There leagu'd with hopeless anguish and defpair,
Awhile in filence o'er my fate repine;
Then, with a long farewell to love and care,
To kindred duft my weary limbs consign.
Wilt thou, MONIMIA, fhed a gracious tear
On the cold grave where all my forrows rest ?
Wilt thou ftrew flow'rs, applaud my love fincere,
And bid the turf lie light upon my breaft!
ALM of my cares, sweet solace of my toils, Hail JUICE benignant! O'er the coftly cups Of riot-ftirring wine, unwholfome draught, Let Pride's loose fons prolong the wasteful night; My fober ev'ning let the tankard blefs, With toaft embrown'd, and fragrant nutmeg fraught, While the rich draught with oft-repeated whiffs Tobacco mild improves. Divine repast!
Where no crude furfeit, or intemperate joys
Of lawless Bacchus reign; but o'er my foul
A Calm Lethean creeps; in drowsy trance
Each thought fubfides, and sweet oblivion wraps
My peaceful brain, as if the leaden rod
Of magic Morpheus o'er mine eyes had shed
Its opiate influence. What tho' fore ills
Opprefs, dire want of chill-difpelling coals
Or chearful candle, (fave the make-weight's gleam
Haply remaining) heart-rejoicing ALE
Chears the fad fcene, and every want fupplies.
Meantime, not mindlefs of the daily task
Of Tutor fage, upon the learned leaves
Of deep SMIGLECIUS much I meditate;
While ALE infpires, and lends its kindred aid,
The thought-perplexing labour to purfue,
Sweet Helicon of Logic! But if friends
Congenial call me from the toilfome page,
To pot-house I repair, the facred haunt,
Where ALE, thy votaties in full resort,
Hold rites nocturnal. In capacious chair
Of monumental oak and antique mould,
That long has flood the rage of conquering years
Inviolate, (nor in more ample chair
Smoaks rofy Juftice, when th' important caufe,
Whether of hen-rooft, or of mirthful rape,
In all the majesty of paunch he tries)
Studious of eafe, and provident, I place
My gladfome limbs; while in repeated round.
Returns replenish'd, the fucceffive cup,
And the brisk fire confpires to genial joy :
While haply, to relieve the ling'ring hours
In innocent delight, amufive Putt
On smooth joint-ftool in emblematic play
The vain viciffitudes of fortune fhews.
Nor reck'ning, name tremendous, me disturbs,
Nor, call'd for, chills my breast with sudden fear;
While on the wonted door, expreffive mark,
The frequent penny ftands defcrib'd to view,
In fnowy characters and graceful row.———
Hail, TICKING! fureft guardian of distress!
Beneath thy fhelter pennylefs I quaff
The chearful cup, nor hear with hopeless heart
New oyfters cry'd :-tho' much the poet's friend,
Ne'er yet attempted in poetic ftrain,
Accept this tribute of poetic praise
Nor Proctor thrice with vocal heel alarms Our joys fecure, nor deigns the lowly roof Of pot-houfe fnug to vifit: wifer he The fplendid tavern haunts, or coffee-house Of JAMES OF JUGGINS, where the grateful breath Of loath'd tobacco ne'er diffus'd its balm; But the lewd fpendthrift, falfely deem'd polite, While fteams around the fragrant Indian bowl, Oft damns the vulgar fons of humbler ALE: In vain--the Proctor's voice arrests their joys;
Juit fate of wanton pride and loose excess!
Nor less by day delightful is thy draught,
All-pow'rful ALE! whofe forrow-foothing fweets
Oft I repeat in vacant afternoon, i....
When tatter'd stockings afk my mending hand
Not unexperienc'd; while the tedious toil
Slides unregarded. Let the tender swain
Each morn regale on nerve-relaxing tea,
Companion meet of languor-loving nymph:
Be mine each morn with eager appetite
And hunger undiffembled, to repair
To friendly buttery; there on fmoaking cruft
And foaming ALE to banquet unrestrain'd,
Material breakfast! Thus in ancient days
Our ancestors robust with liberal cups
Ufher'd the morn, unlike the fqueamish fons
Of modern times: Nor ever had the might
Of Britons brave decay'd, had thus they fed
With British ALE improving British worth.
With ALE irriguous, undifmay'd I hear
The frequent dun afcend my lofty dome
Importunate: whether the plaintive voice
Of laundrefs fhrill awake my startled ear;
Or barber spruce with fupple look intrude;
Or taylor with obfequious bow advance;
Or groom invade me with defying front
And ftern demeanour, whofe emaciate fteeds.
(Whene'er or Phebus fhone with kindlier beams,
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