 | Poems on several subjects |  |
159
CANTO IV.
Here view young Secret and his Lady
Pregnant with news, to speak both ready:
But he, more quick, first silence broke,
And unto this effect he spoke;
“A letter I just now receiv'd,
Pregnant with news, to speak both ready:
But he, more quick, first silence broke,
And unto this effect he spoke;
At which I am both glad and griev'd:
Since here we have a little leisure,
My dear, I'll read it for your pleasure.”
To Mr Symon Secret, residing with Mr Caution in Burnhaugh, &c.
“My dearest nephew;------------Understand,
So soon as this comes to your hand;
Come here to me, for I am lying
Most dang'rous ill, for certain dying:
My children all are dead and gone,
And I am only left alone;
And I bequeathe, as heirship due,
My whole estate and wealth to you;
Come take possession.—If you're spar'd,
See my corpse decently interr'd.
My feeble fingers scarce will sign
My name to this imperfect line:
Your loving uncle till I die
I shall remain,—
—Philanthropy.”
April 2d, 1753.
“My dear, these are sad news, (said she),
Since you must alter your degree,
I'll now be left to mourn my fate,
Nothing my grief can now abate:
In my low state you seem'd to prove
A comfort once to me, my love;
But now from me you must depart,
And leave me here to break my heart.”
Since you must alter your degree,
I'll now be left to mourn my fate,
Nothing my grief can now abate:
In my low state you seem'd to prove
A comfort once to me, my love;
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And leave me here to break my heart.”
Said he, “My dear, pray cease to mourn:
To you I shortly shall return;
Then you and me shall never part,
Till death shall break our tender heart:
And, to confirm what here I say,
We'll marry e'er I go away:
Yet fain I would my uncle see,
If that I could before he die:
But freely could I part with all,
That mankind dear or valu'd call,
And that with the profoundest ease,
Before I you in ought displease;
For still I'll love and honour thee,
Since you have stoop'd to favour me.”
To you I shortly shall return;
Then you and me shall never part,
Till death shall break our tender heart:
And, to confirm what here I say,
We'll marry e'er I go away:
Yet fain I would my uncle see,
If that I could before he die:
But freely could I part with all,
That mankind dear or valu'd call,
And that with the profoundest ease,
Before I you in ought displease;
For still I'll love and honour thee,
Since you have stoop'd to favour me.”
Miss Jenny, smiling through her tears,
Began to drop her former fears;
Said, “My dear Secret, Heaven smiles,
And all my grief and fear beguiles:
Can I then chuse but grateful be
To Jove, for all his care of me?
Yea, while I being have, I'll praise
Him, who from nothing did me raise,
And by his care and providence,
Provided for me ever since.
My portion was entirely lost,
And I had nought whereof to boast,
Save that I could work with my hands,
To satisfy Nature's demands:
But when my brother saw me mourn,
His heart did with compassion burn;
And said he would assign for me
A portion fitting my degree:
Burgher alledging that he would
Not give so much as well he could,
So rais'd his pride and emulation,
That made him speak forth in a passion,
‘Pray, Burgher, what needs all this trouble?
‘Whate'er you give I'll give a double.’
Said Burgher, ‘There's no tie on me,
‘But Nature's self obliges thee;
‘She neither is my kin nor blood:
‘But, seeing she's both fair and good,
‘I'll give her wholly, out of hand,
‘A year's rent of her father's land;
‘And this the more engages me,
‘To get sufficient mends of thee.’
So they both sign'd the evidence,
More out of pride than good pretence.
Lo! here it is: I wish my brother,
Poor Waste all, had just such another;
I'm sure he would take better tent,
Than he has done, how it were spent.”
Began to drop her former fears;
Said, “My dear Secret, Heaven smiles,
And all my grief and fear beguiles:
Can I then chuse but grateful be
To Jove, for all his care of me?
Yea, while I being have, I'll praise
Him, who from nothing did me raise,
And by his care and providence,
Provided for me ever since.
My portion was entirely lost,
And I had nought whereof to boast,
Save that I could work with my hands,
To satisfy Nature's demands:
But when my brother saw me mourn,
His heart did with compassion burn;
And said he would assign for me
A portion fitting my degree:
Burgher alledging that he would
Not give so much as well he could,
So rais'd his pride and emulation,
That made him speak forth in a passion,
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‘Whate'er you give I'll give a double.’
Said Burgher, ‘There's no tie on me,
‘But Nature's self obliges thee;
‘She neither is my kin nor blood:
‘But, seeing she's both fair and good,
‘I'll give her wholly, out of hand,
‘A year's rent of her father's land;
‘And this the more engages me,
‘To get sufficient mends of thee.’
