Historical deduction of seats, from the stool to the Sofa.-A School-voy's ramble. A walk in the country:-The scene described -Rural sounds as well as sights delightful.-- Another walk.-Mistake concerning the charms of solitude corrected.—Colonnades commended.-- Alcove, and the view from it.The wilderness.—The grove.The thresher.--The necessity and the benefits of exercise.—The works of nature superior to, and in some instances inimitable by, art.-The wearisomeness of what is commonly called a life of pleasure.-Change of scene sometimes expedient.-A common described, and the character of crazy Kate introduced.-Gipsies.—The blessings of civilized life.--That state most favourable to virtue.- The South Sea islanders compassionated, but chiefly Omai.—His present state of mind supposed.—Civilized life friendly to virtue, but not great cities.-Great cities, and London in particular, allowed their due praise, lut censured.Fete champetre.-The book concludes with a reflection on the fatal effects of dissipation and effeminacy upon our public measures. B7 I sing the Sofa. I, who lately fang Time was, when clothing sumptuous or for use, Save their own painted skins, our fires had none. As yet black breeches were not; fatin smooth, Or velvet foft, or plush with shaggy pile : The hardy chief upon the rugged rock At length a generation more refined Lap-dog and lambkin with black staring eyes, Now came the cane from India smooth and bright With Nature's varnish ; fevered into ftripes, That interlaced each other, these supplied Of texture firm a lattice-work, that braced The new machine, and it became a chair. But reftless was the chair; the back erect Distressed the weary loins, that felt no ease; The flippery feat betrayed the Riding part, That pressed it, and the feet hung dangling down, Anxious in vain to find the diftant floor. These for the rich : the rest, whom fate had placed In modeft mediocrity, content With base materials, sat on well-tanned hides, Obdurate and unyielding, glaffy smooth, With here and there a tuft of crimfon yarn, Or scarlet crewel, in the cushion fixt, If cushion might be called, what harder feemed Than the firm oak, of which the frame was formed. No want of timber then was felt or feared In Albion's happy ifle. The lumber ftood Ponderous and fixt by its own maffy weight. But elbows ftill were wanting; these, fome fay, |