S. My dearest Dove, one wife inan says, Alluding to our present case, "We're here to-day, and gone to-morrow :" Then what avails fuperfluous forrow! Another, full as wife as he, 375 Adds; that "a marry'd man may fee "Two happy hours ;" and which are they? 380 The first and laft, perhaps you'll fay. 'Tis true, when blithe fhe goes to bed, "Be they of holland, or of lead." 385 Now, cur'd of Hymen's hopes and fears, And fliding down the vale of years, I hop❜d to fix my future reft, And took a Widow to my neft. (Ah, Turtle! had fhe been like thee, 390 395 400 We, We, young or old, or Cock or Hen, The nearest her, the more accurst, Remarks our faults, but hears our prayers. Would heaven, this mourning year were past! The Devil's Wife was but a fiend. 405 410 41 T. Thy Tale has rais'd a Turtle's spleen, Uxorious inmate! bird obfcene! Dar'ft thou defile these facred groves, Be gone, with flagging wings fit down From bottles on a fuburb-wall. 420 425 Where thou haft been, return again, Vile Bird thou haft convers'd with Men; Notions like these from Men are given, Those vileft creatures under Heaven. To Cities and to Courts repair, Flattery and Falsehood flourish there; There all thy wretched arts employ, Where riches triumph over joy; P 2 430 Where Where Paffion does with Interest barter, APPLICATION, O dearest Daughter of two dearest Friends, 440 445 *Lady Margaret Cavendish Harley, daughter of Edward earl of Oxford, and afterwards Duchefs of Portland. DOWN DOWN-HALL: A BALLAD. To the Tune of, King JoHN and the Abbot of I CANTERBURY, 1715. SING not old Jason, who travel'd through Greece, To kifs the fair Maids, and poffefs the rich Fleece; Nor fing I Æneas, who, led by his mother, Got rid of one Wife, and went far for another. Derry down, down, hey derry down. Nor him who through Afia and Europe did roam, Than return to his farms, and converfe with old Pen. Hang Homer and Virgil! their meaning to feek, A man must have pok'd into Latin and Greek; Those who love their own tongue, we have reason to hope, Have read them translated by Dryden and Pope. *: But I fing of exploits that have lately been done By two British Heroes, call'd Matthew and John And how they rid friendly from fine London town, Fair Effex to fee, and a place they call Down. * Mr. Prior, and Mr. John Morley of Halstead. Now ere they went out you may rightly suppose How much they difcours'd both in prudence and profe; For, before this great journey was throughly concerted, Full often they met, and as often they parted. And thus Matthew faid, Look you here, my friend John, I fairly have travel'd years thirty-and-one; And, though I still carry'd my Sovereign's warrants, I only have gone upon other folks errands. And now in this journey of life I would have A place where to bait, 'twixt the court and the grave; Where joyful to live, not unwilling to die— Gadzooks! I have just such a place in my eye. There are gardens so stately, and arbours fo thick, A portal of stone, and a fabrick of brick: The matter next week fhall be all in your power; But the money, gadzooks! must be paid in an hour. For things in this world muft by law be made certain: We both muft repair unto Oliver Martin; For he is a Lawyer of worthy renown I'll bring you to fee, he muft fix you at Down. Quoth Matthew, I know, that, from Berwick to Dover, You've fold all our premiffes over and over : And now, if your buyers and fellers agree, You may throw all our acres into the South Sea. But a word to the purpofe: to-morrow, dear friend, We'll fee, what to-night you fo highly commend; And, if with a garden and house I am bleft, Let the Devil and Coning by go with the rest. Then |