So they both sign'd the evidence,
More out of pride than good pretence.
Lo! here it is: I wish my brother,
Poor Waste all, had just such another;
I'm sure he would take better tent,
Than he has done, how it were spent.”
Then Secret said, “Some lucky chance
His broken fortune may advance:
But Laborious must not know,
What there's pass'd last betwixt us two;
For, since a portion he assigns you,
You marry must as he designs you.
His broken fortune may advance:
But Laborious must not know,
What there's pass'd last betwixt us two;
For, since a portion he assigns you,
You marry must as he designs you.
But Waste-all is well satisfied,
That you just now shall be my bride;
And he is gone to call Miss John,
To join our hands, and make us one:
My master and my mistress, both,
To tell the secret, will be loth;
They shall be witnesses; and, when
Time will allow, let others ken.
That you just now shall be my bride;
And he is gone to call Miss John,
To join our hands, and make us one:
My master and my mistress, both,
To tell the secret, will be loth;
They shall be witnesses; and, when
Time will allow, let others ken.
To-morrow, by the break of day,
If health permit, I must away:
But do not grudge, my dear, nor mourn;
For very soon I will return.”
If health permit, I must away:
But do not grudge, my dear, nor mourn;
For very soon I will return.”
Then Secret went, the rest to warn
To meet him just now in the barn:
With that Miss John and Waste-all came,
That put Miss Jenny in a flame.
But, gath'ring courage, in they went;
Both signified they were content:
So joining hands, Miss John them bless'd,
Declar'd them married, them dismiss'd.
Then, coming to the company,
One cry'd, “Miss Jenny, sit by me:
Welcome, Miss John; here take your place,
You're come in time to say the grace;
For Caution is so staunch a Whig,
And with the clergy turn'd so big,
That men in company cannot
Make free with him without a blot.”
To meet him just now in the barn:
With that Miss John and Waste-all came,
That put Miss Jenny in a flame.
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Both signified they were content:
So joining hands, Miss John them bless'd,
Declar'd them married, them dismiss'd.
Then, coming to the company,
One cry'd, “Miss Jenny, sit by me:
Welcome, Miss John; here take your place,
You're come in time to say the grace;
For Caution is so staunch a Whig,
And with the clergy turn'd so big,
That men in company cannot
Make free with him without a blot.”
Said Tipple, “That is very true;
For if we're merry we're call'd fu':
The like of him, if they were able,
Would make an honest man a rebel:
They prize their own fantastic wit,
Because the ball is at their foot:
This is a critical sad time,
When ev'ry thing is judg'd a crime
That's not conform to whiggish whims,
A pack of saucy d---ls limbs.”
For if we're merry we're call'd fu':
The like of him, if they were able,
Would make an honest man a rebel:
They prize their own fantastic wit,
Because the ball is at their foot:
This is a critical sad time,
When ev'ry thing is judg'd a crime
That's not conform to whiggish whims,
A pack of saucy d---ls limbs.”
Miss John replied, “Dear Madam, stop,
You should have better sense I hope,
Than ridicule against the laws,
Religion, and the good old cause.”
You should have better sense I hope,
Than ridicule against the laws,
Religion, and the good old cause.”
“The good old cause, alas! (said she),
Is lost, for any thing I see.
Our nation's constitutions all
Are chang'd, and no memorial
Of ancient privileges left;
Fram church and state all are bereft.
But, Sir, I'll not expect of you
My meaning you will misconstrue:
I love the government and laws,
I also love the good old cause;
I love religion when 'tis right,
And all conform to holy writ;
But impositions on folks conscience
Are both ridiculous and nonsense.”
Is lost, for any thing I see.
Our nation's constitutions all
Are chang'd, and no memorial
Of ancient privileges left;
Fram church and state all are bereft.
But, Sir, I'll not expect of you
My meaning you will misconstrue:
I love the government and laws,
I also love the good old cause;
I love religion when 'tis right,
And all conform to holy writ;
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Are both ridiculous and nonsense.”
Miss John then whisp'ring, said to Caution,
“'Tis the drap drink that rais'd this motion:
Pray, Madam, drop this topic now;
For I suppose you please but few.”
“'Tis the drap drink that rais'd this motion:
Pray, Madam, drop this topic now;
For I suppose you please but few.”
“Content (said Tipple), I don't doubt;
For few love truth tell'd here about.”
For few love truth tell'd here about.”
The end of the fourth Canto.
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