Tho' all a fyren as fhe talks,
And all a goddess as she walks,
Yet decency each action guides,
And wisdom o'er her tongue prefides..

III.

Place her in Ruffia's fhowery plains,
Where a perpetual winter reigns,
The elements may rave and range,
Yet her fix'd mind will never change.
Place her, Ambition, in thy tow'rs,
"Mongft the more dang 'rous golden fhow'rs,.
E'en there fhe'd fpurn the venal tribe,

And fold her arms against the bribe.

IV.

Leave her, defencelefs and alone,.
A pris'ner in the torrid zone,
The funshine there might vainly vie
With the bright luftre of her eye;
But Phœbus' felf, with all his fire,
Cou'd ne'er one unchafte thought infpire;
But Virtue's path fhe'd ftill pursue
And ftill, my fair, wou'd copy you.

The

The DISTRESSED DAMSEL.

BALLAD

VIII.

I.

OF all my experience how vaft the amount,.

Since fifteen long winters I fairly can count!
Was ever a damfel fo fadly betray'd,

To live to thefe years and yet ftill be a maid?.

II.

Ye heroes triumphant by land and by fea,
Sworn vot'ries to love, but unmindful of me;

You can form a ftrong fort, or can form a blockade,
Yet ye ftand by like dastards, and see me a maid.
III.

Ye lawyers fo juft,.who with flippery tongue,
Can do what you please, or with right, or with wrong,
Can it be or by law or by equity faid,

That a buxom young girl ought to die an old maid

IV.

Ye learned phyficians, whofe excellent skill
Can fave, or demolish, can cure, or can kill,
To a poor, forlorn damfel contribute your aid,,
Who is fick-very fick-of remaining a maid.

V..

Ye fops, I invoke, not to lift to my fong,
Who answer no end-and to no sex belong;
Ye echoes of echoes, and fhadows of shade-
For if I had you-I might ftill be a maid.

The

YE ancient patriarchs of the wood,

That veil around thefe awful glooms,

Who many a century have stood

In verdant age, that ever blooms.

II.

Ye Gothic tow'rs, by vapours denfe,
Obfcur'd into feverer ftate,

In paftoral magnificence

At once fo fimple and fo great.

III.

Why all your jealous fhades on me,-
Ye hoary elders, do ye fpread?

Fair Innocence fhou'd still be free,

Nought fhou'd be chain'd, but what we dread.
IV.

Say, must these tears for ever flow ?

Can I from patience learn content,

While folitude ftill nurfes woe,

And leaves me leifure to lament.

V.

My guardian fee !who wards off peace,

Whofe cruelty is his employ,

Who bids the tongue of tranfport cease,

And flops each avenue to joy.

VI.

Freedom of air alone is giv'n,

To aggravate, not footh my grief, To view th' immenfely-diftant heav'n, My nearest profpect of relief.

To Mifs **** one of the Chichefter Graces.
Written in Goodwood Gardens, September, 1750.
BALLAD X.

I.

YE hills that overlook the plains,

"Where wealth and Gothic greatnefs reigns, "Where Nature's hand by Art is check'd, And Tafte herfelf is architect;

"Ye fallows grey, ye forefts brown,

And feas that the vaft profpect crown, "Ye fright the foul with Fancy's store, "Nor can fhe one idea more!"

II.

I faid-when dearest of her kind

(Her form, the picture of her mind)
Chloris approach'd-The landkip flew!
All Nature vanish'd from my view!
She feem'd all Nature to comprize,
Her lips! her beauteous breafts! her eyes!
That rous'd, and yet abash'd defire,
With liquid, languid, living fire!

III.

But then-her voice!-how fram'd t' endear!
The mufic of the Gods to hear!

Wit that fo pierc'd, without offence,
So brac'd by the ftrong nerves of sense !
Pallas with Venus play'd her part,
To rob me of an honest heart;
Prudence and Paffion jointly ftrove,
And reafon was th' ally of Love.

IV.

Ah me! thou fweet, delicious maid,
From whence fhall I folicit aid?
Hope and defpair alike destroy,
One kills with grief, and one with joy.
Celestial Chloris! Nymph divine!
To fave me, the dear task be thine.
Tho' conqueft be the woman's care,
The angel's glory is to fpare.

LOVELY

HARRIOT,

A Crambo Ballad.

BALLAD XI.

I.

GREAT Phoebus in his vast career,

Who forms the feif fucceeding year,

Thron'd in his amber chariot ;

amber

Sees