Ah luckless speech, and bootless boast! For which he paid full dear; 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. Away went Gilpin, and away He lost them sooner than at first, For why?-they were too big. Now mistress Gilpin, when she saw Into the country far away, She pull'd out half a crown; 210 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, The frighted steed he frighted more, Away went Gilpin, and away Went postboy at his heels, The postboy's horse right glad to miss The lumb'ring of the wheels. 220 230 Six gentlemen upon the road Thus seeing Gilpin fly, With postboy scamp'ring in the rear, Stop thief! stop thief!—a highwayman! And all and each that pass'd that way Did join in the pursuit. And now the turnpike gates again Flew open in short space; The toll-men thinking as before, That Gilpin rode a race. 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. 240 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! 252 AN EPISTLE TO AN AFFLICTED PROTESTANT LADY IN FRANCE. MADAM, A STRANGER'S purpose in these lays The path of sorrow, and that path alone, Leads to the land where sorrow is unknown; 10 No trav❜ller ever reach'd that blest abode, Who found not thorns and briers in his road. |