So when famed Eddystone's far-shooting ray, 345
That led the sailor through the stormy way,
Was from its rocky roots by billows torn,
And the high turret in the whirlwind borne,
Fleets bulged their sides against the craggy land,
And pitchy ruins blacken'd all the strand. 350
Who then through night would hire the har-
ness'd steed?

And who would choose the rattling wheel for
speed?
[nigher,
But hark! distress with screaming voice draws
And wakes the slumbering street with cries of

'fire!'

At first a glowing red enwraps the skies, 355 And borne by winds the scattering sparks arise; From beam to beam the fierce contagion spreads; The spiry flames now lift aloft their heads; Through the burst sash a blazing deluge pours, And splitting tiles descend in rattling showers. 360 Now with thick crowds the enlighten'd pavement

swarms,

The fireman sweats beneath his crooked arms;
A leathern casque his venturous head defends,
Boldly he climbs where thickest smoke ascends;
Moved by the mother's streaming eyes and prayers,
The helpless infant through the flame he bears,
With no less virtue than through hostile fire 367
The Dardan hero bore his aged sire.

See forceful engines spout their levell'd streams,
To quench the blaze that runs along the beams; 370
The grappling hook plucks rafters from the walls,
And heaps on heaps the smoky ruin falls.
Blown by strong winds, the fiery tempest roars,
Bears down new walls, and pours along the floors;

The heavens are all a blaze, the face of night 375
Is cover'd with a sanguine dreadful light;
'Twas such a light involved thy towers, O Rome!
The dire presage of mighty Cæsar's doom,
When the sun veil'd in rust his mourning head,
And frightful prodigies the skies o'erspread. 380
Hark! the drum thunders! far, ye crowds! retire:
Behold! the ready match is tipp'd with fire,
The nitrous store is laid, the smutty train
With running blaze awakes the barrell'd grain;
Flames sudden wrap the walls; with sullen sound
The shatter'd pile sinks on the smoky ground. 386
So when the years shall have revolved the date,
The' inevitable hour of Naples' fate,

Her sapp'd foundations shall with thunders shake,
And heave and toss upon the sulphurous lake; 390
Earth's womb at once the fiery flood shall rend,
And in the' abyss her plunging towers descend.

397

Consider, reader! what fatigues I've known, The toils, the perils of the wintry town; What riots seen, what bustling crowds I bored, How oft I cross'd where carts and coaches roar'd: Yet shall I bless my labours, if mankind Their future safety from my dangers find. Thus the bold traveller, (inured to toil, Whose steps have printed Asia's desert soil, 400 The barbarous Arabs' haunt; or shivering cross'd Dark Greenland's mountains of eternal frost, Whom Providence in length of years restores To the wish'd harbour of his native shores) Sets forth his journals to the public view To caution, by his woes, the wandering crew. And now complete my generous labours lie, Finish'd, and ripe for immortality.

405

Death shall entomb in dust this mouldering frame,
But never reach the' eternal part, my fame. 410
When W* and G**, mighty names! are dead,
Or but at Chelsea, under custards, read;
When critics crazy bandboxes repair,

And tragedies, turn'd rockets, bounce in air; 414
High-raised on Fleet-street posts, consign'd to

fame,

This work shall shine, and walkers bless

my name.

INDEX TO TRIVIA.

Book. Ver.

AUTHOR, for whom he wrote the Poem.. i, 119

Alley, the pleasure of walking in one..... ii, 271

Almanacs, useless to judicious Walkers.. ii, 406

Autumn, what cries then in use.....

Arundel-street........

Author, his wish.........

ii, 434

Alley, not to be walked in by night................. iii, 127

Bavaroy, by whom worn

Brokers keep coaches

Bookseller, skilled in the weather.......

Barber, by whom to be shunned......

Baker, to whom prejudicial.......
Butchers to be avoided.....

Bully, his insolence to be corrected..
Broker, where he usually walks..............

Burlington-house.................

Beau's chariot overturned..

Bills dispersed to Walkers

Ballad-singers.

iii, 77

Book. Ver.

Country, the Author's love of his........... i, 21

an amber-headed one useless.....
the abuse of it..........

i, 67

i, 75

i, 46

i,

41

Camlet, how affected by rain.................................

...........

69

25

33

ii, 45

ii, 241

Coat, how to choose one for the winter.
Chairs and chariots prejudicial to health... i,
Coachman asleep on his box, what the sign i, 153
Chairmen, an observation upon them .............. i, 154
Church monuments foretel the weather..... i, 167
Common sewers.................
i, 171
Cold, the description of one.......... i, 267
Clergy, what tradesmen to avoid........... ii,
Chimney-sweeper, by whom to be avoided ii,
Chandlers prejudicial to Walkers.......... ii, 40
Civility to be paid to Walkers....
Coachman, his metamorphosis ......
Carmen when unmerciful, their punishment ii, 241
Cheapside..........
ii, 244
Cheese not loved by the Author......... ii, 254
Countryman perplexed to find the way... ii, 73
Coachman, his whip dangerous............. ii, 310
his care of his horses ....... ii, 311
Coaches dangerous in snowy weather..... ii, 327
Chairmen, their exercise in frosty weather ii, 335
Covent-garden.........................
ii, 343. ii, 547
Cries of the Town, observations upon them ii, 426
Christmas, what cries forerun it............ ii, 438

......

...

a season for general charity ii, 444
Coaches, those that keep them uncharitable ii, 451
Cloacina, goddess of common-sewers............ ii, 115