SINCE Adam enter'd on life's stage,

And wore his suit of green,

Thro' all the world from age to age,

What changes there have been.

When there was store of fruit at hand,
Ah! how had we been blest,

If they had left the apples stand,
And liv'd upon the rest.

But to their future fortune blind,

These thoughtless, silly souls

Betray'd their trust, and made mankind A pack of knaves and fools.

And, hitherto, no cure is found
To exterminate the curse;

Mankind, through all the world around,
Are rather growing worse.

Perhaps, to you it may appear,
Ere I my reasons shew,

That my dull pen is too severe

In censuring mortals so.

But let's examine well the case,

And our own faults confess;

If such a change could once take place,
Sure you would blame me less.

BLEST be those men who did their minds incline
To take the oppressive duty off from wine;

And those condemn'd to slavery and pain

Whoe'er attempt to set it on again.

Answer to this:-Ye arbitrary crew!

Was wine a blessing only made for you?

Weigh well these words—or else, perhaps, ere long,

You'll want a single drop to cool your tongue :

Which may you study to avert in time,

And shun the sentence for so foul a crime.

PRIDE.

MEN should contrive to cast aside

All selfish and unseemly pride,

Their neighbour's failings learn to hide,

And strive themselves to humble.

*R. E

For tho' a man may soar, and try
To rear his head above the sky;
When he's exalted up so high,

How far from thence to tumble.

Take not these humble lines amiss,
Nor treat them with disdainful hiss,

But candidly acknowledge this

'Pride is a hateful evil.'

Its advocates, say all they can,
Had better, far, reverse their plan;
Since pride was never made for man,

But only for the devil.

THE RACE.

A BANKER* on a sabbath day,

Retir'd from banking duty,

Omitted going to church, to pray;
As this my verse will shew t'ye.

s, Clerk, commonly called "The Banker."

Rather than in religious guise

He'd mix with saint and sinner,

He hop'd to win a better prize
By seeking out a dinner.

Willing, perhaps, to meet a friend

And hold a little chat.

But who the man can discommend?
Or where's the harm of that?

Straight mounted on his dapper mare,
A brisk and comely steed,

Had he propos'd to run a hare,

He couldn't make more speed.

For thirteen miles he made no stay,

But did the course endure,

And when arriv'd, he went straightway

To see his friend, the Brewer.

At such a house, we well may guess,

The dinner was not scant;

Nor was the gen'rous treatment less,

For nothing did he want.

(Here to describe the welcome feast

No longer let us dwell;

But rather let's proceed in haste,

The hum'rous tale to tell.

How shall I here my verse arrange,

The sequel to pursue;

To paint a scene so passing strange,

A scene so passing true.)

The visit paid, he needs but stop

To enter at "The Star:"

And there to quaff another drop

In parlour or at "Bar."

Brimful at length,-with liquor fir'd,

For home he did prepare,

The gen'rous host, as need requir'd, Help'd him upon his mare.

Being mounted, to renew his race

Our Banker made no stay;

But swift as lightning left the place,

And homeward bent his way.

N