LETTER XIV.

To the Same.

T gave me uncommon Pleasure that

my Fable of Admonition was fo well received by you and ARISTUS. Indeed, LEONORA, I can never think my Time better spent, than when I am employed in the Promotion of Happiness in a Heart, fo capable of every virtuous and elegant Sentiment as your own. I must confefs, I had an Intention of fending you an Epithalamium on your Wedding Day, but when I began to express myself with the tendereft Concern, and most ardent Wishes for your Happiness, I found the Mufes, who are habituated to Fiction, were fo unpropitious to unpoetical Truth, that, at the Conclufion of two or three honeft Stanzas, I was obliged to drop my Pen, and offer up, in the Room of it, a free Libation of the Tears of Joy to the God of Marriage. However, as it was not then in my Power to amufe you with any

Poetry

Poetry of my own Compofition, I shall now take the Liberty to fend you without any Apology an old Song, wrote above a hundred Years ago, upon a fimilar Occafion, by the happy Bridegroom himself. And tho' this old Song has been fo little heard of, and as yet introduced into no modern Collection, I dare venture to pronounce there is in it more genuine Poetry, eafy Turn of Thought, Elegance of Diction, Delicacy of Sentiment, Tendernefs of Heart, and natural Tafte for Happiness, than in all the Compofitions of this Sort, I ever read, in any Language. But as you and ARISTUS have the fame way of thinking as this happy Bard, he'll presently raise by Sympathy an Admirer in each of your Breafts, and it is unneceffary for me to bespeak your Favour any farther.

A SONG

A

ASON G.

I.

WAY, let nought to Love difpleafing,
My WINIFREDA, move thy Fear,

Let nought delay the heav'nly Blessing,
Nor fqueamish Pride, nor gloomy Care.

II.

What tho' no Grants of Royal Donors
With pompous Titles grace our Blood,
We'll fhine in more fubftantial Honours,
And to be noble we'll be good.

III.

What tho' from Fortune's lavish Bounty
No mighty Treasures we poffefs,
We'll find within our Pittance Plenty,
And be content without Excefs.

IV.

Still fhall each kind returning Seafon,
Sufficient for our Wishes give,

For we will live a Life of Reafon,
And that's the only Life to live.

V.

Our Name, whilft Virtue thus we tender,

Shall fweetly found where e'er 'tis fpoke,
And all the Great Ones much shall wonder,
How they admire fuch little Folk.
H

VI. Thro

VI.

Thro' Youth and Age in Love excelling,
We'll hand in hand together tread,

Sweet fmiling Peace fhall crown our Dwelling,
And Babes, fweet fmiling Babes our Bed.

VII.

How should I love the pretty Creatures,
Whilft round my Knees they fondly clung,
To fee 'em look their Mother's Features,
To hear 'em lifp their Mother's Tongue!

VIII.

And when with Envy Time transported
Shall think to rob us of our Joys,
You'll in your Girls again be courted,
And I go wooing in my Boys.

May all the Prophetic Feelings of future Joys contained in this Song fall to the Lot of you and yours! But above all, may fweet smiling Peace fpread her Olive Branches over your Door, and yourselves thofe other Olive Branches round your Table !-My Spirits have been very low of late, which I attribute to beholding fre

quently

quently fome Objects of Diftrefs about me. If therefore my Malady is owing either to corporeal or mental Sympathy, I don't know where I can find a furer Remedy than under the fame Roof with you and ARISTUS. So you may expect a Patient very foon. I am,