meat to the Author. On a Maid Servant killing two Cats, .... Anecdote on Sir Philip and his Goat, or a cau 77 80 83 91 Lines on a Gift of Coals to the Poor by Lady Rowley, at Stoke by Nayland. .... On the Opening of a New Peal of Eight Bells, 94 the Gift of the Right Hon, the Earl of Dysart. 100 The Author's Second Day at Helmingham. Noah's Ark. 94 109 114 Verses Written in Great Bealings Church-yard. 117 Lines made by the Author when a Little Boy, on a Journey with his Father to Wicken Hall. On the Benevolence of a Friend. Verses on Grundisburgh Fair. The Poor Poetaster. Page 122 125 128 133 Verses on a Rat knawing Twine, and winding it many times round the Bed-post. 143 Serious Reflections on a Thunder Storm. .... 147 Acrostic, (William Moore, Plumber, Glazier, Double Acrostic, (Ann Prest, Lewisham, is a Courteous Lady.) .... 160 Double Acrostic, (Mr. Samuel Golden, a Wait er in a Shop.) 161 Treble Acrostic, (Robert Garnham lately mar ried an amiable Lady.) ... Page 162 ...... 163 Treble Acrostic, (I have made a Rhyme, Not 164 Treble Acrostic, (Acrostic for Robert Roe, Printer in Copperplate, and Engraver, Cambridge, 165 Treble Acrostic, (James Chambers, Itinerant Poet, despised by Man. 166 LIFE. JAMES CHAMBERS was born at Soham, in Cambridgeshire, in the year 1748; his father was a leather-seller, in tolerably good circumstances; but being overtaken by misfortune, he became involved-and his son, either from necessity, or choice, left his home, and pursued the life of a pedlar, in which penurious occupation he could scarcely gain subsistence, and therefore added to that calling, the art of making nets, of various descriptions, which, from an indolent and inert propensity, he rarely vended; consequently, some of them were destroyed by mice-on others, time had laid his corroding hand, and rendered them unserviceable. What first induced him to attempt poetic composition, can be accounted for in no other way, than that he had the genius for it, and that he is likewise a descendant from one, of j the same poetic turn of mind, as far as the hurry of business would admit of the indulgence of it. His first poem appears to have been an acrostic on his own name.-Numerous were the early productions in this style, which he has in his travels dispersed about the country, to the no small fame of a match and net-seller. Verses, then, (as now,) were composed by him without any premeditation, or very close attention, and the profits accruing from them, came often, op. portunely, to satisfy the cravings of a half-fed stomach, which he has, through a series of 72 years, often experienced with sorrow. By thirst he is seldom distressed, a pool or brook containing that which he expresses great pleasure in drinking-nevertheless, meeting, at times, with a more substantial cordial, he is very thankful that home-brewed beer has the pre-eminence among those, who charitably slake his parched lungs, though he seldom gives that verbal thankfulness, which, on his part, politeness would make proper. As to apparel (as in most other things pertaining to the external comfort of rational creatures) he discovers no taste, though an uncommon peculiarity; any thread-bare worn castoff vestment wants no fashionable criterion to recommend it to his service, so that a more -- |
