There flames a fool, begirt with tinfel'd flaves,

Who wastes the wealth of a whole race of knaves;

That other, with a clustering train behind,

Owes his new honours to a fordid mind;
This next in court-fidelity excells,

The publick rifles, and his country fells.
May the proud chariot never be my fate,
If purchas'd at fo mean, so dear a rate!
Or rather give me fweet content on foot,
Wrapt in my virtue, and a good furtout !

585

1590

TRIV I A.

BOOK

III.

Of Walking the Streets by Night.

TRIVIA, goddefs! leave these low abodes,
And traverse o'er the wide ethereal roads;
Celeftial queen! put on thy robes of light,
Now Cynthia nam'd, fair regent of the night.
At fight of thee, the villain fheathes his fword;
Nor fcales the wall, to steal the wealthy hoard.
O may thy filver lamp from Heaven's high bower
Direct my footsteps in the midnight hour!

*

When night first bids the twinkling ftars appear,
Or with her cloudy vest inwraps the air,
Then fwarms the busy street; with caution tread,
Where the fhop-windows falling threat thy head;
Now labourers home return, and join their ftrength
To bear the tottering plank, or ladder's length;
Still fix thy eyes intent upon the throng,
And, as the paffes open, wind along.

5

10

15

Where the fair columns of St. Clement ftand, Whofe ftraiten'd bounds encroach upon the Strand; Where the low penthoufe bows the walker's head, And the rough pavement wounds the yielding tread; 20 Where not a poft protects the narrow fpace,

And, ftrung in twines, combs dangle in thy face;

A fpecies of window now almost forgotten. N.

Summon

Summon at once thy courage, rouze thy care,
Stand firm, look back, be refolute, beware.
Forth iffuing from steep lanes, the collier's steeds
Drag the black load; another cart fucceeds;
Team follows team, crouds heap'd on crouds appear,
And wait impatient till the road grow clear.
Now all the pavement founds with trampling feet,
And the mix'd hurry barricades the street.
Entangled here, the waggon's lengthen'd team
Cracks the tough harness; here a ponderous beam
Lies over-turn'd athwart; for flaughter fed,
Here lowing bullocks raife their horned head.

25

30

Now oaths grow loud, with coaches coaches jar,

35

And the fmart blow provokes the sturdy war;

40

From the high box they whirlythe thong around,
And with the twining lafh their shins refound:
Their rage ferments, more dangerous wounds they try,
And the blood gufhes down their painful eye;
And now on foot the frowning warriors light,
And with their ponderous fifts renew the fight;
Blow answers blow, their cheeks are fmear'd with blood,
Till down they fall, and grappling roll in mud.
So when two boars, in wild Ytene * bred,
Or on Weftphalia's fattening chefnuts fed,

Gnash their sharp tusks, and, rouz'd with equal fire,
Difpute the reign of fome luxurious mire ;
In the black flood they wallow o'er and o'er,
Till their arm'd jaws diftil with foam, and gore.

* New Forest in Hamphire, anciently fo called.

K 3

45

Where:

Where the mob gathers, fwiftly shoot along, Nor idly mingle in the noify throng:

Lur'd by the filver hilt, amid the swarm,
'The fubtle artist will thy fide difarm.
Nor is the flaxen wig with fafety worn;

High on the shoulder, in a basket borne,
Lurks the fly boy, whofe hand, to rapine bred,
Plucks off the curling honours of thy head.
Here dives the skulking thief, with practis'd fleight,
And unfelt fingers make thy pocket light.

55

Where's now the watch, with all its trinkets, flown ? And thy late fnuff-box is no more thy own.

60

7?

But lo! his bolder thefts fome tradesman spies, Swift from his prey the fcudding lurcher flies; Dextrous he 'fcapes the coach with nimble bounds, 65 Whilft every honeft tongue "ftop thief" refounds. So fpeeds the wily fox, alarm'd by fear, Who lately filch'd the turkey's callow care; Hounds following hounds grow louder as he flies, And injur'd tenants join the hunter's cries. 'Breathless, he ftumbling falls. Ill-fated boy! Why did not honeft work thy youth employ ? Seiz'd by rough hands, he's dragg'd amid the rout, And stretch'd beneath the pump's inceffant spout: Or, plung'd in miry ponds, he gafping lies, Mud choaks his mouth, and plaisters o'er his eyes. Let not the ballad-finger's fhrilling strain Amid the swarm thy liftening ear detain : Guard well thy pocket; for these Syrens stand To aid the labours of the diving hand;

75

Confe

Confederate in the cheat, they draw the throng,
And cambrick handkerchiefs reward the fong.
But foon as coach or cart drives rattling on,
The rabble part, in fhoals they backward run.
So Jove's loud bolts the mingled war divide,
And Greece and Troy retreat on either fide.

85

90

If the rude throng pour on with furious pace, And hap to break thee from a friend's embrace, Stop short; nor struggle through the croud in vain, But watch with careful eye the paffing train. Yet I (perhaps too fond), if chance the tide Tumultuous bear my partner from my fide, Impatient venture back; defpifing harm, I force my paffage where the thickeft fwarm. Thus his loft bride the Trojan fought in vain Through night, and arms, and flames, and hills of flain. Thus Nifus wander'd o'er the pathlefs grove, To find the brave companion of his love. The pathlefs grove in vain he wanders o'er : Euryalus, alas! is now no more.

That walker, who, regardless of his pace, Turns oft' to pore upon the damfel's face, From fide to fide by thrusting elbows toft, Shall strike his aking breast against the post ; Or water, dafh'd from fishy ftalls, fhall ftain His hapless coat with fpirts of fcaly rain. But, if unwarily he chance to ftray

Where twirling turnftiles intercept the way,

95

100

105

The thwarting paffenger fhall force them round,
And beat the wretch half breathlefs, to the ground. 110