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III. THE CRICKET.

TRANSLATION OF THE FOREGOING.

I.

LITTLE inmate, full of mirth,
Chirping on my kitchen hearth,
Wheresoe'er be thine abode,
Always harbinger of good,
Pay me for thy warm retreat
With a song more soft and sweet;
In return thou shalt receive
Such a strain as I can give.

II.

Thus thy praise shall be express'd,
Inoffensive, welcome guest!
While the rat is on the scout,
And the mouse with curious snout,
With what vermin else infest
Ev'ry dish, and spoil the best ;
Frisking thus before the fire,

Thou hast all thine heart's desire.

III.

Though in voice and shape they be
Form'd as if akin to thee,
Thou surpassest, happier far,
Happiest grasshoppers that are;
Theirs is but a summer's song,
Thine endures the winter long,
Unimpair'd, and shrill and clear,
Melody throughout the year.
VOL. I.

20

IV.

Neither night, nor dawn of day,
Puts a period to thy play;

Sing then-and extend thy span
Far beyond the date of man.
Wretched man whose years are spent

In repining discontent,

Lives not, aged though he be,

Half a span compar'd with thee.

SIMILE AGIT IN SIMILE

BY VINCENT BOURNE.

CRISTATUS, pictisque ad Thaida Psittacus alis,
Missus ab Eoo munus amante venit.
Ancillis mandat primam formare loquelam,
Archididascalis dat sibi Thais opus.
Psittace, ait Thais, fingitque sonantia molle
Basia, quæ docilis molle refingit avis.
Jam captat, jam dimidiat tyrunculis; et jam
Integrat auditos articulatque sonos.

Psittace mi pulcher pulchelle, hera dicit alumno;
Psittace mi pulcher, reddit alumnus here.
Jamque canit, ridet, deciesque ægrotat in hora,
Et vocat ancillas nomine quamque suo.
Multaque scurratur mendax, et multa jocatur,
Et lepido populuın detinet augurio.

Nunc tremulum illudet fratrem, qui suspicit, et Pol!
Carnalis, quisquis te docet, inquit, homo est;
Argutæ nunc stridet anus argutulus instar;
Respicit, et nebulo es, quisquis es, inquit anus.
Quando fuit melior tyro, meliorve magistra!
Quando duo ingeniis tam eoiere pares
Ardua discenti nulla est, res nulla docenti
Ardua; cum doceat fœmina, discat avis.

IV. THE PARROT.

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TRANSLATION OF THE FOREGOING.

I.

IN painted plumes superbly dress'd,
A native of the gorgeous east,
By many a billow toss'd;

Poll gains at length the British shore,
Part of the captain's precious stere,
A present to his toast.

II.

Belinda's maids are soon preferr'd

To teach him now and then a word,
As Poll can master it;

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But 'tis her own important charge,

To qualify him more at large,

And make him quite a wit.

III.

Sweet Poll! his doating mistress cries, Sweet Poll! the mimick bird replies; And calls aloud for sack.

She next instructs him in the kiss; 'Tis now a little one, like Miss, HOL And now a hearty smack.

IV.

At first he aims at what he hears;

And list'ning close with both his ears,
Just catches at the sound;

But soon articulates aloud,

Much to the amusement of the crowd,
And stuns the neighbours round.

V.

A querulous old woman's voice
His hum'rous talent next employs,

He scolds, and gives the lie.
And now he sings, and now is sick,
Here, Sally, Susan, come, come quick,
Poor Poll is like to die!

VI.

Belinda and her bird! 'tis rare

To meet with such a well-match'd pair,
The language and the tone,

Each character in ev'ry part

Sustain'd with so much grace and art,
And both in unison.

VII.

When children first begin to spell,
And stammer out a syllable,

We think them tedious creatures;

But difficulties soon abate,

When birds are to be taught to prate,
And women are the teachers.

TRANSLATION

OF

PRIOR'S CHLOE AND EUPHELIA,

I.

MERCATOR, vigiles oculos ut fallere possit, Nomine sub ficto trans mare mittit opes; Lene sonat liquidumque meis Euphelia chordis, Sed solam exoptant te, mea vota, Chloe.

.II.

Ad speculum ornabat nitidos Euphelia crines,
Cum dixit mea lux, heus, cane, sume lyram.
Namque lyram juxta positam cum carmine vidit
Suave quidein carmen dulcisonamque lyram.

III.

Fila lyræ vocemque paro, suspiria surgunt,
Et miscent numeris murmura mæsta meis
Dumque tuæ memoro laudes, Euphelia, formæ,
Tota anima interea pendet ab ore Chloes.
IV.

Subrubet illa pudore, et contrahit altera frontem
Me torquet mea mens conscia, psallo, tremo;
Atque Cupidinea, dixit Dea cincta corona,
Heu! fallerdi artem quam didicere parum.

THE DIVERTING HISTORY

OF

JOHN GILPIN;

Showing how he went further than he intend 4, and came safe home again.

JOHN GILPIN was a citizen

Of credit and renown,
A trainbanù captain eke was he
Of famous London town.

John Gilpin's spouse said to her dear,
Though wedded we have been

These twice ten tedious years, yet we
No holy-day have seen.

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