Belinda and her bird! 'tis rare To meet with such a well-match'd pair, When children first begin to spell, We think them tedious creatures; But difficulties soon abate, When birds are to be taught to prate, TRANSLATION OF PRIOR'S CHLOE AND EUPHELIA. MERCATOR, vigiles oculos ut fallere possit, Ad speculum ornabat nitidos Euphelia crines, Fila lyre vocemque paro, suspiria surgunt, Subrubet illa pudore, et contrahit altera frontem, Heu! fallendi artem quam didicêre parum. THE DIVERTING HISTORY OF JOHN GILPIN. SHOWING HOW HE WENT FARTHER THAN HE INTENDED, AND CAME SAFE HOME AGAIN. JOHN GILPIN was a citizen Of credit and renown, A train-band captain eke was he John Gilpin's spouse said to her dear, To-morrow is our wedding-day, My sister, and my sister's child, He soon replied, I do admire I am a linen-draper bold, As all the world doth know, Quoth Mrs. Gilpin, That's well said; We will be furnish'd with our own, John Gilpin kiss'd his loving wife; O'erjoy'd was he to find, That, though on pleasure she was bent, The morning came, the chaise was brought, To drive up to the door, lest all So three doors off the chaise was stay'd, Six precious souls, and all agog To dash through thick and thin. Smack went the whip, round went the wheels, Were never folks so glad, The stones did rattle underneath, As if Cheapside were mad. John Gilpin at his horse's side For saddle-tree scarce reach'd had he, When, turning round his head, he saw So down he came; for loss of time, Yet loss of pence, full well he knew, 'Twas long before the customers Were suited to their mind, When Betty screaming came down stairs, 'The wine is left behind!' Good lack! quoth he-yet bring it me, In which I bear my trusty sword, Now Mistress Gilpin (careful soul!) Each bottle had a curling ear, Then over all, that he might be His long red cloak, well brush'd and neat, Now see him mounted once again Full slowly pacing o'er the stones, But finding soon a smoother road So, fair and softly, John he cried, So stooping down, as needs he must, Who cannot sit upright, He grasp'd the mane with both his hands, And eke with all his might. His horse, who never in that sort Away went Gilpin, neck or nought; He little dreamt, when he set out, The wind did blow, the cloak did fly, Then might all people well discern The dogs did bark, the children scream'd, And every soul cried out, Well done! Away went Gilpin-who but he? And still, as fast as he drew near, And now, as he went bowing down The bottles twain behind his back |