Pay me for thy warm retreat With a fong more soft and sweet; In return thou fhalt receive Such a strain as I can give. II. Thus thy praise shall be expreft, While the rat is on the scout, With what vermin else infeft Ev'ry dish, and spoil the best; Frifking thus before the fire, Thou haft all thine heart's defire. III. Though in voice and shape they be Form'd as if akin to thee, Thou furpaffeft, happier far, IV. Neither night, nor dawn of day, Sing then-and extend thy span Lives not, aged though he be, IV. THE PARROT. I. IN painted plumes fuperbly dreft, A native of the gorgeous eaft, Poll gains at length the British fhore, II. Belinda's maids are foon preferr'd To teach him now and then a word, As Poll can master it; But 'tis her own important charge To qualify him more at large, And make him quite a wit. III. Sweet Poll! his doating mistress cries, Sweet Poll! the mimic bird replies, And calls aloud for fack. She next inftructs him in the kiss; 'Tis now a little one, like Miss, And now a hearty smack. IV. At first he aims at what he hears; And, lift'ning close with both his ears, Juft catches at the found; But foon articulates aloud, Much to th' amusement of the crowd, And ftuns the neighbours round. V. A querulous old woman's voice His hum'rous talent next employs He fcolds and gives the lie. And now he fings, and now is fickHere Sally, Sufan, come, come quick; Poor Poll is like to die! VI. Belinda and her bird! 'tis rare To meet with fuch a well match'd pair, The language and the tone, Each character in ev'ry part Suftain'd with so much grace and art, And both in unifon. VII. When children firft begin to fpell, We think them tedious creatures; When birds are to be taught to prate, THE SHRUBBERY. WRITTEN IN A TIME OF AFFLICTION. I. Он, happy fhades-to me unblest! How ill the scene that offers reft, And heart that cannot reft, agree! II. This glaffy ftream, that spreading pine, Those alders quiv'ring to the breeze, Might footh a foul less hurt than mine, And please, if any thing could please. III. But fix'd unalterable care Foregoes not what the feels within, shows the fame fadness ev'ry where, And flights the season and the scene. IV. For all that pleas'd in wood or lawn, Her animating smile withdrawn, Has loft its beauties and its pow'rs. ས. The faint or moralift fhould tread This mofs-grown alley, mufing, flow; They feek, like me, the secret shade, |