THE LOVE OF THE WORLD REPROVED;

OR, HYPOCRISY DETECTED.'

THUS says the Prophet of the Turk ;
Good Mussulman, abstain from pork;
There is a part in every swine,
No friend or follower of mine
May taste, whate'er his inclination,
On pain of excommunication.
Such Mahomet's mysterious charge,
And thus he left the point at large.
Had he the sinful part express'd,
They might with safety eat the rest ;
But for one piece they thought it hard
From the whole hog to be debarr'd;
And set their wit at work to find
What joint the Prophet had in mind.
Much controversy straight arose,

These choose the back, the belly those;
By some 'tis confidently said

He meant not to forbid the head;
While others at that doctrine rail,
And piously prefer the tail.

Thus, conscience freed from every clog,
Mahometans eat up the hog.

You laugh 'tis well-the tale applied
May make you laugh on t'other side.
Renounce the world-the preacher cries:
We do a multitude replies.

This ingenious little piece was versified from a prose story, by Cowper, during one of his fits of illness, and in an hour. Hence the common expression, Going the whole hog.'

While one as innocent regards

A snug and friendly game at cards;
And one, whatever you may say,
Can see no evil in a play;

Some love a concert, or a race;

And others, shooting and the chase.
Reviled and loved, renounced and follow'd,
Thus, bit by bit, the world is swallow'd ;
Each thinks his neighbour makes too free,
Yet likes a slice as well as he :

With sophistry their sauce they sweeten,
Till quite from tail to snout 'tis eaten.

THE NIGHTINGALE AND GLOW-WORM.

A NIGHTINGALE, that all day long
Had cheer'd the village with his song,
Nor yet at eve his note suspended,
Nor yet when eventide was ended,
Began to feel, as well he might,
The keen demands of appetite;
When, looking eagerly around,
Ile spied far off, upon the ground,
A something shining in the dark,
And knew the Glow-worm by his spark ;
So stooping down from hawthorn top,
He thought to put him in his crop.
The worm, aware of his intent,
Harangued him thus, right eloquent—
"Did you admire my lamp," quoth he,
"As much as I your minstrelsy,

You would abhor to do me wrong
As much as I to spoil your song;
For 'twas the self-same Power divine
Taught you to sing, and me to shine;
That you with music, I with light,
Might beautify and cheer the night."
The songster heard his short oration,
And, warbling out his approbation,
Released him, as my story tells,
And found a supper somewhere else.
Hence jarring sectaries may learn

Their real interest to discern:

That brother should not war with brother,
And worry and devour each other;

But sing and shine by sweet consent,
Till life's poor transient night is spent,
Respecting in each other's case

The gifts of nature and of grace.

Those Christians best deserve the name
Who studiously make peace their aim;
Peace both the duty and the prize
Of him that creeps and him that flies.

17

30

ON A GOLDFINCH,

STARVED TO DEATH IN HIS CAGE.

1 TIME was when I was free as air,
The thistle's downy seed my fare,
My drink the morning dew;
I perch'd at will on every spray,
My form genteel, my plumage gay,
My strains for ever new.

2 But gaudy plumage, sprightly strain, And form genteel were all in vain,

And of a transient date;

For, caught and caged, and starved to death,
In dying sighs my little breath

Soon pass'd the wiry gate.

3 Thanks, gentle swain, for all my woes,
And thanks for this effectual close
And cure of every ill!

More cruelty could none express;
And I, if you had shown me less,
Had been your prisoner still.

THE PINE-APPLE AND THE BEE.

THE pine-apples, in triple row,

Were basking hot, and all in blow;
A bee of most discerning taste
Perceived the fragrance as he pass'd;
On eager wing the spoiler came,
And search'd for crannies in the frame,
Urged his attempt on every side,
To every pane his trunk applied;
But still in vain, the frame was tight,
And only pervious to the light:
Thus having wasted half the day,
He trimm'd his flight another way.
Methinks, I said, in thee I find
The sin and madness of mankind:
To joys forbidden man aspires,
Consumes his soul with vain desires;

10

Folly the spring of his pursuit,
And disappointment all the fruit.
While Cynthio ogles, as she passes,

The nymph between two chariot glasses,
She is the pine-apple, and he

The silly unsuccessful bee.

The maid who views with pensive air
The show-glass fraught with glittering ware,
Sees watches, bracelets, rings, and lockets,
But sighs at thought of empty pockets;
Like thine, her appetite is keen,
But ah, the cruel glass between !
Our dear delights are often such,
Exposed to view, but not to touch;
The sight our foolish heart inflames,
We long for pine-apples in frames;
With hopeless wish one looks and lingers;
One breaks the glass, and cuts his fingers;
But they whom truth and wisdom lead
Can gather honey from a weed.

17

30

THE SHRUBBERY.

WRITTEN IN A TIME OF AFFLICTION.

1 Он, happy shades! to me unblest, Friendly to peace, but not to me; How ill the scene that offers rest,

And heart that cannot rest, agree !

2 This glassy stream, that spreading pine,
Those alders quivering to the breeze,
Might soothe a soul less hurt than mine,
And please, if anything could please,