‘While I in silence sate, revolving all! ‘That influence antient men, or that befall; ‘A gay pert guest--Heav’n knows his business--came; ‘A glorious Boy, he cried, and what the name? ‘Angry I growl’d; My spirit cease to tease, ‘Name it yourselves,--_Cain_, _Judas_, if you please, ‘His father’s give him, should you that explore, ‘The Devil’s or your’s:--I said, and sought the door. ‘My tender Partner not a word or sigh ‘Gives to my wrath, nor to my speech reply; ‘But takes her comforts, triumphs in my pain, ‘And looks undaunted for a Birth again.’-- Heirs thus denied afflict the pining heart, And thus afforded, jealous pangs impart; To prove these arrows of the giant’s hand, Are not for Man to stay or to command. Then with their Infants three, the Parents came, And each assign’d--‘twas all they had--a Name: Names of no mark or price; of them not one Shall court our view on the sepulchral stone; Or stop the Clerk, th’ engraven scrolls to spell, Or keep the Sexton from the sermon-bell. An Orphan Girl succeeds: ere she was born, Her Father died, her Mother on that morn; The pious Mistress of the School sustains Her Parents’ part, nor their affection feigns, But pitying feels: with due respect and joy, I trace the Matron at her lov’d employ; What time the striplings wearied ev’n with play, } Part at the closing of the Summer’s day, } And each by different path, returns the well-known way.} Then I behold her at her cottage-door, Frugal of light:--her Bible laid before, When on her double duty she proceeds, Of Time as frugal;--knitting as she reads: Her idle neighbours who approach to tell Of news or nothing, her grave looks compel, To hear reluctant,--while the lads who pass, In pure respect, walk silent on the grass; Then sinks the day, but not to rest she goes, Till solemn prayers the daily duties close.