HERE, free from riot's hated noise,
Be mine, ye calmer, purer joys,

A book or friend bestows;

Far from the storms that shake the great,
Contentment's gale shall fan my seat,
And sweeten my repose.

SONNET TO MRS. UNWIN

[Written May, 1793. Published by Hayley, 1803.]

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6

MARY! I want a lyre with other strings;
Such aid from Heaven as some have feign'd they

drew!

An eloquence scarce given to mortals, new,

And undebas'd by praise of meaner things!
That, ere through age or woe I shed my wings,
I may record thy worth, with honour due,
In verse as musical as thou art true,-
Verse, that immortalizes whom it sings!
But thou hast little need: there is a book,

By seraphs writ with beams of heav'nly light,
On which the eyes of God not rarely look;
A chronicle of actions just and bright!

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There all thy deeds, my faithful Mary, shine, And since thou own'st that praise, I spare thee mine.

Sonnet to Mrs. Unwin-8 Verse] And 1815.

TO JOHN JOHNSON

ON HIS PRESENTING ME WITH AN ANTIQUE BUST OF HOMER

[Written May 22, 1793. Published by Hayley, 1803. There is a copy among the Ash MSS.]

KINSMAN belov'd, and as a son, by me!
When I behold this fruit of thy regard,
The sculptur'd form of my old fav'rite bard,
I rev'rence feel for him, and love for thee.
Joy too and grief! much joy, that there should be
Wise men, and learn'd, who grudge not to reward
With some applause my bold attempt, and hard,
Which others scorn: critics by courtesy !
The grief is this, that sunk in Homer's mine
I lose my precious years, now soon to fail,
Handling his gold, which, howsoe'er it shine,
Proves dross, when balanc'd in the Christian scale.
Be wiser thou--like our fore-father DONNE,
Seek heav'nly wealth, and work for God alone.

TO A YOUNG FRIEND

ON HIS ARRIVING AT CAMBRIDGE WET, WHEN NO RAIN HAD FALLEN THERE

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[Written May, 1793. Published by Hayley, 1803.] IF Gideon's fleece, which drench'd with dew he found, While moisture none refresh'd the herbs around, Might fitly represent the Church, endow'd With heav'nly gifts, to heathens not allow'd; In pledge, perhaps, of favours from on high, Thy locks were wet, when other locks were dry. Heav'n grant us half the omen--may we see Not drought on others, but much dew on thee! 8 A TALE!

[Written June, 1793. Published by Hayley, 1803.] IN Scotland's realm, where trees are few, Nor even shrubs abound;

But where, however bleak the view,

Some better things are found :—

1 This tale is founded on an article of intelligence which the author found in the Buckinghamshire Herald, for Saturday, June 1, 1793, in the following words:

Glasgow, May 23,

"In a block, or pulley, near the head of the mast of a gabert, now lying at the Broomielaw, there is a chaffinch's nest and four eggs. The nest was built while the vessel lay at Greenock, and was followed hither by both birds. Though the block is occasionally lowered for the inspection of the curious, the birds have not forsaken the nest. The cock, however, visits the nest but seldom; while the hen never leaves it, but when she descends to the hull for food" [H.).

To a Friend-6 others' 1815.

For husband there and wife may boast

Their union undefil'd;

And false ones are as rare almost,

As hedge-rows in the wild :-
:-

In Scotland's realm, forlorn and bare,
This hist'ry chanc'd of late,
This hist'ry of a wedded pair,

A chaffinch and his mate.

The spring drew near, each felt a breast
With genial instinct fill'd;

They pair'd, and only wish'd a nest,
But found not where to build.

The heaths uncover'd, and the moors,
Except with snow and sleet;
Sea-beaten rocks and naked shores,
Could yield them no retreat.

Long time a breeding place they sought,
'Till both grew vex'd and tir'd;
At length a ship arriving brought
The good so long desir'd.

A ship-could such a restless thing,
Afford them place of rest?

Or was the merchant charg'd to bring
The homeless birds a nest?

Hush!-silent hearers profit most!—
This racer of the sea

Prov'd kinder to them than the coast,
It serv'd them with a tree.

But such a tree! 'twas shaven deal,

The tree they call a mast;

And had a hollow with a wheel
Through which the tackle pass'd.

Form'd with materials neat and soft,

Within that cavity aloft

Their roofless home they fixt;

Bents, wool, and feathers mixt.

Four iv'ry eggs soon pave its floor,
With russet specks bedight ;-

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16

24

32

40

The vessel weighs-forsakes the shore,
And lessens to the sight.

The mother-bird is gone to sea,

As she had chang'd her kind;

But goes the mate? Far wiser he

Is doubtless left behind.

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15 only wish'd Hayley: would have built 1815. 47 mate] male 1815.

No-soon as from ashore he saw
The winged mansion move;
He flew to reach it, by a law
Of never-failing love!

Then perching at his consort's side
Was briskly borne along;
The billows and the blast defied,
And cheer'd her with a song.

The seaman, with sincere delight,
His feather'd shipmates eyes,
Scarce less exulting in the sight,
Than when he tows a prize.

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For seamen much believe in signs,
And from a chance so new

Each some approaching good divines,
And may his hopes be true!

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[blocks in formation]

And may ye, sometimes landing here,
Instruct us how to love!

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TO WILLIAM HAYLEY, ESQ.

IN REPLY TO HIS SOLICITATION TO WRITE WITH HIM IN A LITERARY WORK

[Written June 29, 1793, in letter to Hayley. Published by Hayley, 1803. There is a copy among the Ash MSS.]

DEAR architect of fine Chateaux en l'air,
Worthier to stand for ever, if they could,

Than any built with stone, or yet with wood

1 en l'air A.: in air previous edd. 3 with... with A.: of... of previous edd.

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