Poems on Several Occasions :: :: University of Virginia Library

Near Bootham Walk, where City Belles and Beaus
On Sundays flock, to show themselves—and Cloaths,
At that still Hour when thro' Heav'n's concave Space,
The Moon had, cloudless, journey'd half her Race,
When Midnight Chimes to Spectres Freedom hail'd,
And Sleep's dark Mantle half Creation veil'd,
Upon a neighb'ring Green with Daisies spread,
Where May with lavish Hand her Fragrance shed,
Instant as Polar Lightning start to View,
The Fairy Sov'reign and her subject Crew;
Erect the Queen, superior to the rest,
Her Look, Mien, Garb a Royal Worth confest;
Her Robe, the Down of unfledg'd Doves supply'd,
Wove in the Moon and in the Rainbow dy'd;
The shining Drops that in her Ear-rings play'd,
Of Tears from virtuous Lucreece' Eyes were made,
Which Chastity with icy Fingers froze,
Memento of her Honor, Truth, and Woes;
A Moth's Meal-silver'd Wing a Fan bestow'd,
To cool her Beauties when her Visage glow'd;
Her Crown a Topaz, powder'd from the Sky
With sparkling Treasures of the Galaxy:
Of finest Gosmore was her Linen made,
Her Chariot by six Humming Birds convey'd,
Not such as in Columbus' Climes are bred,
But fledg'd on Pindus, and by Fancy fed;

291

Her Coachman Thought, who swifter far cou'd fly
Than all the winged Mer'crys in the Sky;
And threescore Fays, to guard her, Launces bore,
Which fierce Grimalkins erst as Whiskers wore,
Guards more for Dignity than Service known,
A Guard each Subject to secure her Throne.

Upon a Hillock, Cowslip-fring'd, reclin'd,
Where the Moon-Beams a partial Entrance find,
Bona,—while Smiles benevolent her Face
Play'd round—beheld her sportive subject Race;
In mazy Tanglings some trip o'er the Plain,
And foot it to the Cornpipe's lively Strain;
In martial Tournaments some take Delight,
On Insect Coursers waging harmless Fight;
Arm lock'd in Arm here faithful Lovers rove,
(No Hearts, than Fays, more soft, or fram'd for Love)
Others the Glowworm's fiery Torch display,
While Ray-fond Moths around uninjur'd play;
Some from the Bees comb'd Store, or Clover sweet,
And Heav'n-still'd Dew indulge a nectar'd Treat,
While to the Lunar Orbit some advance,
And round the Moon a circling Halloo dance.

To see her Train thus innocently blest,
Bona indulg'd the Patriot in her Breast,
When flitting thro' the Air, before their Queen,
Two Maids of Honor bend with graceful Mien,
Totty, than whom no Fay was more belov'd,
And Quick, for try'd Fidelity approv'd;
When Bona thus —

292

“To yonder Mansion (where a lovely Train
Of budding Virgins own a Matron's Reign,
Whom, Lustrums flown, her Pupils will revere,
And H---sl---e when nam'd, the grateful Tear
Shall drop)—I sent you Lessons to impart,
And plant, in Dreams, fair Virtue round the Heart;
We Fays our nightly Visits gladly pay,
To rouse young Maids when Passions warp astray,
And win 'em back to Honor's radiant Way;—
Say, what is done?—The Matron and the Fair
Young beauteous Bevy, trusted to her Care,
Have long (Her Goodness claims it) been possest
Of a warm Place within our Royal Breast.”

With lowly Rev'rence Totty bent the Knee,
And thus bespoke her gracious Majesty.

Totty.

To yonder favor'd Dome I trip'd,
And thro' the Key-hole nimbly skip'd,
All silent was the bedded House,
Silent as the Tread of Mouse,
Save where House-Maid Bridget keeps
Her snoring Orgies as she sleeps,
And from the Cricket's slender Throat,
A shrill unvaried cheerful Note;
In ev'ry Room all neat and clean,
Nor Dust or dangling Cobweb seen,
A Tester—Elfin Tribute due—
I dropt in Housewife Bridget's Shoe;

293

To Lucy's Chamber then I sped,
And perch'd upon the Fair One's Bed,
The little Nymph in Sleep compos'd
Like a smiling Cherub doz'd;
On her Toilet, standing nigh,
Was laid a wingless Butterfly,
That Lucy the preceding Day,
Had caught, destroy'd, and thrown away;
To wake that Feeling in her Breast,
Which want of Thought alone supprest,
(For, oh, within her dwells a Mind
As Turtle soft, as Pity kind)
To place the Deed in proper View,
To her Mind's Eye this Scene I drew.

Fancy again the Spot renew'd,
Where the Papilio first she view'd,
Struck with its Rainbow Wings, the Fair
From Flow'r to Flow'r with watchful Care
Eager pursu'd, 'till with a Blow
The wish'd-for Prize she levell'd low;
The prison'd Flutterer now she views,
Enraptur'd with its brilliant Hues,
When with a plaintive piteous Moan,
Its Griefs the Insect thus made known.

“Ah, gentle Maid, your Looks bespeak
A Bosom merciful and meek,
What Crime to me, alas, is laid,
That thus a Captive I am made?
From Flow'r to Flow'r I harmless flew,
Their Sweets my Food—my Drink the Dew;

294

In you my Fancy strong display'd
A bright Papilio Sister-Maid;
Fearless of Injury or Wound,
As you pursu'd I flutter'd round,
'Till from that Angel Hand a Blow
Like Lightning came and laid me low:—
Cou'd Cruelty impel the Deed?
From Want of Thought it must proceed;
For Cruelty in one so kind,
So gentle, ne'er can Dwelling find.

