DESCRIPTION of SHIPS appearing at a DISTANCE, and approaching the SHORE. [DRYDEN.]

GUIOM. Upon the fea, fomething, methought, did rise

S far as I could caft my eyes

Like blueifh mifts, which, ftill appearing more,
Took dreadful fhapes, and thus mov'd towards the fhore:
The object, I could firft diftinctly view,

Was tall ftrait trees, which on the water flew :

Wings on their fides inftead of leaves did grow,
Which gather'd all the breath the winds could blow;
And at their roots grew floating palaces,
Whofe out-blow'd bellies cut the yielding feas!
MONTEZUMA. What divine monsters, O ye Gods!
are these,

That float in air, and fly upon the feas?
Came they alive, or dead, upon the fhore?

GUIOM. Alas! they liv'd too fure: I heard them roar:
All turn'd their fides, and to each other spoke :
I faw their words break out in fire and smoke..
Sure 'tis their voice that thunders from on high,
And these the younger brothers of the sky:
Deaf with the noife, I took my hafty flight,
No mortal courage can fupport the fright.

VIRTUE preferable to RANK.
[RowE.]

HAT tho' no gaudy titles grace my birth!
Titles, the fervile courtier's lean reward!

WH

Sometimes the pay of virtue, but more oft

The hire which greatnefs gives to flaves and fycophants:
Yet Heav'n, that made me honeft, made me more
Than e'er a king did, when he made a lord.

DESCRIPTION of an ancient CATHEDRAL.

[CONGREVE.]

IS dreadful!

How rev'rend is the face of this tall pile,

Whofe antient pillars rear their marble heads,
To bear aloft its arch'd and pond'rous roof!

By its own weight made ftedfaft, and immoveable.w
Looking tranquillity, it ftrikes an awe

And terror to my aking fight! The tombs

And

And monumental caves of death look cold, '
And shoot a chilnefs to my trembling heart.

DESCRIPTION of a TRIUMPH.
[LE E.]

E comes, and with a port fo proud,

HE

As if he had fubdu'd the fpacious world: And all Sinope's ftreets are fill'd with fuch A glut of people, you would think fome God Had conquer'd in their caufe, and them thus rank'd, That he might make his entrance on their heads! While from the fcaffolds, windows, tops of houses, Are caft fuch gaudy fhow'rs of garlands down, That ev'n the crowd appear like conquerors, And the whole city feems like one vaft meadow, Set all with flow'rs, as a clear heav'n with stars. Nay, as I've heard, e'er he the city enter'd, Your fubjects lin'd the way for many furlongs ; The very trees bore men: and as our God, When from the portal of the east he dawns, Beholds a thousand birds upon the boughs, To welcome him with all their warbling throats, And prune their feathers in his golden beams; So did your fubjects, in their gaudy trim, Upon the pendant branches fpeak his praise. Mothers, who cover'd all the banks beneath, Did rob the crying infants of the breaft, Pointing Ziphares out, to make them smile; And climbing boys ftood on their fathers fhoulders, Anfwering their fhouting fires, with tender cries, To make the concert up of general joy.

A SHEPHERD's LIFE happier than a KING's. [HILL.]

H' unbufied fhepherd, ftretch'd beneath the hawthorn,

TH

His carelefs limbs thrown out in wanton ease,
With thoughtless gaze perufing the arch'd heavens,
And idly whistling while his fheep feed round him;
Enjoys a fweeter fhade, than that of canopies,
Hemm'd in by cares, and fhook by ftorms of treafon.
VIRTUE

O 2

GRI

VIRTUE its own REWARD.

[RowE.]

REAT minds, like heav'n, are pleas'd with doing
good,

Tho' the ungrateful fubjects of their favours
Are barren in return. Virtue does ftill
With fcorn the mercenary world regard,
Where abject fouls do good, and hope reward:
Above the worthlefs trophies man can raise,
She feeks not honour, wealth, nor airy praise,
But with herself, herself the goddess pays.

}

No DIFFICULTIES infuperable to the PRUDENT and BRAVE. [RowE.]

HE wife and active conquer difficulties,

TBy daring to attempt them: floth and folly

Shiver and fhrink at fight of toil and hazard,
And make th' impoffibility they fear.

The SCHOOL-MISTRESS. In Imitation of
SPENCER. [SHENSTONE.]

