110-8-1924

selassed 3-23-36

ADVERTISEMENT.

THE history of the following production is briefly this. A lady, fond of blank verfe, demanded a poem of that kind from the author, and gave him the SOFA for a fubject. He obeyed; and having much leifure, connected another fubject with it; and pursuing the train of thought to which his fituation and turn of mind led him, brought forth, at length, instead of the trifle which he at first intended, a serious affair-a Volume.

1

ARGUMENT OF THE FIRST BOOK.

Hiftorical deduction of feats, from the ftool to the Sofa.A fchool-boy's ramble.-A walk in the country.-The fcene defcribed.-Rural founds, as well as fights, delightful.-Another walk.-Miftake concerning the charms of Solitude, corrected.-Colonnades commended.-Alcove, and the view from it.—The Wilderness. -The Grove.-The Thresher.-The neceffity, and the benefits of exercife. The works of nature fuperior to, and, in fome inftances, inimitable by art.--. The wearifomness of what is commonly called, a life of pleasure.-Change of scene fometimes expedient.--- A common defcribed, and the character of crazy Kate introduced upon it.---Gipfies.---The bleffings of civilized life.---That ftate moft favourable to virtue.--The South Sea Islanders compaffionated, but chiefly Omai. His present state of mind fuppofed.---Civilized life friendly to virtue, but not great cities.Great cities, and London in particular, allowed their due praife, but cenfured.---Fete Champetre.---The book concludes with a reflection on the fatal effects of dissipation and effeminacy upon our public measures.

THE

THE

T A S K.

BOOK I
воок

THE S OF

A.

SING the SOFA. I who lately fang
SIN

Truth, Hope, and Charity, and touch'd with awe
The folemn chords, and with a trembling hand,
Efcap'd with pain from that advent'rous flight,
"Now feek repose upon an humbler theme;
The theme though humble, yet auguft and proud
Th' occafion-for the Fair commands the fong.

Time was, when cloathing fumptuous or for ufe, Save their own painted fkins, our fires had none. As yet black breeches were not; fattin smooth, Or velvet foft, or plush with fhaggy pile : The hardy chief upon the rugged rock B

Wash'd

Wash'd by the fea, or on the grav❜ly bank
Thrown up by wintry torrents roaring loud,
Fearless of wrong, repos'd his weary ftrength,
Those barb'rous ages paft, 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
Upborne they stood. 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
And drill'd in holes the folid oak is found,
By worms voracious eating through and through.

At length a generation more refin'd
Improv'd the fimple plan, made three legs four,
Gave them a twifted form vermicular,

And o'er the feat with plenteous wadding stuff'd
Induced a splendid cover green and blue,
Yellow and red, of tapestry richly wrought
And woven clofe, or needle-work fublime.
There might ye fee the piony fpread wide,
The full-blown rofe, the fhepherd and his lafs,
Lap-dog and lambkin with black flaring eyes,
And parrots with twin cherries in their beak.

Now came the cane from India, smooth and bright With Nature's varnish; fever'd into stripes

That