 | Poems on several occasions |  |
143
To a KINSMAN,
Whose Compliment was Dear Sir. Written 1769.
When Cousin sent
This compliment,
Oh! how my muscles strain'd
With laughing joy,
'Cause my employ,
A King once entertain'd.
This compliment,
Oh! how my muscles strain'd
With laughing joy,
'Cause my employ,
A King once entertain'd.
When as the Monarch took his round,
To see how matters stood,
A merry cobler's voice did sound,
Which put him in like mood.
To see how matters stood,
A merry cobler's voice did sound,
Which put him in like mood.
The story says,
To cobler's praise,
His Majesty did rend
The heel from sole,
To view the hole
Of Jobson his good friend.
To cobler's praise,
His Majesty did rend
144
To view the hole
Of Jobson his good friend.
But you no monarch; I can bring
Good proofs that honest Jack,
Tho' styl'd Dear Sir, can joke and sing,
With rags upon his back.
Good proofs that honest Jack,
Tho' styl'd Dear Sir, can joke and sing,
With rags upon his back.
Yet downright soul,
My little hole,
Could we together meet;
Yea, dear Suke's noise,
With all my boys,
Would Cousin William greet.
My little hole,
Could we together meet;
Yea, dear Suke's noise,
With all my boys,
Would Cousin William greet.
And tho' no lemons we produce
To make punch, I declare
We have what now is out of use,
Is Honesty in wear?
To make punch, I declare
We have what now is out of use,
Is Honesty in wear?
145
My Brother's case
In good light place,
Perhaps with deep contrition,
He soon imparts,
Though not like Herts,
The cause with long petition.
In good light place,
Perhaps with deep contrition,
He soon imparts,
Though not like Herts,
The cause with long petition.
A word Venality doth chace
Into Oppression's furrow;
Joining Corruption's spoiling race,
They hunt in ev'ry borough.
Into Oppression's furrow;
Joining Corruption's spoiling race,
They hunt in ev'ry borough.
While this I write,
Methinks in sight
Appears my Cuz all witty;
And says rehearse,
In the next verse,
The deeds of your wise city.
Methinks in sight
Appears my Cuz all witty;
And says rehearse,
In the next verse,
The deeds of your wise city.
146
Freed from the dreary windmill's care,
They stalk about at large,
While Slav'ry bleats in Freedom's ear,
Can'st thou my loan discharge?
They stalk about at large,
While Slav'ry bleats in Freedom's ear,
Can'st thou my loan discharge?
Now Freedom's made
A bart'ring trade,
And wretches with intent
Her to deprive
With hatred strive;
Thus I my sorrows vent.
A bart'ring trade,
And wretches with intent
Her to deprive
With hatred strive;
Thus I my sorrows vent.
Alas! oh Liberty! with grief
My free-born heart o'erflows,
To think that ------ grants relief
Unto thy hydra foes.
My free-born heart o'erflows,
To think that ------ grants relief
Unto thy hydra foes.
Let's leave that theme
With those to blame,
And view the harvest crown'd
With plenteous store,
And then adore
The Cause of this abound!
Whose gracious goodness to us sends
Such plenty, with increase of friends.
With those to blame,
And view the harvest crown'd
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And then adore
The Cause of this abound!
Whose gracious goodness to us sends
Such plenty, with increase of friends.
On Wednesday night we drank your health,
Wishing much happiness and wealth;
And tho' not bumbo, Bowley's ale
Made us an excellent regale.
Wishing much happiness and wealth;
And tho' not bumbo, Bowley's ale
Made us an excellent regale.
My Suke intends
Her love to friends,
Which meaning Tom and you;
I close my theme
The very same,
And, dear Sir, am most true,
Her love to friends,
Which meaning Tom and you;
I close my theme
The very same,
And, dear Sir, am most true,
| Poems on several occasions | |