When falling dews with fpangles deck'd the glade, To thefe Paftorals, which are written agreeably to the tafle of antiquity, and the rules above prefcrib'd, we shall beg leave to fubjoin another that may be called a burlesque Pastoral, wherein the ingenious author, the late Mr. Gay, has ventur'd to deviate from the beaten road, and defcribed the fhepherds and ploughmen of our own time and country, instead of thofe of the Golden Age, to which the modern critics confine the pastoral. His fix Paflorals, which he calls the Shepherd's Week, are a beautiful and lively representation of the manners, cuftoms, and notions of our rufticks. We fhall infert the first of them, entitled, The Squabble, wherein two clowns try to out-do each other in finging the praifes of their fweet-hearts, leaving it to a third to determine the controverfy. The perfons names are Lobbin Clout, Cuddy, and Cloddipole. LOBBIN CLOUT. Thy younglings, Cuddy, are but just awake; CUDDY. Ah Lobbin Clout! I ween ‡, my plight is gueft; If swains belye not, thou haft prov'd the smart, And well, I trow, our piteous plights agree; LOBBIN CLOUT. Ah Blouzelind! I love thee more behalf, * Shining or bright sky. § Scarce. + Early. + Conceive. Woe worth the tongue, may blifters fore it gall, CUDDY. Hold, witlefs Lobbin Clout, I thee advise,. That pricking corns foretold the gath'ring rain. LOBBIN CLOUT. See this tobacco pouch, that's lin'd with hair, CUDDY. Begin thy carrols then, thou vaunting flouch; Be thine the oaken ftaff, or mine the pouch. LOBBIN CLOUT. My Blouzalinde is the blitheft lafs, * Formerly. CUDDY. My brown Buxoma is the featest maid, That e'er at wake delightfome gambol play'd; Clean as young lambkins, or the goofe's down, And like the goldfinch in her funday gown. The witlefs lamb may sport upon the plain, The frifking kid delight the gaping fwain ; The wanton calf may skip with many a bound, And my cur Tray play defteft * feats around: But neither lamb, nor kid, nor calf, nor Tray, Dance like Buxoma on the firft of May. LOBBIN CLOUT. Sweet is my toil when Blouzalind is near ; As with Buxoma once I work'd at hay, LOBBIN CLOUT. As Blouzalinda, in a gamesome mood, CUDDY. As my Buxoma, in a morning fair, I quaintly* ftole a kiss; at first, 'tis true, LOBBIN CLOUT. Leek to the Welch, to Dutchmen butter's dear, CUDDY. In good roaft-beef my land-lord sticks his knife, The capon fat, delights his dainty wife; Pudding our parfon eats, the 'fquire loves hare, But white-pot thick, is my Buxoma's fare. While the loves white-pot, capon ne'er shall be, Nor hare, nor beef, nor pudding, food for me. LOBBIN CLOUT. As once I play'd at blind-man's-buff, it hapt CUDDY. As at hot-cockles once I laid me down, Quick rofe, and read foft mischief in her eye. LOBBIN CLOUT. On two near elms, the flacken'd cord I hung, Now high, now low, my Blouzelinda swung: With the rude wind her rumpled garment rofe, And show'd her taper leg, and scartlet hose. * Waggishly. CUDDY. Across the fallen oak, the plank I laid, LOBBIN CLOUT. This riddle, Cuddy,. if, thou canft, explain; What flow'r is that which bears the virgin's name, CUDDY. Anfwer, thou carle, and judge this riddle right, CLODD LODDIPOLE. Forbear, contending louts, give o'er your strains; To these we shall subjoin the following eclogue, or foli. loquy, written by a lady; which contains a proper lesson to thofe of her own fex, who are fo weak as to value themfelves on that fading flower, beauty; and feems intended to recommend fomething more eftimable to their culture and confideration.The ornaments of the mind are not so easily effaced as thofe of the body; and tho' beauty may captivate and fecure the affections for a time, yet a man of fenfe will never fo much esteem a fine wife, as a wife one. |