Griggs and Gregorians here their meeting hold, Convivial Sects, and Bucks alert and bold; A kind of Masons, but without their sign; The bonds of union-pleasure, song, and wine. Man, a gregarious creature, loves to fly Where he the trackings of the herd can spy ; Still to be one with many he desires, Although it leads him through the thorns and briers. The weaker many to the world will come, Early in life, when we can laugh aloud, Who laugh with us - but will such joy remain, When we lie struggling on the bed of pain? Life's staff is useless then; with labouring breath And where the heart's first favourites yield their place. Here all the aid of man to man must end, Here mounts the soul to her eternal Friend; The tenderest love must here its tie resign, And give th' aspiring heart to love divine. Men feel their weakness, and to numbers run, Themselves to strengthen, or themselves to shun; But though to this our weakness may be prone, Let's learn to live, for we must die, alone. THE BOROUGH. LETTER XI. INNS. A difficult Subject for Poetry-Invocation of the Muse — Description of the principal Inn and those of the first Class The large deserted Tavern - Those of a second Order Their Company — One of particular Description - A lower Kind of Public-Houses: yet distinguished among themselves - Houses on the Quays for Sailors - The GreenMan: its Landlord, and the Adventure of his Marriage, &c. All the comforts of life in a Tavern are known, With whose taste and whose pleasure I'm proud to accord; To the house of a friend if you 're pleased to retire, At your wish we attend, and confess that your speech That I've faults is confess'd; but it won't be denied, If to Justice's bar some have wander'd from mine, "Twas because the dull rogues wouldn't stay by their wine; And for brawls at my house, well the poet explains, That men drink shallow draughts, and so madden their brains, |