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IMITATIONS

O F

ENGLISH POET S.

W

Done by the Author in his Youth.

I.

CHAUCER.

OMEN ben full of Ragerie,

Yet fwinken nat fans fecrefie.

Thilke moral shall ye understond,

From Schoole-boy's Tale of fayre Irelond:
Which to the Fennes hath him betake,
To filch the gray Ducke fro the Lake.
Right then, there passen by the way
His Aunt, and eke her Daughters tway.
Ducke in his Trowfes hath he hent,
Not to be spied of Ladies gent.
"But ho! our Nephew, (crieth one)
"Ho! quoth another, Cozen John;"
And stoapen, and lough, and callen out,—
This filly Clerk full low doth lout:
They asken that, and talken this,

"Lo here is Coz, and here is Mifs."

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But, as he glozeth with speeches foote,

The Ducke fore tickleth his Erse roote:
Fore-piece and buttons all-to-breft,
Forth thruft a white neck, and red creft.

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Te-he,

Te-he, cry'd Ladies; Clerke nought spake:
Mifs star'd; and gray Ducke cryeth Quake.
"O Moder, Moder, (quoth the daughter)
"Be thilke fame thing Maids longen a'ter?
"Bette is to pine on coals and chalke,
"Then truft on Mon, whose yerde can talke.”

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IN every Town where Thamis rolls his Tyde,

A narrow Pafs there is, with Houfes low;

Where ever and anon, the Stream is ey'd,
And many a Boat, foft fliding to and fro.

There oft are heard the notes of Infant Woe,

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The fhort thick Sob, loud Scream, and fhriller Squall: How can ye, Mothers, vex your children fo?

Some play, fome eat, fome cack against the wall, And as they crouchen low, for bread and butter call.

II.

And on the broken pavement, here and there,
Doth many a ftinking fprat and herring lie;
A brandy and tobacco fhop is near,

And hens, and dogs, and hogs are feeding by ;
And here a failor's jacket hangs to dry.
At every door are fun-burnt matrons seen,
Mending old nets to catch the fcaly fry,

ΤΟ

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Now

Now finging fhrill, and scolding eft between;
Scolds anfwer foul-mouth'd fcolds; bad neighbourhood

I ween.

III.

The fnappifh cur (the paffengers annoy)

Clofe at my heel with yelping treble flies;

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The whimp'ring girl, and hoarfer-screaming boy,
Join to the yelping treble, fhrilling cries;
The fcolding Quean to louder notes doth rife,
And her full pipes thofe fhrilling cries confound;
To her full pipes the grunting hog replies;
The grunting hogs alarm the neighbours round,
And curs, girls, boys, and fcolds, in the deep base are
drown'd.

IV.

Hard by a Sty, beneath a roof of thatch,

Dwelt Obloquy, who in her early days
Baskets of fish at Billinfgate did watch,

Cod, whiting, oyfter, mackrel, fprat, or plaice:

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There learn'd she speech from tongues that never cease.

Slander befide her, like a Magpie, chatters,

With Envy, (fpitting Cat) dread foe to peace;

Like a curs'd Cur, Malice before her clatters,

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And, vexing every wight, tears clothes and all to tatters.

V.

Her dugs were mark'd by every Collier's hand,
Her mouth was black as bull-dog's' at the stall :
She scratched, bit, and spar'd ne lace ne band,
And bitch and rogue her anfwer was to all;
Nay, e'en the parts of shame by name would call:

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Yea,

Yea, when she paffed by or lane or nook,

Would greet the man who turn'd him to the Wall,
And by his hand obfcene the porter took,

Nor ever did afkance like modest Virgin look.

VI.

Such place hath Deptford, navy-building town,
Woolwich and Wapping, fmelling strong of pitch;
Such Lambeth, envy of each band and gown,
And Twickenham fuch, which fairer scenes enrich,
Grots ftatues, urns, and Jo-n's Dog and Bitch.
Ne village is without, on either fide,

All up the filver Thames, or all adown;

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Ne Richmond's felf, from whofe tall front are ey'd Vales, fpires, meandering streams, and Windfor's towery

pride.

III.
WALLER.

OF A LADY SINGING TO HER LUTE.

F

AIR Charmer, cease, nor make your voice's prize
A heart refign'd the conquest of your eyes :

Well might, alas! that threat'ned vessel fail,
Which winds and lightning both at once assail.
We were too bleft with these inchanting lays,
Which must be heavenly when an Angel plays :
But killing charms your lover's death contrive,
Left heavenly mufick fhould be heard alive.
Orpheus could charm the trees, but thus a tree,
Taught by your hand, can charm no less than he :
A Poet made the filent wood pursue,

This vocal wood had drawn the Poet too.

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On

On a FAN of the Author's defign, in which was painted the ftory of CEPHALUS and PROCRIS, with the Motto, AURA VENI.

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OME, gentle air! th' Æolian fhepherd said,

While Procris panted in the secret shade; Come, gentle Air, the fairer Delia cries, While at her feet her fwain expiring lies. Lo the glad gales o'er all her beauties stray, Breathe on her lips, and in her bosom play! In Delia's hand this toy is fatal found, Nor could that fabled dart more furely wound: Both gifts deftru&tive to the givers prove; Alike both lovers fall by thofe they love. Yet guiltless too this bright deftroyer lives, At random wounds, nor knows the wound the gives: She views the ftory with attentive eyes,

And pities Procris, while her lover dies.

IV.

COWLEY.

THE GARDEN.

FAIN would my Mufe the flowery Treasure fing,

And humble glories of the youthful Spring:
Where opening Roses breathing sweets diffuse,
And foft Carnations fhower their balmy dews;
Where Lilies fmile in virgin robes of white,
The thin undrefs of fuperficial Light,

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And

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