With watry turnips have debased their wines, Of strengthening Vulcan; with their native strength And, when the allotted orb of time's complete, TITHES. THE DANGER OF WITHHOLDING THEM; FATE OF A MISER. Nor let thy avarice tempt thee to withdraw Curbed his increasing hopes, or when around SIGNS OF THE WEATHER; CLEARNESS; THE FOWLER. Learn now, the promise of the coming year To know, that by no flattering signs abused, Thou wisely mayst provide: the various moon Prophetic, and attendant stars, explain Each rising dawn; ere icy crusts surmount The current stream, the heavenly orbs serene Twinkle with trembling rays, and Cynthia glows With light unsullied: now the fowler, warned By these good omens, with swift early steps [glades Treads the crimp earth, ranging through fields and Offensive to the birds, sulphureous death Checks their mid flight, and heedless while they strain Their tuneful throats, the towering, heavy lead O'ertakes their speed; they leave their little lives Above the clouds, precipitant to earth. THE WOODCOCK; IF EARLY, IT FORETELLS PLENTY. The woodcock's early visit, and abode Of long continuance in our temperate clime, Foretell a liberal harvest; he of times Intelligent, the harsh Hyperborean ice Shuns for our equal winters; when our suns Cleave the chilled soil, he backward wings his way To Scandinavian frozen summers, meet For his numbed blood. SNOW AS A FERTILIZER; NITRE. But nothing profits more Than frequent snows: 0, mayst thou often see Thy furrows whitened by the woolly rain, Nutritious secret nitre lurks within The porous wet, quickening the languid glebe. THE BENEFIT OF WINDS. Sometimes thou shalt with fervent vows implore A moderate wind; the orchard loves to wave With winter winds, before the germs exert Their feeble heads; the loosened roots then drink Large increment, earnest of happy years. SEASONABLE MONTHLY DRINKS IN TURN. — CURRANTS, RASP- Nor will it nothing profit to observe Are prest to wines; the Britons squeeze the works DRINKS MADE FROM BIRCH, COWSLIPS, ETC. But, if thou 'rt indefatigably bent To toil, and omnifarious drinks wouldst brew; Besides the orchard, every hedge and bush Affords assistance; even afflictive birch, Cursed by unlettered, idle youth, distils A limpid current from her wounded bark, Profuse of nursing sap. When solar beams Parch thirsty human veins, the damasked meads Unforced display ten thousand painted flowers Useful in potables. Thy little sons Permit to range the pastures; gladly they Will mow the cowslip-posies, faintly sweet, From whence thou artificial wines shalt drain Of icy taste, that, in mid fervors, best Slack craving thirst, and mitigate the day. IRELAND; HER DRINKS. Happy Ierne, whose most wholesome air Poisons envenomed spiders, and forbids The baleful toad and viper from her shore! More happy in her balmy draughts (enriched With miscellaneous spices, and the root For thirst-abating sweetness praised), which wide Extend her fame, and to each drooping heart Present redress,' and lively health convey. THE BELGIANS. THEIR DRINK CALLED MUM; GIN. See, how the Belge, sedulous, and stout, 1 Relief. THE ARCTIC ZONE; ITS DRINKS; PITCHORA ; BRANDY. What need to treat of distant climes, removed Far from the sloping journey of the year, Beyond Petsora, and Icelandic coasts? Where ever-during snows, perpetual shades Of darkness, would congeal their livid blood, Did not the Arctic tract spontaneous yield A cheering purple berry, big with wine, Intensely fervent, which each hour they crave, Spread round a flaming pile of pines; and oft They interlard their native drinks with choice Of strongest brandy; yet scarce with these aids Enabled to prevent the sudden rot Of freezing nose, and quick-decaying feet. THE TROPICS; THE NILE; CEYLON; BORNEO; RUM; ARRAK. In vain they covet shades, and Thrascias' gales, THE WEST INDIA DRINKS; LEMONADE; PUNCH; IMBIBED BY More happy they, born in Columbus' world, Caribbees, and they whom the cotton plant With downy-sprouting vests arrays! Their woods Bow with prodigious nuts, that give at once Celestial food and nectar; then, at hand The Lemon, uncorrupt with voyage long, To vinous spirits added (heavenly drink!), They with pneumatic engine ceaseless draw, Intent on