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Lady BETTY BERKELEY finding in the Author's Room fome Verfes unfinifbed; underwrit a Stanza of her own, with Raillery upon him, which gave Occafion to this Ballad.

Ο

Written in the Year 1703.

To the Tune of, The Cut-purse.

I.

NCE on a time, as old Stories rehearse,

A Friar would needs fhew his Talent in Latin, But was forely put to't in the Midst of a Verse, Because he could find out no Word to come pat in. Then all in the Place

He left a void Space;

And fo went to Bed in a defperate Case.
When behold, the next Morning a wonderful Riddle!
He found it was ftrangely fill'd up in the Middle.

CHO. Let cenfuring Criticks then think what they lift on't,

Who would not write Verfes with fuch an Assistant?

-II.

This put me the Friar into an Amazement;

For he wifely confider'd it must be a Sprite,

That came thro' the Key-Hole, or in at the Cafement;

And it needs must be one, that could both read

and write :

Yet he did not know

If it were Friend or Foe,

Or whether it came from above or below.

Howe'er, it was civil in Angel or Elf;

For he ne'er could have fill'd it fo well of himself.

CHO. Let cenfuring, &c.

III.

Even fo Master Doctor had puzzled his Brains
In making a Ballad, but was at a stand;
He had mix'd little Wit with a great deal of Pains;
When he found a new Help from invisible Hand.
Then good Dr. S

Pays Thanks for the Gift,

For you freely muft own you were at a dead Lift a And tho' fome malicious young Spirit did do't, You may fee by the Hand it had no cloven Foot.

CHO. Let cenfuring, &c.

Verses

Verfes wrote on a Lady's Ivory TableBook.

PE

Written in the Year 1706.

ERUSE my Leaves thro' ev'ry Part,
And think thou feeft my Owner's Heart;
Scrawl'd o'er with Trifles thus; and quite
As hard, as fenfelefs, and as light:
Expos'd to ev'ry Coxcomb's Eyes,
But hid with Caution from the Wise.
Here you may read, (Dear charming Saint)
Beneath, (A new Receipt for Paint.)
Here, in Beau-fpelling, (tru tel Deth.)
There, in her own far an el Breth.)
Here, (lovely Nymph pronounce my Doom.)
There, (a fafe Way to use Perfume.)
Here, a Page fill'd with Billet-Doux
On t'other Side, (laid out for Shoes.)
(Madam, I die without your Grace.)
(Item, for half a Yard of Lace.)
Who, that had wit would place it here,
For ev'ry peeping Fop to jeer?
In Power of Spittle, and a Clout,
Whene'er he please, to blot it out;
And then to heighten the Difgrace,
Clap his own Nonfenfe in the Place.

Whoe❜er

Whoe'er expects to hold his Part
In fuch a Book, and fuch a Heart;
If he be wealthy, and a Fool,
Is in all Points the fittest Tool;
Of whom it may be justly said,
He's a Gold Pencil tipt with Lead.

The Defcription of a SALAMANDE r.

Out of PLINY's Nat. Hift. lib. 10. cap. 67. & lib. 29. cap. 4.

A

Written in the Year 1706.

S Mastiff Dogs in modern Phrase are
Call'd Pompey, Scipio, and Cæfar;

As Pies and Daws are often ftyl'd

With Chriftian Nick-names, like a Child;
As we fay Monfieur to an Ape,

Without Offence to human Shape:
So Men have got from Bird to Brute
Names that will beft their Natures fuit.
The Lion, Eagle, Fox, and Boar
Were Heroes Titles heretofore,
Bestowed as Hi'roglyphicks fit

To fhew their Valour, Strength, or Wit,

For

For what is understood by Fame,
Besides the getting of a Name?
But e'er fince Men invented Guns,
A diffrent Way their Fancy runs:
To paint a Hero, we enquire
For fomething that will conquer Fire.
Would you describe Turenne or Trump,
Think of a Bucket, or a Pump.

Are these too low?then find out grander,
Call my Lord Cutts, a Salamander.
'Tis well: But fince we live among
Detractors with an evil Tongue,
Who may object against the Term ;
Pliny fhall prove what we affirm:
Pliny fhall prove, and we'll apply,
And I'll be judg'd by Standers-by.

FIRST then, our Author has defin'd
This Reptile of the Serpent Kind,
With gaudy Coat and shining Train,
But loathfome Spots his Body ftain:
Out from fome Hole obfcure he flies,
When Rains defcend, and Tempests rise,
Till the Sun clears the Air, and then
Crawls back, neglected, to his Den.

So, when the War has rais'd a Storm;
I've seen a Snake in human Form,
All ftain'd with Infamy and Vice,
Leap from the Dunghill in a Trice;

Burnish

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