THE SPLENDID SHILLING.
Sing beavenly muse! "Things unattempted yet in prose or rhyme;" A shilling, breeches, and chimeras dire.
HAPPY the man, who, void of cares and strife, In silken or in leathern purse retains
A splendid shilling. He nor hears with pain New oysters cried, nor sighs for cheerful ale: But with his friends, when nightly mists arise, To Juniper's Magpye, or Town Hall, repairs; Where mindful of the nymph whose wanton flames, Transfix'd his soul, and kindled amorous Chloe or Phillis, he each circling glass Wisheth her health, and joy, and equal love. Meanwhile he smokes, and laughs at merry tale,
Or puu ambiguous, or conundrum quaint. But I, whom griping penury surrounds, And hanger, sure attendant upon want, With scanty offals, and small acid tiff, (Wretched repast!) my meagre corse sustain: Then solitary walk, or doze at home In garret vile, and with a warming puff Regale chill'd fingers; or, from tube as black As winter chimney, or well-polish'd jet, Exhale muudungus, ill perfuming scent; Not blacker tube, nor of a shorter size, Smokes Cambro-Briton (vers'd in pedigree, Sprung from Cadwallader and Arthur, kings Fall famous in romantic tale) when he O'er many a craggy hill and barren cliff, Upon a cargo of fam'd Cestrian cheese, High overshadowing rides, with a design To vend his wares, or at th' Arvonian mart, Or Maridunum, or the ancient town Yclep'd Brecininia, or where Vaga's stream Encircles Ariconium, fruitful soil!
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Another monster, not unlike himself, Sullen of aspect, by the vulgar call'd A catchpole, whose polluted hands the gods With force incredible, and magic charms, Erst have endued; if he his ample palm Should haply on ill-fated shoulder lay Of debtor, straight his body, to the touch Obsequious (as whilom knights were wont), To some enchanted castle is convey'd, Where gates impregnable, and coercive chains, In durance strict detain him; till, in forin Of money, Pallas sets the captive frec.
Beware ye debtors! when ye walk beware, Be circumspect; oft with insidious ken This caitiff eyes your steps aloof; and oft
Whence flow nectareous wines, that well may Lies perdue in a nook or gloomy cave,
With Massic, Setiu, or renown'd Falern.
Thus, while my joyless minutes tedious flow, With looks demure, and silent pace, a dun, Horrible monster! hated by gods and men, To my aerial citadel ascends: With vocal heel thrice thund'ring at my gate, With hideous accent thrice he calls; I know
Two noted ale-houses in Oxford.
Prompt to enchant some inadvertent wretch With his unhallow'd touch. So (poets sing). Grimalkin, to domestic vermin sworn An everlasting foe, with watchful eye Lies nightly brooding o'er a chinky gap, Portending her fell claws, to thoughtless mice Sure ruin. So her disembowell'd web Arachne in a hall or kitchen spreads, Obvious to vagrant flies: she secret stands Within her woven cell; the humming prey
With pleasant wines, and crackling blaze of Of Boreas, that congeals the Cronian waves,
An Original Ballad, Composed expresly for La Belle Assemblee By M. P. King.
The charms of beauty time will fade; But thine can never die, sweet maid! For not to face, and form confin'd, Charrrs fill thy heart, and soul, and mind. The maiden, if thy heart be free, Ob sweetly deign to smil.
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