"He, cherish'd at a sumptuous board,
"Is logd'd and feasted like a lord;
"Fondled and by his master fed,

"With sweetest cakes and whitest bread;
"While after me the village runs,
"With pelting stones and popping guns;
"Forced by such barbarous sport to fly,
"A miserable wanderer I,

"In the more hospitable wood

"Pick, up and down, precarious food.
"Hard lot! alas, how different mine,
"Compared, thrice happy bird with thine!
Why, cruel fate, live I to rue

"I was not hatch'd a Bulfinch too!

The finch, in quite a well-bred way,
Heard what our Sparrow had to say,
And understood him, though at distance,
Without the interpreter's assistance.

Indeed a bird, not quite a fool,

Brought up in so polite a school,

Could not be thought in want of learning:
A word's enough to the discerning.
Not comprehend the vulgar folk!
Poh, comprehend! tis all a joke,

Smiling to find the awkward blunder
The foolish fellow labour'd under

He, pluming up his haughty crest,

The envious grumbler thus address'd:

"Sure my good friend, you're touch'd in brain, "To talk in this mistaken strain;

""Tis true there's something of a smattering "Of wit, in what you have been chattering; "But, chirp as smartly as you will, "Trust me you reason very ill; "And to be serious for a while, "In truth, your envy makes me smile. "What is there in this fine gilt cage "So much your fancy should engage? "These wires my prison bars, where I, "A splendid slave must live and die! "Go hence, content, and learn of me, "How vain the finery you see. "Forbear my joys true bliss to call:

"

Thy liberty is worth them all.”

THOMAS PENROSE.

1743-1779.

From this writer's Poem, that which has been most praised is selected. The author mistook inclination for power, and has luckily found Criticks, who have accepted the will for the deed.

MADNESS.

SWELL

WELL the clarion, sweep the string, Blow into rage the Muse's fires !

All thy answers, echo, bring,

Let wood and dale, let rock and valley ring,

'Tis Madness self inspires.

Hail, awful Madness, hail!

Thy realm extends, thy powers prevail, Far as the voyager spreads his venturous sail. Nor best nor wisest are exempt from thee; Folly Folly's only free.

Hark! To the astonish'd ear

The gale conveys a strange tumultuous sound.
They now approach, they now appear,-
Phrenzy leads her chorus near

And Demon's dance around.-
Pride-Ambition idly vain,

Revenge, and malice swell her train,

Devotion warp'd—Affection crost·
Hope in disappointment lost-

And injured merit, with a downcast eye,
Hurt by neglect, slow stalking heedless by.
Loud the shouts of madness rise
Various voices, various cries,

Mirth unmeaning-causeless moans,
Bursts of laughter-heart-felt groans

All seem to pierce the skies.—

In

Rough as the wintry wave, that wars
On Thule's desert shores,

Wild raving to the unfeeling air,
The fetter'd maniac foams along,

(Rage the burden of his jarring song)

rage he grinds his teeth, and rends his streaming hair.

No pleasing memory left-forgotten quite
All former scenes of dear delight,

Connubial love-parental joy

No sympathies like these his soul employ, -But all is dark within, all furious black despair.

Not so the love-lorn maid,

By too much tenderness betray'd,

Her gentle breast no angry passion fires,

But slighted vows possess, and fainting, soft

desires.

She yet retains her wonted flame,

All-but in reason, still the same.

Streaming eyes,

Incessant sighs.