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Had I been there,-I should have done the same,

But then, the prince was wrong, and so am I.

Where, spreading far and wide, old SARUM's plain
Presents a prospect, like the boundless main,
The ruins of a once tremendous pile,

Where white-rob'd Druids held their orgies vile,
Yet rise upon the sight;-and here, 'tis said,
Where still repose in heaps, the slaughter'd dead,
Three hundred nobles of our drooping state,
Betray'd by HENGIST, met a savage fate.
STONE-HENGE yet called,-perhaps, the words
impart

The traitor's name, and texture of his heart.

TO VORTIGERN* deposed, his sont in vain
Succeeding fought to stem the Saxon tide;
In Ailsford's desp'rate battle, HORSA slain,

Adds to their names who for ambition died. Weak VORTIGERN, restored to pow'rless name, Yields HENGIST all the profit and the fame.

* The British Kings from Vortigern, till the settlement of the Saxons at the time of the Heptarchy, after which Wales became the seat of Government of the genuine Britons, were Aurelius, Ambrosius, Uther Pendragon, Arthur, Constantine II. Conan, Vortipor, Malyo, Coranus, Caractacus II. Cadwan, Cadwallan, Cadwallader;-for the succession of Welch Princes see the reign of Edward I.

+ Vortimer.

I haste

I haste to pass the heart-afflicting page

That tells, in fine, how Saxon wiles prevail'd; I turn the retrospect from that dark age, When every manly, patriot, effort fail'd: When British worth was driven to give place To fancied friendship, and a foreign race.

The Saxons once well settled, sent, by dozens,* For brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, and cousins : Call'd this the sweetest island under heaven, And split one little kingdom into seven.

* The Saxons seem to have anticipated the descriptive mode of naming the months adopted by the modern French Kalendar, the Floreal, Germinal, &c. of which, though more elegant, are not more expressive of the Seasons than the following:

DECEMBER their first month was styled “ Midwinter Monath."
JANUARY-"Aefter Yula," or, after Christmas.

FEBRUARY "Sol Monath," from the returning Sun.
MARCH-"Rede" or, "Rethe Monath," Rugged Month.

APRIL-" Easter Monath,” from a Saxon Goddess, whose name

we still preserve.

MAY “Trimilchi," from Cows being then milked thrice a day. JUNE" Sere Munath," dry month.

JULY "Mad Monath," the meads being then in their bloom. AUGUST" Weod Monath," from the luxuriance of weeds. SEPTEMBER "Hafest, (or, Harvest) Monath.”

OCTOBER "Winter Fyllith," from Winter approaching, with the full moon of that month.

NOVEMBER-"Blot Monath," from the blood of Cattle slain that month, and stored for winter provisions.

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THE HEPTARCHY.

"Indeed, Sir, we are seven.".

WORDSWORTH.

"While undecided yet which part should fall,
"Which nation rise the glorious Lord of all."
CREECH'S LUCRETIUS.

ODD numbers are deem'd fortunate, we know,
And yet, 'tis odd enough they should be so ;
The graces, muses, with their threes and nines,
Were dear to Pagan reverend divines.

The number seven, too, a stand has made;
Seven wonders once the universe displayed;

Seven deadly sins, seven sacraments assist,
Seven sleepers, and my readers in the list;
Seven days each week;-on seven if longer
dwelling,

'Twill cost me seven too many lines the telling.
Seven kingdoms once our little isle admitted,
Each with a king, and queen, and courtiers, fitted.
East Anglia, Mercia, Essex, Sussex, Kent,
Northumberland, and Wessex; each extent
Mark'd carefully, of course, by sovereign order,
To settle rates of postage on the border.

Now

Now, for digression's sake, I'll simply ask, Who, in each court, wou'd undertake the task Of Clement-Cottrellizing? sure, no dunce, Six English embassies to name at once. The Plenipo from Persia, when with us, Could ne'er create more diplomatic fuss; The newspaper, when things unkindly went, Announces "The Ambassador from KENT"Having received a warm official note, "Has left this country-in a Gravesend boat." "The ESSEX envoy, too, has turn'd his back, "And quits the kingdom-in a neutral hack, "Attended by a confidential friend,

"Whose passport goes no further than Mile-end." "Bold SUSSEX, in a ministerial rage,

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Departs to-morrow-in the Brighton stage!" "While great EAST-ANGLIA, flouncing like a dragon,

"Has taken places in the Norwich waggon." Critics will smoke by this time, without doubt. London and Essex both obey'd one king

Agreed, grave sirs, and now the blunder's out, Let my joke pass, and take your ample swing.

THE

THE KINGDOM OF KENT.

Began 457--Ended 823.-Metropolis, CANTERBURY.

"Kent, in the Commentaries Cæsar writ,

"Is term'd the civil'st place of all this isle:-
"Sweet is the country,-beauteous,-full of riches,—
"The people liberal,-valiant,-active,-worthy."

SHAKESPEARE.

GARDEN of Britain! whose white cliffs have named Our island ALBION.-Kent! so justly famed

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For bow-men, bishops, monks, and monasteries,
For warriors, watering-places, hops, and cherries.
I name thy monarchs of the Saxon race;
Escus, then OCTA, ruled in HENGIST's place;
Next HERMESRIC, and ETHELBERT succeed;
The last, renowned for many a valiant deed,
But most renowned, that, to the Pagan's loss,
By AUSTIN taught, he rear'd the sacred cross,
[A. D. 597.]

His ear and heart inclin'd to Christian lore,
And light diffus'd, where darkness reign'd before.
St. Paul's Cathedral, form'd but rudely then, 604
First rose where now the spot is graced by WREN.

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