“We Insects feel—in sooth we do,
Pain's Pungency as keen as You;
The Loss of Leg or mottled Wings
To Us Sensation painful brings,
And gives as racking an Alarm,
As Loss to You of Leg or Arm.”

“To see a Chick or Sparrow slain,
Your feeling Bosom throbs with Pain;
The Sight of Blood, or Tragic Tale,
Can Lilly-spread your Cheek with Pale;
Why to Papilios deny'd
That Pity, shown to all beside?

“'Twas Beauty caus'd my hapless Fate,
What Woes does Beauty not create!)—
Think, think, dear Nymph, how soon, alas,
What's mine may prove your destin'd Case:
Beauty! th'alluring fav'rite Game,
At which destructive Men take Aim;
You the Papilios they pursue,
Ensnare, and wantonly undo,

295

When gain'd, the Treasure they despise,
And languish for some newer Prize:—
Then, as you hope yourself to find
A Fate more fortunate and kind,
Such Mercy to your Flutt'rer show,
From Heav'n as you wou'd wish to know.”—

Young Lucy heav'd a pitying Sigh,
And freed the Captive Butterfly;
She wak'd:—Her Eyes soft Pity dew'd,
Her Sighs repentant Feeling shew'd;
And that the Lesson may remain,
Fix'd in the Volume of her Brain,
Resolv'd she is with Speed to trace
Upon her Sampler's various Face
A Butterfly of richest Hue,
Her Feelings daily to renew.

Quick.

While fair Miss Totty, thus employ'd,
Pleasure's exalted Feast enjoy'd
In doing Good—Thro' Charlotte's Sash
I darted like Electric Flash:—
My little Fav'rite there I found
Half-bedded, in a Sleep profound;
Within so sweet a Girl, I thought,
'Twere Pity shou'd reside one Fault;
Gaming I knew, that Legion Pest,
Was taking Root within her Breast:—
To stop its Progress, I apply'd
The following Dose of useful Pride.

296

She thought herself a Woman grown,
Her destin'd Fortune all her own;
With Clara Tête-à-Tête she sat,
To spend an Hour at Cards and Chat,
(Clara, a little Rival Fair,
Whom Charlotte ey'd with jealous Air)
A thousand Arts she try'd in vain,
Miss Clara's wish'd-for Purse to drain,
(For pretty Charlotte, by the Bye,
At Cards is rather over fly)
Yet Fortune, cruel, seem'd to frown;—
Her dernier Guinea's mortgag'd down:
That gone, of Hope's last Glimpse bereft,
By Friends unpitying, friendless left,
What can she do?—An empty Purse?—
She's now compell'd—Heart-rending Curse!
From Clara's Charity to crave
A Sustenance as menial Slave;
Her Equal once, yet Clara now
Ey'd her with supercilious Brow,
And if she deign'd or Smile or Nod,
'Twas Honor done to servile Clod:—
Despair attacks Miss Charlotte hard,
How did she curse the Name of Card!
But ah! too late—for to her Cost
She finds how soon that Wealth is lost,
Well-manag'd, which with sunny Rays
Had Comfort beam'd on all her Days;
She calls on Death to ease her Pain,
She calls on Death, but calls in vain;
At length she trembling wakes—how blest!
To find a Dream had thus distrest;

297

Then joyful cries—Thanks, gracious Heav'n!
Thanks for this kindly Warning given;
I see my Folly and my Shame,
From this Night never will I game,
But shun that Fiend who smiles at first,
To make us more compleatly curst.

Totty.
From Room to Room, from Fair to Fair
We sped,—and with a friendly Care,
'Gainst Idleness, Pride, Envy, Lies,
And all those Vices apt to rise,
When Passion unexperienc'd steers,
We whisper'd Lessons in their Ears;—
To their young Minds such Scenes display'd,
We hope will wake each thoughtless Maid,
And guide to Honor, Peace, and Truth;—
Virtue shou'd ay be sown in Youth.

Bona.

Well have ye done, my Fays:—But lo! a Ray
From Phœbus' Carr peeps o'er yon Eastern Way;
Assemble all—your Queen will lead you on
Far to the Westward from the garish Sun,
In distant Climes to sport the Hours away,
And by the Moon's ensilver'd Beams to play.

Hence, my merry Sprites, away,
Thro' the Welkin sport and play,
Fiends at our Approach thro' Fear,
Skulk as Phœbus' Self were near;

298

Ravens black and shrieking Owls,
Hide within their pitchy Holes:
Hark! The Hornet Trumpet sounds;—
Hence, o'er yon wide liquid Bounds,
Where Diana views with Pride
Her Charms within the Mirror Tide,
Whilst the Seamen on their Watch
(Shipmates hammock'd 'neath the Hatch)
Thwart the Moon's Orb as we glide,
Westward think the Cloudings ride;
O'er green Neptune's briny Flood,
And his Scale-arm'd Tritons scud
To Savannahs smooth—where soon
We shall orgye to the Moon;
And to other Nymphs in Dreams,
Breathe fair Virtue's pleasing Themes;
Task delightful! Angel Food!
Thus to feast in doing Good:—
Sleep's Recruit we not implore,
Wasted Spirits to restore;
Sleep! for Earth-shell'd Sons intended,
Beings daily to be mended;
Ever wakeful, ever gay,
Let us cheerful sport and play,
Hence, my merry Sprites away.