laughter; a continual tide Flows from the exhilarating fount. As, when Against a secret cliff with soddain shock A ship is dashed, and leaking drinks the sea, The astonished mariners aye ply the pump, No stay, nor rest, till the wide breach is closed: So they (but cheerful) unfatigued, still move The draining sucker, then alone concerned, When the dry bowl forbids their pleasing work. HOW TO SEASON CIDER, AND HOW LONG. But if to hoarding thou art bent, thy hopes Are frustrate, shouldst thou think thy pipes will flow With early limpid wine. The hoarded store, And the harsh draught, must twice endure the sun's Kind strengthening heat, twice Winter's purging cold. MINGLING OF VARIOUS CIDERS. THE RAINBOW. There are, that a compounded fluid drain From different mixtures, Woodcock, Pippin, Moile, Rough Eliot, sweet Permain; the blended streams (Each mutually correcting each) create A pleasurable medley, of what taste Hardly distinguished; as the showery arch, VARIETY IN THE FLAVOR OF CIDER; MALAGA; CHAMPAGNE; Some ciders have by art, or age, unlearned Their genuine relish, and of sundry vines Assumed the flavor one sort counterfeits The Spanish product; this, to Gauls has seemed The sparkling nectar of Champagne; with that, A German oft has swilled his throat, and sworn, Deluded, that imperial Rhine bestowed The generous rummer, whilst the owner, pleased, Laughs inly at his guests, thus entertained With foreign vintage from his cider cask. CIDER MUST BE ALLOWED TO WORK. Soon as thy liquor from the narrow cells Of close-pressed husks is freed, thou must refrain Thy thirsty soul; let none persuade to broach Thy thick, unwholesome, undigested cades: The hoary frosts and northern blasts take care Thy muddy beverage to serene, and drive Precipitant the baser, ropy lees. CIDER SHOULD SETTLE ON ITS LEES; THEN BE DRAWN OFF; PURE CIDER DESCRIBED. And now thy wine's transpicuous, purged from all It's earthy gross, yet let it feed a while On the fat refuse, lest, too soon disjoined So, and so richly, the purged liquid shines. BOTTLING OF CIDER; GLASS BOTTLES; A DESCRIPTION OF GLASS-BLOWING. Now, also, when the colds abate, nor yet That in his furnace bubbles sunny red: He takes, and by one efficacious breath Of coy Lucinda. Dilates to a surprising cube, or sphere, Or oval, and fit receptacles forms For every liquid, with his plastic lungs, To human life subservient. VARIOUS TIMES OF RIPENING OF CHOICE CIDERS; THE MOILE Ciders in metal frail improve; the Moile, RIPE STIROM CIDER APT TO BE HEADY. Softened by age, it youthful vigor gains, Fallacious drink! Ye honest men, beware, Nor trust its smoothness; the third circling glass Suffices virtue: but may hypocrites (That slyly speak one thing, another think, Hateful as hell), pleased with the relish weak, Drink on unwarned, till by enchanting cups Infatuate, they their wily thoughts disclose, And through intemperance grow a while sincere. THE FARMER'S HOSPITALITY. UNDISSEMBLED HAPPINESS, TEMPERANCE; EARLY RISING. The farmer's toil is done; his cades mature Now call for vent, his lands exhaust permit To indulge a while. Now solemn rites he pays To Bacchus, author of heart-cheering mirth. His honest friends, at thirsty hour of dusk, Come uninvited; he with bounteous hand Imparts his smoking vintage, sweet reward Of his own industry; the well-fraught bowl Circles incessant, whilst the humble cell With quavering laugh and rural jests resounds. Ease, and content, and undissembled love, Shine in each face; the thoughts of labor passed Increase their joy. As, from retentive cage When sullen Philomel escapes, her notes She varies, and of passed imprisonment Sweetly complains; her liberty retrieved Cheers her sad soul, improves her pleasing song. Gladsome they quaff, yet not exceed the bounds Of healthy temperance, nor encroach on night, Season of rest, but well bedewed repair Each to his home, with unsupplanted feet. Ere heaven's emblazoned by the rosy dawn Domestic cares awake them; brisk they rise, Refreshed, and lively with the joys that flow From amicable talk, and moderate cups Sweetly interchanged. EFFECTS OF GOOD CIDER, ON THE LOVER, DEBTOR, POET. The pining lover finds Present redress, and long oblivion drinks Give the debtor wine; By parching thirst allured: with vehement suns Beware the inclement heavens; now let thy hearth IN-DOOR ENJOYMENTS. — DECEMBER; BUXOM DANCES. Perpetual showers and stormy gusts confine THE FIDDLER; THE BAG-PIPE. Meanwhile, blind British bards with volant touch Traverse loquacious strings, whose solemn notes Provoke to harmless revels; these among A subtle artist stands, in wondrous bag, WINTER AND SPRING CIDER-DRINKING. THANKSGIVING. 