If foreigners likewise would give up the trade, Your scruples and arguments bring to my mind. A youngster at school, more sedate than the rest, He was shock'd, Sir, like you, and answer'd"Oh no! What! rob our good neighbour! I pray you, don't go; Besides, the man's poor, his orchard's his bread, "You speak very fine, and you look very grave, But apples we want, and apples we'll have ; If you will go with us, you shall have a share, If not you shall have neither apple nor pear." They spoke, and Tom ponder'd-"I see they will go; Poor man! what a pity to injure him so! Poor man! I would save him his fruit if I could, But staying behind will do him no good. "If the matter depended alone upon me, His apples might hang till they dropt from the tree ; But, since they will take them, I think I'll go too, He will lose none by me, though I get a few." His scruples thus silenc'd, Tom felt more at ease, And went with his comrades the apples to seize : He blam'd and protested, but join'd in the plan: He shar'd in the plunder, but pity'd the man. THE MORNING DREAM. "TWAS in the glad season of spring, I dream'd what I cannot but sing, I dream'd that on ocean afloat, Far hence to the westward I sail'd, In the steerage a woman I saw, Such at least was the form that she wore, Whose beauty impress'd me with awe, Ne'er taught me by woman before. She sat, and a shield at her side Shed light like a sun on the waves, Then raising her voice to a strain She Some clouds, which had over us hung, Fled, chas'd by her melody clear, And methought while she Liberty sung, 'Twas Liberty only to hear. Thus swiftly dividing the flood To a slave-cultur'd island we came, In his hand, as the sign of his sway, But soon as approaching the land That goddess-like woman he view'd, The scourge he let fall from his hand, With blood of his subjects imbru'd. I saw him both sicken and die, And the moment the monster expir'd, Heard shouts that ascended the sky From thousands with rapture inspir'd. Awaking, how could I but muse At what such a dream should betide? 3d u VOL. II. But soon my ear caught the glad news, Which serv'd my weak thought for a guide That Britannia, renown'd o'er the waves For the hatred she ever has shown To the black-sceptred rulers of slaves, Resolves to have none of her own. THE YEARLY DISTRESS; OR, TITHING TIME AT STOCK IN ESSEX: VERSES addressed to a Country Clergyman, complaining the disagreeableness of the Day annually appointed for receiving the Dues at the Parsonage. COME, ponder well, for 'tis no jest, The troubles of a worthy priest This priest he merry is and blithe But oh! it cuts him like a sithe He then is full of fright and fears, And long before the day appears For then the farmers come jog, jog, Along the miry road, Each heart as heavy as a log, To make their payments good. In sooth, the sorrow of such days When he that takes and he that pays Now all, unwelcome, at his gates And well he may, for well he knows So in they come each makes his leg, 'And how does miss and madam do, The little boy and all?' All tight and well. And how do you, 'Good Mr. What-d'ye-call?' The dinner comes, and down they sit, Were e'er such hungry folk? |