They went by chance, amidst their talk,
To the church-yard, to take a walk,
When Baucis hastily cry'd out,

My dear, I fee your forehead sprout!'

Sprout!' quoth the man; what's this you tell us?

• I hope you don't believe me jealous!
But yet, methinks, I feel it true;
And, really, yours is budding too!-
Nay-now I cannot ftir my foot;
• It feels as if 'twere taking root!'
Description would but tire my Mufe:
In fhort, they both were turn'd to yews.
Old Goodman Dobfon of the Green,
Remembers he the trees has seen ;
He'll talk of them from noon till night,
And goes with folks to fhew the fight.
On Sundays, after ev'ning pray'r,
He gathers all the parish there;
Points out the place of either yew-
Here Baucis, there Philemon, grew:
Till once a parfon of our town,
To mend his barn, cut Baucis down;
At which 'tis hard to be believ'd
How much the other tree was griev'd,
Grew fcrubby, dy'd a-top, was stunted,
So the next parfon stubb'd and burnt it.'

I

F Heav'n the grateful liberty would give,

That I might chufe my method how to live, And all thofe hours propitious Fate fhould lend, In blissful eafe and fatisfaction fpend

Near

Near fome fair town I'd have a private feat,
Built uniform; not little, nor too great:
Better if on a rifing ground it stood;

On this fide fields, on that a neighb'ring wood.
It should within no other things contain
But what are useful, necessary, plain:
Methinks 'tis nauseous, and I'd ne'er endure
The needless pomp of gaudy furniture.
A little garden, grateful to the eye,
And a cool rivulet run murm'ring by,
On whofe delicious banks a stately row
Of fhady limes or fycamores should grow;
At th' end of which a filent ftudy plac'd,
Should be with all the nobleft authors grac'd:
Horace and Virgil, in whose mighty lines
Immortal wit and folid learning fhines;
Sharp Juvenal, and am'rous Ovid too,
Who all the turns of love's foft paffion knew ;
He that with judgment reads his charming lines,
In which strong art with stronger nature joins,
Muft grant his fancy does the best excel,
His thoughts fo tender, and exprefs'd fo well;
With all those moderns, men of steady sense,
Esteem'd for learning and for eloquence.
In fome of these, as Fancy fhould advise,
I'd always take my morning exercise ;
For fure no minutes bring us more content,
Than those in pleasing useful studies spent!

I'd have a clear and competent eftate,
That I might live genteelly, but not great;
As much as I could moderately spend-
A little more, fometimes t'oblige a friend.
Nor fhould the fons of Poverty repine

Too much at Fortune, they should taste of mine;
And all that objects of true pity were,

Should be reliev'd with what my wants could fpare:

For that our Maker has too largely giv'n,
Should be return'd in gratitude to Heav'n.
A frugal plenty should my table spread,
With healthy, not luxurious, dishes fed;
Enough to fatisfy-and fomething more,
To feed the stranger and the neighb'ring poor.
Strong meat indulges vice, and pamp'ring food
Creates difeafes, and inflames the blood:
But what's fufficient to make nature ftrong,
And the bright lamp of life continue long,
I'd freely take; and, as I did poffefs,
The bounteous Author of my plenty blefs.

I'd have a little vault, but always ftor'd
With the best wines each vintage could afford.
Wine whets the wit, improves it's native force,
And gives a pleasant flavour to discourse;
By making all our spirits debonair,
Throws off the lees, the fediment of care:
But as the greatest bleffing Heaven lends,
May be debauch'd, and ferve ignoble ends;
So, but too oft, the grape's refreshing juice
Does many mischievous effects produce.
My house should no fuch rude disorders know,
As from high drinking confequently flow;
Nor would I use what was fo kindly giv'n
To the dishonour of indulgent Heav'n.
If any neighbour came, he fhould be free;
Us'd with refpect; and not uneafy be,
In my retreat, or to himself or me.
What freedom, prudence, and right reason, give,
All men may with impunity receive :

But the least swerving from their rule's too much;
For what's forbidden us, 'tis death to touch.

That life may be more comfortable yet,
And all my joys refin'd, fincere, and great,

}

I'd chufe two friends, whofe company would be
A great advance to my felicity:

Well born, of humours fuited to my own;
Difcreet, and men as well as books have known.

Brave, gen'rous, witty, and exactly free
From loose behaviour, or formality.

Airy and prudent; merry, but not light:
Quick in discerning, and in judging right.
Secret they should be, faithful to their truft;
In reas'ning cool, ftrong, temperate, and juft.
Obliging, open; without huffing, brave:
Brisk in gay talking, and in fober grave.
Close in difpute, but not tenacious; try'd
By folid reason, and let that decide.

Not

prone to luft, revenge, or envious hate;
Nor bufy meddlers with intrigues of state.
Strangers to flander, and fworn foes to fpite;
Not quarrelfome, but ftout enough to fight.
Loyal and pious, friends to Cæfar: true,
As dying martyrs, to their Maker, too.
In their fociety I could not miss

A permanent, fincere, fubftantial bliss.

Would bounteous Heav'n once more indulge, I'd chufe
(For who would so much fatisfaction lofe
As witty nymphs in conversation give ?)
Near fome obliging, modeft fair, to live;
For there's that sweetness in a female mind,
Which in a man's we cannot hope to find d;
That, by a fecret, but a pow'rful art,
Winds up the spring of life, and does impart
Fresh vital heat to the transported heart.
I'd have her reafon all her paffion fway;
Eafy in company, in private gay:
Coy to a fop, to the deferving free;
Still conftant to herself, and juft to me.

}

A foul

A foul she should have for great actions fit,
Prudence and wifdom to direct her wit:
Courage to look bold Danger in the face;
No fear, but only to be proud or base.
Quick to advife, by an emergence prefs'd;
To give good counfel, or to take the best.
I'd have th' expreffion of her thoughts be fuch,
She might not feem referv'd, nor talk too much :
That shews a want of judgment and of sense;
More than enough, is but impertinence.
Her conduct regular; her mirth refin'd;
Civil to ftrangers, to her neighbours kind:
Averse to vanity, revenge, and pride;
In all the methods of deceit untry'd.
So faithful to her friend, and good to all,
No cenfure might upon her actions fall.
T'hen would e'en Envy be compell'd to say,
She goes the leaft of woman-kind aftray."
To this fair creature I'd fometimes retire;
Her converfation would new joys inspire,
Give life an edge so keen, no furly care
Would venture to affault my foul, or dare,
Near my retreat, to hide one fecret fnare.
But fo divine, fo noble a repast,
I'd feldom, and with moderation, tafte;
For highest cordials all their virtue lofe,
By a too frequent and too bold a use;
And what would chear the fpirits in distress,
Ruins our health when taken to excess.

I'd be concern'd in no litigious jar;
Belov'd by all, not vainly popular.
Whate'er affistance I had pow'r to bring,
T'oblige my country, or to ferve my king,
Whene'er they call'd, I'd readily afford;
My tongue, my pen, my counfel, or my fword.

}

Law