'Midst these disports, forget they not to drench Themselves with bellying goblets, nor when Spring Returns, can they refuse to usher in The fresh-born year with loud acclaim, and store Their vaults, and with her former liquid gifts Exhilarate their languid minds, within Our fathers warred? What heroes, signalized The golden mean confined: beyond, there's naught Untimely, undeserved! How Bertie fell, EXHORTATION TO TEMPERANCE.- DRUNKENNESS.-QUARRELS. Therefore, when thy heart Dilates with fervent joys, and soul And vain debates; then twenty tongues at once SOME OF THE HORRORS OF INTEMPERANCE; DRUNKEN Now horrid frays Commence, the brimming glasses now are hurled Nor need we tell what anxious cares attend CIVIL WAR. ITS CAUSE. ITS CURSE. THE CIVIL WARS Compton, and Granvill, dauntless sons of Mars, THE REVOLUTION UNDER CROMWELL. Can we forget how the mad, headstrong rout APOSTROPHE TO CHARLES I. O, fact THE REIGN OF QUEEN ANNE. Now we exult, by mighty Anna's care WARS OF THE SAXON KINGS; EDGAR'S UNION. With ruinous assault; on every plain The spirit of love; at ease, the bards new strung RICHARD I. HIS EXPLOITS. See lion-hearted Richard, with his force Drawn from the north, to Fury's hallowed plains! Piously valiant (like a torrent swelled With wintry tempests, that disdains all mounds, Breaking a way impetuous, and involves Within its sweep trees, houses, men), he pressed Amidst the thickest battle; and o'erthrew Whate'er withstood his zealous rage; no pause, No stay of slaughter, found his vigorous arm, But the unbelieving squadrons turned to flight Smote in the rear, and with dishonest wounds Mangled behind the Soldan, as he fled, Oft called on Allah, gnashing with despite And shame, and murmured many an empty curse. EDWARD III. THE FRENCH WARS. Behold third Edward's streamers blazing high On Gallia's hostile ground! his right withheld, Awakens vengeance; 0, imprudent Gauls, Relying on false hopes, thus to incense The warlike English! one important day Shall teach you meaner thoughts: eager of fight, Fierce Brutus' offspring to the adverse front Advance resistless, and their deep array With furious inroad pierce; the mighty force Of Edward twice o'erturned their desperate king, Twice he arose, and joined the horrid shock: The third time, with his wide-extended wings, He fugitive declined superior strength, Discomfited; pursued, in the sad chase Ten thousands ignominious fall; with blood The valleys float: great Edward thus avenged, With golden Iris his broad shield embossed. THE WARS OF THE ROSES; HORRID SLAUGHTER OF KINDRED BY KINDRED. Thrice glorious prince! whom Fame with all her tongues Forever shall resound. Yet from his loins New authors of dissension spring; from him To either camp, and breathed immortal hate HENRY VII. Ah! who at length will end This long, pernicious fray? What man has fate Reserved for this great work?-Hail, happy prince Of Tudor's race, whom in the womb of time Cadwallador foresaw! Thou, thou art he, Great Richmond Henry, that by nuptial rites Must close the gates of Janus, and remove Destructive discord: now no more the drum Provokes to arms, or trumpet's clangor shrill Affrights the wives, or chills the virgin's blood; But joy and pleasure open to the view Uninterrupted! With presaging skill Thou to thy own unitest Fergus' line By wise alliance; from thee James descends, Heaven's chosen favorite, first Britannic king. JAMES I. OF ENGLAND, VI. OF SCOTLAND.-UNION UNDER ANNE To him alone hereditary right Gave power supreme; yet still some seeds remained THE POWER AND GLORY OF GREAT BRITAIN. And now thus leagued by an eternal bond, What shall retard the Britons' bold designs, Or who sustain their force; in union knit, Sufficient to withstand the powers combined Of all this globe? At this important act |