And show this queen of cities, that fo fair
May yet be foul, fo witty, yet not, wife.
It is not seemly, nor of good report

That she is flack in difcipline. More prompt
T' avenge than to prevent the breach of law.
That she is rigid in denouncing death
On petty robbers, and indulges life

And liberty, and oft-times honor too

To peculators of the public gold.

That thieves at home must hang; but he that puts
Into his overgorged and bloated purse
The wealth of Indian provinces, escapes.
Nor is it well, nor can it come to good,
That through profane and infidel contempt
Of holy writ, fhe has prefum'd t' annul
And abrogate, as roundly as she may,
The total ordonnance and will of God;
Advancing fashion to the poft of truth,
And cent'ring all authority in modes
And cuftoms of her own, till fabbath rites

Have dwindled into unrefpected forms,

And knees and haffocks are well-nigh divorced,

God made the country, and man made the town, What wonder then, that health and virtue, gifts That can alone make sweet the bitter draught That life holds out to all, fhould most abound And leaft be threatened in the fields and groves? Poffefs ye therefore, ye who borne about In chariots and fedans, know no fatigue But that of idleness, and taste no scenes But fuch as art contrives, poffefs ye ftill Your element; there only ye can fhine, There only minds like yours can do no harm. Our groves were planted to confole at noon The penfive wand'rer in their fhades. At eve The moon-beam fliding foftly in between The fleeping leaves, is all the light they wish, Birds warbling all the mufic. We can spare The fplendor of your lamps, they but eclipfe

Our

Our fofter fatellite. Your fongs confound
Our more harmonious notes. The thrush departs
Scared, and th' offended nightingale is mute.
There is a public mifchief in your mirth,

It plagues your country. Folly fuch as your's
Grac'd with a sword, and worthier of a fan,
Has made, which enemies could ne'er have done,
Our arch of empire, ftedfast but for you,

A mutilated structure, foon to fall,

THE

TA S K.

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