And Scandal vengeance from a burgess dread; A pious friend, who with the ancient dame At sober cribbage takes an evening game; His cup beside him, through their play he quaffs, And oft renews, and innocently laughs; Or growing serious, to the text resorts, And from the Sunday-sermon makes reports; While all, with grateful glee, his wish attend, A grave protector and a powerful friend: But Slander says, who indistinctly sees, Once he was caught with Sylvia on his knees; - A cautious burgess with a careful wife To be so caught!--'tis false, upon my life. Next are a lower kind, yet not so low But they, among them, their distinctions know; And when a thriving landlord aims so high, As to exchange the Chequer for the Pye, Or from Duke William to the Dog repairs, He takes a finer coat and fiercer airs. Pleased with his power, the poor man loves to say What favourite Inn shall share his evening's pay; Where he shall sit the social hour, and lose His past day's labours and his next day's views. Our Seamen too have choice; one takes a trip In the warm cabin of his favourite Ship; And on the morrow in the humbler Boat He rows till fancy feels herself afloat; Can he the sign--Three Jolly Sailors--pass, Who hears a fiddle and who sees a lass? The Anchor too affords the seaman joys, In small smoked room, all clamour, crowd, and noise; Where a curved settle half surrounds the fire, Where fifty voices purl and punch require; They come for pleasure in their leisure hour, And they enjoy it to their utmost power; Standing they drink, they swearing smoke, while all Call, or make ready for a second call: There is no time for trifling--"Do ye see? We drink and drub the French extempore." See! round the room, on every beam and balk, Are mingled scrolls of hieroglyphic chalk; Yet nothing heeded--would one stroke suffice To blot out all, here honour is too nice, - "Let knavish landsmen think such dirty things, We're British tars, and British tars are kings." But the Green-Man shall I pass by unsung, Which mine own James upon his sign-post hung? His sign his image,--for he was once seen A squire's attendant, clad in keeper's green; Ere yet, with wages more and honour less, He stood behind me in a graver dress. James in an evil hour went forth to woo Young Juliet Hart, and was her Romeo: They'd seen the play, and thought it vastly sweet For two young lovers by the moon to meet; The nymph was gentle, of her favours free, E'en at a word--no Rosalind was she; Nor, like that other Juliet, tried his truth With--"Be thy purpose marriage, gentle youth?" But him received, and heard his tender tale, When sang the lark, and when the nightingale; So in few months the generous lass was seen I' the way that all the Capulets had been. Then first repentance seized the amorous man, And--shame on love!--he reason'd and he ran; The thoughtful Romeo trembled for his purse, And the sad sounds, "for better and for worse." Yet could the Lover not so far withdraw,