Now give your songs of Zion to the wind, And hail the benefactor of mankind: He comes, pursuant to divine decree, To chain the strong, and set the captive free. Chorus of YOUTHS. Rise to raptures past expressing, Sweeter from remember'd woes; Cyrus comes, our wrongs redressing, Chorus of VIRGins. Cyrus comes, the world redressing, Love and pleasure in his train; Chorus of YOUTHS and VIRGINS. Skill'd in every peaceful art; Who from bonds our limbs unchaining, Only binds the willing heart. Last Chorus. But chief to thee, our God, our father, friend, - Finis. THE DOUBLE TRANSFORMATION. A TALE. SECLUDED from domestic strife, Jack Book-worm led a college life; Made him the happiest man alive; He drank his glass, and crack'd his joke, And freshmen wonder'd as he spoke. Such pleasures, unalloy'd with care, Could any accident impair? 1 Printed in the Essays, 1765. I have adopted the improved text which appears in the second edition of the Essays, 1766. Half-adozen couplets were judiciously rejected. The verses seem to have been written in imitation of Prior, who is commended by our poet as having introduced the "French elegant easy, manner of telling a story." Could Cupid's shaft at length transfix Oh! had the archer ne'er come down To ravage in a country town; Her presence banish'd all his peace: Miss frown'd, and blush'd, and then was-married. The raptures of the bridal night? The honey-moon like lightning flew; A third, a fourth, were not amiss; The fifth was friendship mix'd with bliss; But, when a twelvemonth pass'd away, Jack found his goddess made of clay: But still the worst remain'd behind- And, just as humor rose or fell, By turns a slattern or a belle. "Tis true, she dress'd with modern grace Half-naked at a ball or race; But when at home, at board or bed, Five greasy night-caps wrapp'd her head. Could so much beauty condescend To be a dull domestic friend? Could any curtain-lectures bring To decency so fine a thing? In short by night, 'twas fits or fretting; By day, 'twas gadding or coquetting. |