HOW fair the profpect opens to the eye, Where Flora's pencil marks the gay-drefs' ground; Where art and nature, emulative, vie To scatter rival beauties all around. What vivid colours flush yon blooming rofe, That lily blooms, in fnow-white charms array'd, The flow'ry pomp the beauteous larkspurs share, With colours which these flow'ry tribes adorn, MISS H. FALCONAR. SECT. As THE SOFA Sing the Sofa. I who lately fang Truth, Hope, and Charity, and touch'd with awe The folemn chords, and with a trembling hand, Escap'd with pain from that advent'rous flight, Now feek repose upon an humbler theme; The theme though humble, yet august and proud Th' occafion-for the Fair commands the song. Time was, when clothing fumptuous or for ufe, Save their own painted skins, our fires had none. yet black breeches were not; fattin smooth, Or velvet foft, or plush with fhaggy pile : The hardy chief upon the rugged rock Wah'd by the fea, or on the grav'ly bank, Thrown up by wintry torrents roaring loud, Fearless of wrong, repos'd his weary strength. Thofe barb'rous ages past, fucceeded next The birth-day of invention, weak at first, Dull in defign, and clumsy to perform. Joint-ftools were then created; on three legs Upborn they flood. Three legs upholding firm A maffy flab, in fashion fquare or round. On fuch a ftool immortal Alfred fat, And fway'd the fceptre of his infant realms; And fuch in ancient halls and manfions drear May ftill be feen, but perforated fore * A lady, fond of blank verfe, demanded a poem of that kind rom the author, and gave him the Safa for a subject. And And drill'd in holes the solid oak is found, Improv'd the fimple plan; made three legs four, And o'er the feat with plenteous wadding stuff' Now came the cane from India, fmooth and bright With bafe materials, fat on well-tann'd hides With here and there a tuft of crimfon Or fcarlet crewel in the cushion fixt, yarn, If cushion might be call'd, what harder feem'd In Albion's happy ifle. The umber stood And fome ascribe th' invention to a priest Than when employ'd t' accommodate the fair, So fit two kings of Brentford on the throne; Close pack'd and finiling in a chaife and one. The The nurse fleeps fweetly, hir'd to watch the fick Whom fnoring fhe disturbs. As fweetly he Who quits the coach-box at the midnight hour To fleep within the carriage more fecure, His legs depending at the open door. Sweet fleep enjoys the curate in his desk, The tedious rector drawling o'er his head, And sweet the clerk below: but neither sleep Of lazy nurse, who fnores the fick man dead, Nor his who quits the box at midnight hour To flumber in the carriage more fecure, Nor fleep enjoy'd by curate in his desk, Nor yet the dozings of the clerk are sweet, Compar'd with the repose the Sofa yields. COWPER. SECT. CXLV. A WALK IN THE COUNTRY; AND A DESCRIPTION Он OF THE SCENE. OH may I live exempted (while I live Guiltless of pamper'd appetite obfcene) For I have lov'd the rural walk through lanes Of thorny boughs: have lov'd the rural walk O'er |