A

DESCRIPTION

OF A

CITY SHOWER.

C

Written in the YEAR 1712.

AREFUL Obfervers may foretel the Hour (By fure Prognofticks) when to dread a Show'r While Rain depends, the penfive Cat gives o'er Her Frolicks, and pursues her Tail no more. Returning home at Night you find the Sink Strike your offended Senfe with double Stink. If you be wife, then go not far to dine, You spend in Coach-hire more than fave in Wine, A coming Show's your fhooting Corns prefage; Old Aches throb, your hollow Tooth will rage: Saunt'ring in Coffee-Houfe is Dulman feen; He damns the Climate, and complains of Spleen.

MEAN

MEAN While theSouth, rifing with dabbled Wings, A fable Cloud athwart the Welkin flings;

That fwill'd more Liquor than it could contain,
And like a Drunkard gives it up again.

Brisk Sufan whips her Linnen from the Rope,
While the first drizzling Show'r is born aflope :
Such is that sprinkling which fome careless Quean
Flirts on you from her Mop; but not fo clean;
You fly, invoke the Gods; then turning, ftop
To rail; the finging, ftill whirls on her Mop.
Nor yet the Duft had shun'd th' unequal Strife,
But aided by the Wind, fought ftill for Life;
And wafted with its Foe by violent Guft,

'Twas doubtful which was Rain, and which was

Duft.

Ah! where muft needy Poet feek for Aid,
When Duft and Rain at once his Coat invade?
Sale Coat, where Duft cemented by the Rain
Erects the Nap, and leaves a cloudy Stain,

Now, in contiguous Drops the Flood comes down Threat'ning with Deluge this devoted Town.

* 'Twas doubtful which was Sea, and which was Sky.

To

Garth Difp.

To Shops in Crouds the daggled Females fly,
Pretend to cheapen Goods; but nothing buy.
The Templer fpruce, while ev'ry Spout's abroach,
Stays till 'tis fair, yet seems to call a Coach.

The tuck'd-up Sempftress walks with hafty Strides,
While Streams run down her oil'd Umbrella's Sides.
Here various Kinds by various Fortunes led,
Commence Acquaintance underneath a Shed:
* Triumphant Tories, and defponding Whigs,
Forget their Feuds, and join to save their Wigs,
Box'd in a Chair the Beau impatient fits,
While Spouts run clatt'ring o'er the Root by Fits;
And ever and anon with frightful Din

The Leather founds; he trembles from within.
So when Troy Chair-Men bore the wooden Steed,
Pregnant with Greeks, impatient to be freed;
(Thofe Bully Greeks, who, as the Moderns do,
Instead of paying Chair-Men, run them thro')
Laocoon ftruck the Out-fide with his Spear,
And each imprifon'd Hero quak'd for Fear.

Now from all Parts the fwelling Kennels flow, And bear their Trophies with them as they go :

*N. B. This was the first Year of the Ear of Oxford's Mipiftry.

Filths

Filths of all Hues and Odours, seem to tell

What Streets they fail'd from, by the Sight and

Smell.

They, as each Torrent drives with rapid Force
From Smithfield, or St. Pulchre's fhape their Course;
And in huge Confluent join at Snowhill Ridge,
Fall from the Conduit prone to Holbourn-Bridge.
Sweepings from Butchers Stalls, Dung, Guts,?
and Blood,

Drown'd Puppies, ftinking Sprats, all drench'd in
Mud,

Dead Cats, and Turnip-Tops come tumbling down the Flood.

J

*These three last Lines were ietended against that lịcentious Manner of modern Poets, in making three Rhimes together, which they called Triplets; and the laft of the three, was two or fometimes more Syllables longer, called an Alexandrian. These Triplets and Alexandrians were brought in by DRYDEN, and other Poets in the Reign of CHALES II. They were the mere Effect of Hafte, Idlenefs, and want of Money; and have been wholly avoided by the beft Poets, fince thefe Verfes were writen.

A Description of the MORNING,

N°

Written about the Year 1712.

OW hardly here and there a Hackney-
Coach.

Appearing, fhow'd the ruddy Morn's Approach.
Now Betty from her Master's Bed had flown,
And foftly stole to difcompofe her own.

The Slip-fhod 'Prentice from his Master's Door Had par'd the Dirt, and sprinkled round the Floor. Now Moll had whirl'd her Mop with dextrous Airs, Prepar'd to fcrub the Entry and the Stairs.

*

The Youth with broomy Stumps began to trace

The Kennel-Edge, where Wheels had worn the

Place.

The Small-coal Man was heard with Cadence deep
Till drown'd in fhriller Notes of Chimney Sweep.
Duns at his Lordship's Gate began to meet;
And Brick-duft Moll had fcream'd thro' half a Street.
The Turn-key now his Flock returning fees,
Duly let out a-nights to fteal for Fees.

The watchful Bailiffs take their filent Stands;
And School-Boy's lag with Satchels in their Hands.

* To find old Nails.

THE