H me, full forely is my heart forlorn,

To think how modeft worth neglected lies;
While partial Fame doth with her blafts adorn
Such deeds alone, as pride and pomp difguife;
Deeds of ill fort, and mifchievous emprize:
Lend me thy clarion, goddess! let me try
To found the praise of merit, ere it dies?
Such as I oft have chaunced to elpy,
Loft in the dreary fhades of dull obfcurity.

In ev'ry village mark'd with little fpire,
Embower'd in trees, and hardly known to fame,
There dwells, in lowly fhed, and mean attire,
A matron old, whom we fchool-miftrefs name;
Who boasts unruly brats with birch to tame;
They grieven fore, in piteous durance pent,
Aw'd by the pow'r of this relentless dame;
And oft-times on vagaries idly bent,

For unkempt hair, or talk unconn'd, are forely fhent.

And

And all in fight doth rife a birchen tree,
Which Learning near her little dome did ftowe ;.
Whilom a twig of fmall regard to fee,

Tho' now fo wide its waving branches flow;
And work the fimple vaffals mickle woe;

For not a wind might curl' the leaves that blew,
But their limbs fhudder'd, and their pulfe beat low;
And, as they look'd, they found their horrow grew,
And fhap'd it inte rods, and tingled at the view.

So have I feen (who has not, may conceive)
A lifeless phantom near a garden plac'd:
So doth it wanton birds of peace bereave,
Of fport, of fong, of pleasure, of repast;

They ftart, they ftare, they wheel, they look aghaft;
Sad fervitude! fuch comfortless annoy
May no bold Briton's riper age e'er tafte!
Ne fuperftition clog his dance of joy,
Ne vifion empty, vain, his native bliss destroy.

Near to this dome is found a patch fo green,
On which the tribe their gambols do difplays
And at the door impris'ning board is feen,
Left weakly wights of fmaller fize should stray;
Eager, perdie, to bafk in funny day!

The noifes intermix'd, which hence refound,
Do learning's little tenement betray:

Where fits the dame, disguis'd in look profound, And eyes her fairy throng, and turns her wheel around.

Her cap, far whiter than the driven fnow,
Emblem right meet of decency does yield:
Her apron dy'd in grain, as blue, I trowe,
As is the hare-bell that adorns the field:
And in her hand, for fceptre, fhe does wield
Tway birchen fprays, with anxious fear entwin'd,
With dark diftruft, and fad repentance fill'd,
And stedfaft hate, and fharp affliction join'd,
And fury uncontroul'd, and chaftifement unkind.

Few but have kenn'd, in femblance meet pourtray'd,
The childish faces of old Eol's train;

Libs, Notus, Aufter: thefe in frowns array'd,
How then would fare or earth, or fky, or main,
Were the ftern god to give his flaves the rein?

O 3

And

And were not the rebellious breasts to quell,

And were not fhe her ftatutes to maintain,

The cot no more, I ween, were deem'd the cell,
Where comely peace of mind, and decent order dwell.

A ruffet ftole was o'er her fhoulders thrown:
A ruffet kirtle fenc'd the nipping air;
'Twas fimple ruffet, but it was her own;
'Twas her own country bred the flock fo fair;
'Twas her own labour did the fleece prepare ;
And, footh to fay, her pupils, rang'd around,
Thro' pious awe, did term it paffing rare;
For they in gaping wonderment abound,

And think, no doubt, the been the greatest wight on ground.

Albeit ne flatt'ry did corrupt her truth,
Ne pompous title did debauch her ear;
Goody, good-woman, goffip, n'aunt, forfooth,
Or dame, the fole additions fhe did hear;

Yet thefe fhe challeng'd, thefe fhe held right dear:
Ne wou'd efteem him act as mought behove,
Who fhould not honour'd eld with these revere :
For never title yet fo mean could prove,
But there was eke a mind which did that title love.
One ancient hen fhe took delight to feed,
The plodding pattern of the bufy dame;
Which, ever and anon, impell'd by need,
Into her fchool, begirt with chickens, came;
Such favour did her paft deportment claim;
And, if neglect had lavifh'd on the ground
Fragment of bread, fhe would collect the fame;
For well fhe knew, and quaintly cou'd expound,
What fin it were to waste the smallest crumb fhe found.
Herbs too fhe knew, and well of each could fpeak,
That in her garden fipp'd the filv'ry dew;
Where no vain flow'r difclos'd a gaudy ftreak;
But herbs for ufe, and phyfic, not a few,
Of grey renown, within those borders grew:
The tufted bafil, pun-provoking thyme,
Fresh baum, and mary-gold of chearful hue;
The lowly gill, that never dares to climb;

And more I fain would fing, difdaining here to rhyme.

Yet