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good girl; I find you are perfectly qualified for "making converts; and fo go help your mother' "to make the gooseberry-pye."

С НА Р. VIII.

An amour, which promifes little good fortune, yet may be productive of much.

THE

'HE next morning we were again vifited by Mr. Burchell, though I began, for certain reasons, to be displeased with the frequency of his return; but I could not refuse him my company and fire-fide. It is true, his labour more than requited his entertainment; for he wrought among us with vigour ; and, either in the meadow or at the hay-rick, put himself foremoft. Befides, he had always fomething amusing to say, that leffened our toil; and was at once so out of the way, and fo fenfible, that I loved, laughed at, and pitied him. My only diflike arofe from an attachment he difcovered to my daughter: he would, in a jefting manner, call her his little mif. trefs; and when he bought each of the girls a fet of ribands, hers was the fineft. I knew not how, but he every day feemed to become more amiable, his wit to improve, and his fimplicity to affume the fuperior airs of wisdom.

yet

Our family dined in the field, and we fat, or rather reclined, round a temperate repaft, our

cloth

cloth spread upon the hay, while Mr. Burchell feemed to give cheerfulness to the feaft. To heighten our fatisfaction, two blackbirds anfwered each other from oppofite hedges; the familiar red breast came and pecked the crumbs from our hands; and every found feemed but the echo of tranquillity. "I never fit thus," fays Sophia, "but I think of the two lovers, fo fweetly "described by Mr. Gay, who were ftruck dead "in each others arms, under a barley mow. "There is fomething fo pathetick in the defcrip"tion, that I have read it an hundred times with "new rapture." "In my opinion," cried my fon," the finest strokes in that description, are "much below thofe in-the Acis and Galatea of "Ovid. The Roman poet understands the use "of contraft better; and upon that figure, artful

"

ly managed, all ftrength in the pathetick de"pends." "It is remarkable," cried Mr. Bur chell," that both the poets you mention, have "equally contributed to introduce a falfe taste "into their respective countries, by loading all "their lines with epithet. Men of little genius "found them most easily imitated in their de"fects; and English poetry, like that in the later "empire of Rome, is nothing, at prefent, but a "combination of luxuriant images, without plot or "connection; a ftring of epithets, that improve "the found, without carrying on the fenfe. But ཟླ perhaps, Madam, while I thus reprehend o"thers, you will think it just that I should give them an opportunity to retaliate; and, indeed,

"I have

"I have made this remark, only to have an op

portunity of introducing to the company a bal"lad, which, whatever be its other defects, is, I "think, at least, free from thofe I have men"tioned."

"

A BALLA D.

"TURN, gentle hermit of the dale,
"And guide my lonely way
"To where, yon taper cheers the vale
"With hofpitable ray.

"For here forlorn and loft I tread,
"With fainting fteps and flow;
"Where wilds, immeafurably fpread,
"Seem lengthening as I go."

"Forbear, my fon," the hermit cries,
"To tempt the dangerous gloom;

"For yonder phantom only flies, "To lure thee to thy doom.

"Here, to the houseless child of want, "My door is open still;

"And though my portion is but fcant, I give it with good-will.

"Then turn to-night, and freely share "Whate'er my cell beftows;

"My rufhy couch, and frugal fare,

My bleffing and repose.

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"No flocks that range the valley free, "To flaughter I condemn ;

Taught by that Power that pities me, "I learn to pity them.

"But from the mountain's graffy fide, "A guiltless feaft I bring;

"A fcrip with herbs and fruits fupply'd,
"And water from the spring.

"Then, pilgrim, turn, thy cares forego;
"For earth-born cares are wrong:
"Man wants but little here below,
"Nor wants that little long."

Soft as the dew from heav'n descends,
His gentle accents fell :

The grateful ftranger lowly bends,
And follows to the cell.

Far fhelter'd in a glade obfcure
The modest mansion lay;
A refuge to the neighbouring poor,
And strangers led astray.

No ftores beneath its humble thatch

Requir'd a master's care;

The door juft opening with a latch,
Receiv'd the harmless pair.

And now, when worldly crowds retire
To revels or to rest,

The hermit trimm'd his little fire,
And cheer'd his penfive gueft:

VOL. I

C

And

And fpread his vegetable store, -
And gayly prefs'd, and fmil'd;
And, fkill'd in legendary lore,
The lingering hours beguil❜d.
Around in fympathetick mirth
Its tricks the kitten tries;
The cricket chirrups in the hearth;
The crackling faggot flies.

But nothing could a charm impart
To foothe the ftranger's woe;
For grief was heavy at his heart,
And tears began to flow.

His rifing cares the hermit fpy'd,
With answering care opprest:
"And whence, unhappy youth,” he cry'd,
"The forrows of thy breaft?

"From better habitations fpurn'd,
"Reluctant doft thou rove?

"Or grieve for friendship unreturn'd, "Or unregarded love?

"Alas! the joys that fortune brings,

"Are trifling, and decay :

"And those who prize the paltry things,
"More trifling ftill than they.

"And what is friendship, but a name,
"A charm that lulls to fleep;
"A fhade that follows wealth or fame,
"But leaves the wretch to weep?

"And

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