Her voice he thought grown won- | Had sold a learned book he wrote;
To him a most uncommon treat:
So much in tune, it made him long
To hear it quaver in a song. [said,
"Come, sing, my charmer," Syntax
And thus the simp'ring maid obey'd.
"Haste to Dolly! haste away!
This is thine and Hymen's day!
Bid her thy soft bondage wear;
Bid her for Love's rites prepare.
Let the nymphs with many a flower,
Deck the sacred nuptial bower;
Thither lead the lovely fair,
And let Cupid, too, be there.
This is thine and Hymen's day;
Haste to Dolly! haste away!"
[came,
Thus pass'd the time; the morrow
And Mrs. Syntax was the same:
But when (for 'twas not done before)
She heard the Doctor's story o'e,
With all the hopes he had in store,
By joy, by vanity subdu'd,
Her warm embraces she renew'd;
While he delighted, fondly kiss'd
Those hands, which, form'd into a fist,
Had often warn'd his eyes and nose
To turn from their tremendous blows.
At length of golden ease possest,
No angry words, no frowns molest;
No symptoms of domestic strife,
Disturb'd their very alter'd life,
For she out-dress'd the Oilman's wife :
And he could now relieve the poor,
Who sought his charitable door.
Though to each virtue often blind,
The world to wealth is ever kind
For, lo! a certain tell-tale dame,
Yclep'd and known as Mistress Fame,
Had told to all the country round
That Syntax for a thousand pound,
That now he was a man of note,
By Lords protected! and that one
Would make him tutor to his son:
So that, whenever he went forth,
All paid their homage to his worth:
While it became the fond desire
Of ev'ry neighb'ring rural 'Squire
To send his hopeful boys to share
The favour of the Doctor's care.
But all these views soon found an
end:
A packet came, and from a friend; From 'Squire Worthy, who resides On Keswick's bold and woody sides. The wond'ring Postman made it known,
As he pass'd on, to all the town ; For such a letter ne'er had been Within his little circuit seen: Nay, by the fiat of the Post, It more than seven shillings cost. The Doctor star'd-while Ma'am unwilling, [ling. Slowly drew forth each ling'ring shil"Ne'er mind your silver," Syntax
"The Postman, Deary, must be paid; And now these papers I behold, I see they're worth their weight in gold: [heed Come, sit you down, and take good To what I'm now about to read."
"GOOD REV'REND SIR,
Our Vicar's dead, And I have nam'd you in his stead. I often wish'd his neck he'd break, Or tumble drunk into the Lake; So, you must know the poaching hound Fulfill'd one wish-for he is drown'd. Unfit for preaching or for praying, His merit lay in cudgel-playing:
And he preferr❜d to saying prayers,
The laying springes for the hares.
"You will perceive I keep my word,
And to this Church you're now pre-
ferr'd:
By ev'ry legal act and deed,
To Parson Hairbrain
you succeed:
The papers which you now receive,
A right and full possession give.
You, Sir, may make the living clear
Above three hundred pounds a year;
And if you will but condescend
To my son's learning to attend;
If direct his studious hour,
I'll add some fifty pounds or more:
And soon we hope that you will cheer
The parish with your presence here.
Miss Worthy and her sister join
Their kindest compliments to mine;
And to your friend I recommend
Your faithful and admiring friend,
JONATHAN WORTHY."
A place which little had to give
Than the hard struggle how to live.
For the long journey to prepare,
Syntax had bought a one-horse chair,
With harness for the grizzle-mare.
Ralph would not from his master part,
But trudg'd beside the farmer's cart
That bore the Doctor's books and
chattels,
[faddles:
With Madam's clothes and fiddle-
The cook upon the baggage rode,
And added to the weighty load;
For she, kind maid, was fully bent
To go wherever Ralpho went.
The Doctor walk'd about to tell
The day when he would say-fare-
well!
And they who had disdain'd before
То
pass
the threshold of his door,
When Syntax gave his farewell treat,
Sought that same door to drink and
eat.
The neighbours now,
The Dame exclaim'd, "My Gre. Knew his great worth, his loss regret;
cian boy,
I know not how to tell my joy.
This is the height of my desire :
'Squire Worthy is a worthy 'Squire."
"Ha, ha," said Syntax, "O, the
fun!
Why, Dolly, you have made a pun.
But still a pun I do detest,
'Tis such a paltry, humbug jest;
They who've least wit can make them
best.
But you may frisk and pun away;
I'm sure I cannot teach to-day,
So tell the boys to go and play.
Thank Heav'n, that, toil and trouble
past,
My holidays are come at last!"
At length, the busy school resign'd, They both rejoic'd to leave behind
While Madam, on whom no good word
Had been, throughout the town, pre-
Was now a most delightful creature,
Of temper mild,—of winning feature.
The Ringers, who, for many a year,
Refus'd his natal day to cheer,
Now made the bells, in woeful zeal,
Chime forth the dumb, lamenting peal.
-The time soon came, when, quite
The Doctor and his spouse departed;
And as they journey'd on their way,
They did not fail to pass a day
At Oxford, with his early friend,
The kind and learned Dicky Bend.
Nor did he think it a delay,
The Christian Vicar to repay,
And 'neath his roof a night to stay;
To add, for former kindness shown,
His Dolly's greeting to his own.
At York they form'd the pleasant
party,
For a whole week, of 'Squire Hearty.
A few days more, and, lo! the
Lake
Did, on th' enraptur'd vision break: And, rising 'mid the tufted trees, Syntax his sacred structure sees, Whose tow'r appear'd in ancient pride, With the warm Vic'rage by its side. "At length, dear wife," he said,
To our appointed, tranquil home."
The courteous people lin❜d the way, And their rude, untaught homage pay:
The foremost of the assembled crowd,
The fat exciseman, humbly bow'd:
66 Welcome," he said, "to SOMMER-
DEN."
Thus the good Parson, Horse, and
Wife,
The clerk stood by, and said "Amen!" Led a most comfortable life.
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