He sees, that this great roundabout,
The world, with all its motley rout,
Church, army, physick, law,
Its customs, and its businesses,
Is no concern at all of his,
And says-what says he?-Caw.
Thrice happy bird! I too have seen
Much of the vanities of men;
And, sick of having seen 'em,
Would cheerfully these limbs resign
For such a pair of wings as thine,
And such a head between 'em.
O QUI meæ culina
Argutulus choraules,
Et hospes es canorus,
Quacunque commoreris
Felicitatis omen;
Jucundiore cantu
Siquando me salutes,
Et ipse te rependam,
Et ipse, qua valebo,
Remunerabo musa.
Diceris innocensque
Et gratus inquilinus ;
Nec victitans rapinis,
Ut sorices voraces,
Muresve curiosi,
Furumque delicatum
Vulgus domesticorum ;
Sed tutus in camini
Recessibus, quiete
Contentus et calore.
Beatior Cicada,
Quæ te referre forma,
Quæ voce te videtur;
Et saltitans per herbas,
Unius, haud secundæ,
Estatis est chorista;
Tu carmen integratum,
Reponis ad Decembrem,
Lætus per universum
Incontinenter annum.
IV.
Te nulla lux relinquit,
Te nulla nox revisit,
Non musica vacantem,
Curisve non solutum :
Quin amplies canendo,
Quin amplies fruendo,
Ætatulam, vel omni,
Quam nos homunciones
Absumimus querendo,
Etate longiorem.
TRANSLATION OF THE FOREGOING.
LITTLE inmate, full of mirth,
Chirping on my kitchen hearth,
Wheresoe'er be thine abode,
Always harbinger of good,
Pay me for thy warm retreat
With a song more soft and sweet ·
In return thou shalt receive
Such a strain as I can give.
Thus thy praise shall be express'd,
Inoffensive, welcome guest!
While the rat is on the scout,
And the mouse with curious snout,
With what vermin else infest
Ev'ry dish, and spoil the best;
Frisking thus before the fire,
Thou hast all thine heart's desire.
Though in voice and shape they be
Form'd as if akin to thec,
Thou syrpassest, happier far,
Happiest grasshoppers that are
Theirs is but a summer's song.
Thine endures the winter long,
Unimpair'd, and shrill and clear,
Melody throughout the year
Neither night, nor dawn of day,
Puts a period to thy play;
Sing then-and extend thy span
Far beyond the date of man.
Wretched man whose years are spent
In repining discontent,
Lives not, aged though he be,
Half a span compar'd with thee.
CRISTATUS, pictisque ad Thaida Psittacus alis,
Missus ab Eoo munus amante venit.
Ancillis mandat primam formare loquelam,
Archididascalia dat sibi Thais opus.
Psittace, ait Thais, fingitque sonantia molle
Basia, quæ docilis molle refingit avis.
Jam captat, jam dimidiat tyrunculis; et jam
Integrat auditos articulatque sonos.
Psittace mi pulcher pulchelle, hera dicit alumno ;
Psittace mi pulcher, reddit alumnus here.
Jamque canit, ridet, deciesque ægrotat in hora,
Et vocat ancillas nomine quamque suo.
Multaque scurratur mendax, et multa jocatur,
Et lepido popului detinet augurio.
Nunc tremulum illudet fratrem, qui suspicit, et Pol
Carnalis, quisquis te docet, inquit, homo est;
Argutæ nunc stridet anus argutulus instar;
Respicit, et nebulo es, quisquis es, inquit anus. Quando fuit melior tyro, meliorve magistra! Quando duo ingeniis tam coiere pares' Ardua discenti nulla est, res nulla docenti Ardua: cum deceat femina, discat avis
Ad speculum ornabat nitidos Euphelia crines,
Cum dixit mea lux, heus, cane, sumė lyram.
Namque lyram juxta positam cum carmine vidit
Suave quidem carmen dulcisonamque lyram
Fila lyræ vocemque paro, suspiria surgunt,
Et miscent numeris murmura mæsta meis
Dumque tuæ memoro laudes, Euphelia, formæ,
Tota anima interea pendet ab ore Chloes
Sabrubet illa pudore, et contrahit altera frontem
Me torquet mea mens conscia, psallo, tremo;
Atque Cupidinca, dixit Dea cincta corona,
Heu! fallendi artem quam didicere parum.
Showing how he went further than he intended, and came safe home again.
JOHN GILPIN was a citizen
Of credit and renown,
A trainband captain eke was he
Of famous London town.
John Gilpin's spouse said to her dear,
Though wedded we have been
These twice ten tedious years, yet we
No holy-day have seen.
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