VI.

Friend of my Genius! Partner of my Fate!
To equal Sense of painful Suffering born!
From whose fond Breast a lovely Parent torn,
Bedew'd thy pale Cheek with a Tear fo late ;-
Oh! let us mindful of the short, fhort Date,
That bears the Spoil of human Hopes away,
Indulge fweet Memory of each happier Day!
No! close, for ever close the Iron-Gate
Of cold Oblivion on that dreary Cell,

Where the pale Shades of paft Enjoyments dwell,

And, pointing to their bleeding Bosoms say, On Life's difaftrous Hour what varied Woes

await!

VII.

Let Scenes of fofter, gentler Kind
Awake to Fancy's foothing Call,

And milder on the penfive Mind,

The fhadowed Thought of Grief shall fall.

Oft as the flowly-closing Day

Draws her pale Mantle from the Dew-ftar's Eye,

What Time, the Shepherd's Cry

Leads from the paftured Hill his Flocks away,

Attentive to the tender Lay

That

That steals from Philomela's Breast, Let us in musing Silence ftray,

Where LEE beholds in Mazes flow

His uncomplaining Waters flow,

And all his whispering Shores invite the Charm of Reft.

LETTER

I

LETTER V.

WALLER to ST. EVREMOND.

Was much pleased with a Conversation, which

I overheard a few Days ago, between the King and an honest Worcestershire Baronet, who was lately elected for a Borough in that County. The good-natured Man came up to take his Seat among us, and, as he lived in the Neighbourhood of the Royal Oak, he fuppofed that he could not pay a better Compliment to his Majesty than by bringing him a Branch of his old Asylum. Who is that Antique (faid the King,) with a withered Branch in his Hand? It is Sir

Thomas ** Member for **

The KING.

Sir Thomas, I am glad to fee you: I hope you can give a good Account of our Friends in Worcefterfire.

Sir THOMAS ****

I wish I could, please your Majesty; but there is a Blacksmith's Wife

The KING.

No matter for her I enquired only after the Health of your Family.

Sir THOMAS.

Thank God in good Health Woman, please your Majesty

But this

met a Woman, when I went a Wood-cutting with Farmer Penderell

Sir THOM A S.

A rofy Complexion, please your Majesty!

The KING.

No Matter What is become of the Woman,

and her Child?

Sir

Sir THOMA 5.

She is very well taken Care of, please your Majesty! The Church-wardens are my Tenants, and I ordered them to allow her an upper Sheet.

Fye! Fye!

The KING.

Sir THOMAS.

Please your Majefty, I was near lofing my Election by it. Some of that Parish were Free Men, and they faid that I, as a Magistrate, ought to have fent a Warrant to your Majesty, to give a Bond to the Parish, or to pay Ten Pounds.

The KING.

Why did you not do your Duty?

Sir THOMAS.

Because, please your Majesty, I thought it my Duty not to do it, Your Majefty has been at a great Expence of late.

The KING.

True; very true, Sir Thomas! What is that Branch in your Hand? Some Token, I suppose, by which you hold your LandsF 2

Sir