But tho' bright Phœbus fmile, and in the skies
The purple-rob'd ferenity appear;
Tho' every cloud be fled, yet if the rage
Of Boreas, or the blafting Eaft prevail,
The planter has enough to check his hopes,
And in due bounds confine his joy; for see
The ruffian winds, in their abrupt career,
Leave not a hop behind, or at the best
Mangle the circling vine, and intercept
The juice nutricious: Fatal means, alas!
Their colour and condition to deftroy.
Hafte then, ye peasants; pull the poles, the hops;
Where are the bins ? Run, run, ye nimble maids,
Move ev'ry muscle, ev'ry nerve extend,
To fave our crop from ruin, and ourselves.
Soon as bright Chanticleer explodes the night
With flutt'ring wings, and hymns the new-born day,
The bugle-horn infpire, whose clam'rous bray
Shall roufe from fleep the rebel rout, and tune
To temper for the labours of the day.
Wifely the feveral ftations of the bins
By lot determine. Juftice this, and this
Fair Prudence does demand; for not without
A certain method cou'dft thou rule the mob
Irrational, nor every where alike
Fair hangs the hop to tempt the picker's hand.
Now fee the crew mechanic might and main
Labour with lively diligence, infpir'd
By appetite of gain and luft of praise :
What mind fo petty, fervile, and debas’d,
As not to know ambition? Her great sway
From Colin Clout to Emperors fhe exerts.
To err is human, human to be vain.
'Tis vanity, and mock defire of fame,
That prompts the ruftic, on the steeple top
Sublime, to mark the outlines of his fhoe,
And in the area to engrave his name.
With pride of heart the churchwarden furveys,
High o'er the bellfry, girt with birds and flow'rs,
His story wrote in capitals: ""Twas I
"That bought the font; and I repair'd the pews." With pride like this the emulating mob
Strive for the mastery---who firft may fill
The bellying bin, and cleaneft cull the hops.
Nor ought retards, unless invited out
By Sol's declining, and the evening's calm,
Leander leads Lætitia to the scene
Of fhade and fragrance---Then th' exulting band
Of pickers male and female, feize the fair
Reluctant, and with boift'rous force and brute,
By cries unmov'd, they bury her in the bin.
Nor does the youth escape---him too they seize,
And in such posture place as best may serve
To hide his charmer's blushes. Then with fhouts
They rend the echoing air, and from them both
(So custom has ordain'd) a largess claim.
Thus much be fung of picking---next fucceeds Th' important care of curing---Quit the field, And at the kiln th' instructive muse attend.
On your hair-cloth eight inches deep, nor more,
Let the green hops lie lightly; next expand
The smootheft furface with the toothy rake.
Thus for is just above; but more it boots
That charcoal flames burn equably below,
The charcoal flames, which from thy corded wood,
Or antiquated poles, with wond'rous skill,
The fable priests of Vulcan shall prepare.
Conftant and moderate let the heat ascend;
Which to effect, there are, who with fuccefs
Place in the kiln the ventilating fan.
Hail, learned, useful * man! whofe head and heart
Confpire to make us happy, deign t'accept
One honeft verfe; and if thy industry
Has ferv'd the hopland caufe, the Mufe forebodes
This fole invention, both in ufe and fame,
myftic fan of Bacchus fhall exceed.
* Dr. Hales.
Myftica Vannus Iacchi.
When the fourth hour expires, with careful hand
The half-bak'd hops turn over. Soon as time
Has well exhaufted twice two glaffes more,
They'll leap and crackle with their bursting seeds,
For use domeftic, or for fale mature.
There are, who in the choice of cloth t'enfold
Their wealthy crop, the viler, coarser fort,
With prodigal œconomy prefer :
All that is good is cheap, all dear that's base.
Befides, the planter fhou'd a bait prepare,
T' intrap the chapman's notice, and divert
Shrewd Obfervation from her bufy pry.
When in the bag thy hops the ruftic treads,
Let him wear heel-lefs fandals; nor prefume
Their fragrancy barefooted to defile :
Such filthy ways for flaves in Malaga
Leave we to practise---Whence I've often seen,
When beautiful Dorinda's iv'ry hands
Had built the paftry-fabric (food divine
For Christmas gambols and the hour of mirth)
As the dry'd foreign fruit, with piercing eye,
She cull'd fufpicious---lo! fhe starts, fhe frowns
With indignation at a negro's nail.
Should'ft thou thy harveft for the mart defign, Be thine own factor; nor employ those drones
Who've ftings, but make no honey, felfish slaves!
That thrive and fatten on the planter's toil.
What then remains unfung? unless the care
To stack thy poles oblique in comely cones,
Left rot or rain destroy them---'Tis a fight
Moft feemly to behold, and gives, O Winter!
A landskip not unpleafing ev'n to thee.
And now, ye rivals of the hopland state,
Madum and Dorovernia rejoice,
How great amidst fuch rivals to excel !
Let * Grenovicum boaft (for boast she may)
The birth of great Eliza.---Hail, my queen!
And yet I'll call thee by a dearer name,
My countrywoman, hail! Thy worth alone
Gives fame to worlds, and makes whole ages glorious!
Let Sevenoaks vaunt the hofpitable feat
Of + Knoll most ancient: Awefully, my Mufe,
These focial scenes of grandeur and delight,
Of love and veneration, let me tread.
How oft beneath yon oak has amorous Prior
Awaken'd Echo with fweet Chloe's name!
While noble Sackville heard, hearing approv'd,
* Greenwich, where Q. Elizabeth was born,
+ The feat of the Duke of Dorfet.
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