Within those walls, where thro’ the glimm’ring shade Appear the pamphlets in a mold’ring heap, Each in his narrow bed till morning laid, The peaceful fellows of the college sleep. The tinkling bell proclaiming early pray’rs, The noisy servants rattling o’er their head, The calls of business, and domestic cares, Ne’er rouse these sleepers from their downy bed. No chatt’ring females crowd their social fire, No dread have they of discord and of strife; Unknown the names of husband and of sire, Unfelt the plagues of matrimonial life. Oft have they bask’d along the sunny walls, Oft have the benches bow’d beneath their weight; How jocund are their looks when dinner calls! How smoke the cutlets on their crowded plate! O, let not Temp’rance too disdainful hear How long our feasts, how long our dinners, last: Nor let the fair with a contemptuous sneer, On these unmarry’d men reflections cast! The splendid fortune and the beauteous face (Themselves confess it, and their sires bemoan) Too soon are caught by scarlet and by lace: These sons of Science shine in black alone. Forgive, ye fair, th’ involuntary fault, If these no feats of gayety display, Where thro’ proud Ranelagh’s wide-echoing vault Melodious Frasi trills her quav’ring lay. Say, is the sword well suited to the band? Does broider’d coat agree with sable gown? Can Dresden’s laces shade a Churchman’s hand, Or Learning’s vot’ries ape the beaux of town? Perhaps in these time-tott’ring walls reside Some who were once the darlings of the fair; Some who of old could tastes and fashions guide, Controul the manager and awe the play’r. But Science now has fill’d their vacant mind With Rome’s rich spoils and Truth’s exalted views; Fir’d them with transports of a nobler kind, And bade them slight all females――but the Muse. Full many a lark, high tow’ring to the sky Unheard, unheeded, greets th’ approach of light; Full many a star, unseen by mortal eye, With twinkling lustre glimmers thro’ the night. Some future HERRING, that with dauntless breast Rebellion’s torrent shall, like him oppose; Some mute, some thoughtless HARDWICKE here may rest, Some PELHAM, dreadful to his country’s foes. From prince and people to command applause, ’Midst ermin’d peers to guide the high debate, To shield Britannia’s and Religion’s laws, And steer with steady course the helm of state Fate yet forbids; nor circumscribes alone Their growing virtues, but their crimes confines; Forbids in Freedom’s veil t’ insult the throne, Beneath her mask to hide the worst designs, To fill the madding crowd’s perverted mind, With “Pensions, Taxes, Marriages, and Jews;” Or shut the gates of Heav’n on lost mankind, And wrest their darling hopes, their future views.