In peaked hoods and mantles tarnish'd,
Sour visages, enough to scare ye,

High Dames of honour once, that garnish'd
The drawing-room of fierce Queen Mary!

The Peerefs comes. The Audience ftare,
And doff their hats with due fubmiffion:

She curtfies, as she takes her chair,
To all the People of condition.

The Bard with many an artful fib,
Had in imagination fenc'd him,
Difprov'd the arguments of Squib,
And all that Groom could urge against him;

But foon his rhetoric forfook him,
When he the folemn hall had feen;

A fudden fit of ague fhook him,

He stood as mute as poor Macleane.

Yet

་

A LONG STORY.

Yet fomething he was heard to mutter, 'How in the Park beneath an old tree,

'(Without defign to hurt the butter, 'Or any malice to the poultry,)

'He once or twice had penn'd a fonnet;
'Yet hop'd that he might fave his bacon:
Numbers would give their oaths upon it,
'He ne'er was for a conj'rer taken.'

The ghoftly prudes with hagged face
Already had condemn'd the finner,
My Lady rofe, and with a grace-

She fmil'd, and bid him come to dinner.

Jefu-Maria! Madam Bridget,

Why what can the Viscountess mean?' (Cried the fquare Hoods in woeful fidget) 'The times are alter'd quite and clean!

73

'Decorum's

• Decorum's turned to mere civility;

• Her air and all her Manners fhew it.

• Commend me to her affability!

Speak to a Commoner and Poet!'

[Here 500 Stanzas are loft.]

And fo God fave our noble King,

And guard us from long-winded Lubbers,

That to eternity would fing,

And keep my Lady from her Rubbers.

ODE