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Where no regard of ordinances is shown
Or looked for now, the fault must be his own.
Some sneaking virtue lurks in him, no doubt,
Where neither ftrumpets' charms, nor drinking-
bout,

Nor gambling practices, can find it out.
Such youths of spirit, and that spirit too,

Ye nurseries of our boys, we owe to you:
Though from ourselves the mischief more proceeds,
For public schools 'tis public folly feeds.
The flaves of custom and established mode,
With pack-horse conftancy we keep the road,
Crooked or ftraight, through quags or thorny dells,
True to the jingling of our leader's bells.
To follow foolish precedents, and wink
With both our eyes, is easier than to think:
And such an age as our's baulks no expense,
Except of caution and of common-sense;
Elfe fure notorious fact and proof so plain
Would turn our steps into a wiser train.
I blame not thofe, who with what care they can
O'erwatch the numerous and unruly clan;

Or, if I blame, 'tis only that they dare
Promife a work, of which they must despair.

7

Have ye, ye fage intendants of the whole,
An ubiquarian presence and controul,
Elifha's eye, that when Gehazi strayed,

Went with him, and faw all the game he played? Yes-ye are conscious; and on all the shelves Your pupils ftrike upon, have ftruck yourselves. Or if by nature fober, ye had then,

Boys as ye were, the gravity of men;

Ye knew at least, by conftant proofs addressed
To ears and eyes, the vices of the rest.

But

ye connive at what ye cannot cure,
And evils, not to be endured, endure,
Left power exerted, but without fuccefs,
Should make the little ye retain ftill less.
Ye once were juftly famed for bringing forth
Undoubted fcholarship and genuine worth;
And in the firmament of fame ftill fhines
A glory, bright as that of all the figns,

Of poets raised by you, and statesmen, and di

vines.

}

Peace to them all! those brilliant times are fled, And no fuch lights are kindling in their stead. Our ftriplings fhine indeed, but with fuch rays, As fet the midnight riot in a blaze;

And feem, if judged by their expreffive looks,
Deeper in none than in their furgeons' books.

Say mufe, (for education made the fong, No mufe can hefitate or linger long) What causes move us, knowing as we must, That these menageries all fail their trust, To fend our fons to scout and scamper there, While colts and puppies cost us so much care?

Be it a weakness, it deserves fome praise, We love the play-place of our early days; The scene is touching, and the heart is stone, That feels not at that fight, and feels at none. The wall on which we tried our graving skill, The very name we carved fubfifting ftill; The bench on which we fat while deep employed, Tho' mangled,hacked,and hewed,not yet deftroyed: The little ones, unbuttoned, glowing hot, Playing our games, and on the very spot; As happy as we once, to kneel and draw The chalky ring, and knuckle down at taw; To pitch the ball into the grounded hat, Or drive it devious with a dexterous pat;

The pleasing spectacle at once excites
Such recollection of our own delights,

That viewing it, we feem almost to obtain
Our innocent fweet fimple years again.

This fond attachment to the well-known place,
Whence first we started into life's long race,
Maintains its hold with fuch unfailing fway,
We feel it ev'n in age, and at our latest day.
Hark! how the fire of chits, whofe future share
Of claffic food begins to be his care,

With his own likeness placed on either knee,
Indulges all a father's heart-felt glee;

And tells them, as he ftrokes their filver locks,
That they muft foon learn Latin, and to box;
Then turning he regales his liftening wife
With all the adventures of his early life;
His fkill in coachmanship, or in driving chaise,
In bilking tavern bills, and fpouting plays;
What shifts he used, detected in a scrape,
How he was flogged, or had the luck to escape;
What fums he loft at play, and how he fold
Watch, feals, and all-till all his pranks are told.
Retracing thus his frolics, ('tis a name

That palliates deeds of folly and of shame)

He gives the local bias all its fway;
Refolves that were he played his fons fhall play,
And deftines their bright genius to be shown
Juft in the scene, where he displayed his own.
The meek and bafhful boy will foon be taught,
To be as bold and forward as he ought;
The rude will scuffle through with ease enough,
Great schools fuit beft the fturdy and the rough.
Ah happy defignation, prudent choice,
The event is fure; expect it; and rejoice!
Soon fee your with fulfilled in either child,
The pert made perter, and the tame made wild.

The great indeed, by titles, riches, birth, Excused the incumbrance of more solid worth, Are beft difpofed of where with most fuccefs They may acquire that confident address, Those habits of profuse and lewd expenfe, That fcorn of all delights but those of sense, Which, though in plain plebeians we condemn, With fo much reafon all expect from them. But families of lefs illuftrious fame,

Whose chief distinction is their spotless name,

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