Than all the "fat church-wardens fchemes,"
Yet, if the happiness, fair maid,
That fooths me in the filent fhade,
Should, in your eye, appear too great,
Come, take it all-and share my
AURA to Damon health doth fend,
And thus falutes her faucy friend.
Because you would exert your wit,
You take the cap ne'er made to fit ;
And then your sprighly verse display,
To prove me out in every way—
But I'll proceed, nor care one farthing;
Nor fhall
you make me fue for pardon,
Nor once recant what I afferted,
Tho' from my pen in hafte it flirted.
Truly, because you do inherit
Some portion of the Dean's queer fpirit,
You want to prove, in wondrous haste,
That Laura too has Stella's taste;
As if it must directly follow,
Since you are favour'd by Apollo,
That he his choiceft gifts must fend,
To ev'ry fcribbling female friend.
I thank you, fir-you're wond'rous kind!
But think me not fo vain or blind,
As to believe the pretty things,
Your muse, with ease, at Laura flings.
'Tis true, the moments I beguil'd,
And at a country parfon fmil'd;
Unhappy me! who ne'er could dream,
That you should think yourself the theme;
Unless my mufe, thro' rank ill-nature,
Had turn'd what follows into fatyr-
"A manner frank and debonnair,
"A heart that's open and fincere,
"Plain fenfe, ftrip'd of pedantic rules,
"And formal precepts, hatch'd in schools;
"Firm honefty without parade,
Simplicity in truth array'd;
"A fprightly vein of humour too, «Known only by a favour'd few."
Had Madam Mufe, in fpleen or spight,
Plac'd all thofe graces in a light,
To make us laugh, more than admire-
Then Damon might have taken fire,
And faid, 'tis paft difpute and clear,
I meant my country friend to jeer.
Yet, e'er I close-allow me time,
But just to add another rhyme.
Since I esteem your bliss so great,
In pennance you will chuse a mate,
And tell me I may share your fate!".
The scheme is good, I must confefs,
If you have blifs, to make it lefs!
Yet take a hint, before refolv'd,
And in the dragging chain involv❜d.
While youthful joys around you fhine,
Hafte not to bend at Hymen's fhrine
Let friendship, gen'rous friendship, be
The bond to fetter you
and me,
Vestal, Platonic-what you will,
So virtue reigns with freedom ftill.
But if, in matrimonial noofe,
You must be bound-and have a fpoufe;
The faithful rib that heav'n shall send,
I'll fondly greet, and call her friend***
To L A UR A,
REPLY TO THE ABOVE.
AURA, for once excufe, I pray,
The pertness of a rural lay;
And I will ne'er again offend,
Or need the name of faucy friend;
Stella, (for now I fee it clearly,
Who loves a little mifchief dearly)
Refolv'd to carry a gay farce on,
Told me I was the country parfon,
Described in your melodius ftrain;
To which I now return again.
I, like my namefake, without *guile,
Thought in my turn that I might smile,
So feis'd my pen, in a brisk fally,,
Determin'd to pay off the tally;
And, in a fit of warm regard,
Dropt a few words-quite off my guard;
For which I Laura's mercy crave,
And fhall remain her humble flave-
She's pleas'd to say, that " I inherit,
"Some portion of the DEAN's queer Spirit.” If aught in me was ever seen,
Refembling Patrick's boafted Dean;
It was his faults, I fear-rank pride,
Which, for my life, I cannot hide,
And one lefs vain than Swift-or me,
Might e'en both proud and faucy be,
When fuch fine things of him are faid
By Laura, the harmonious maid;
Yet ftill her compliments, I fear,
Are only fent her friend to jeer,
Or fugar o'er a little smart
And close the bleedings of a heart-
Thus, without caufe, when children cry,
And put their finger in their eye,
Kind mamma gives them aught that's handy,
Cakes, marmalade, or fugar-candy.
Fair Laura hints-the hint I take,
And honour for its mistress' fake-
Yet when great Cupid is inclin'd,
To fix his empire o'er my mind,
A filken cord, no "dragging chain,”
Shall lead me to his facred fane;
For none, I truft, fhall e'er difcover,
In me aught like the whimp'ring lover;
The fault'ring voice, the figh of care,
The languid look, the dying air.
When abject thus behaves the muse,
May I kind Laura's friendship lofe,
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