Now she will, and now she will not, Put her to the trial, if once she smile; Silly youth, thy fortune spill not, Lingering labours oft themselves beguile. He that knocks, and can't get in, His pick-lock is not worth a pin. A woman's nay is no denial, Haply she'll take it, and say no. Silly youth, why dost thou dally? Then never stand" Sweet, shall I shall I ?" Nor too much commend an after wit; For he that will not when he may, When he will he shall have nay. HUE AND CRY AFTER CHLORIS. [From "Select Ayres," printed for J. Playford, 1669.] TELL me, ye wandering spirits of the air, Go search the valleys, pluck up every rose,— Go, call the echoes to your aid, and cry, Chloris! Chloris! for that's her name for whom I die! But stay awhile, I have inform'd you ill; Were she on earth, she had been with me still : Fall down, fall down, and worship it, for that is she! CONCLUSION. As it was a principal object of this Miscellany, to collect such a series of early poetry as should exhibit specimens of our language through all its gradations, it may, perhaps, be convenient to the reader to bring into one point of view, the various conclusions or conjectures which these specimens have suggested. These are dispersed through the first volume of the work, so as to form a succinct and intelligible, if not a satisfactory, history of the formation and early progress of the English language. The Saxon conquerors of this country, having been converted to Christianity, towards the close of the sixth century, appear to have engaged in the pursuit of learning, with the usual eagerness of proselytes. Great numbers of them, travelling to Rome, in quest of religious truth, distinguished themselves by their zeal and industry, and, returning to their own country, brought with them considerable stores of such learning, as that age could furnish. At a time when single books were estimated so highly, as to form no trifling part of |