"And she shall 'wake it now, Quæ Genus!
An instant contract's made between us.
I break that which she made with you,
And gladly you abjure it too.
I have no doubt, my friend, to venture;
Into my service you shall enter,
Your ills at present shall be o'er,
Miss-Fortune you shall serve no more.
At least, I say, while you contrive
By your good deeds with me to live:
I'll save you from your late disaster
And change your mistress for a master.
I want no bowings, no grimaces,
No blessings that I've chang'd your places.
—I now remind you to relate
All that has been your various fate,
Nay, all that you have ever known,
Since time and freedom were your own.
—I tell you, Johnny, speak the truth;
I know what follies wait on youth:
I know where erring passion leads,
On what a slipp'ry ground it treads:
I can remember that I fail'd
When the gay, tempting world prevail'd;
Nor shall I now the thought conceal,
Which reason tells me to reveal.
What Heaven forgives should be forgiven
By all who look with hope tow'rds Heaven: |
But I expect not faults alone,
I trust in what you may have done,
There may work out a little fun. | } |
—If I guess right your lively eye
Was not exactly made to cry,
But sometimes call forth pleasantry; | } |
Of diff'ring thoughts to ope the vein,
Let pleasure forth or lessen pain.
But still do not your mischiefs hide,
Throughout your tale, be truth your guide;
Nor make Miss-Fortune though she starves,
Worse, by the bye, than she deserves,
For after all her misdeeds past,
The Dame may do you good at last.
—Deceive me, and you will offend,
Deceive me, and you lose a friend:
Try to deceive me and again
You'll join Miss-Fortune's pale-fac'd train. |
Proceed then, and, without a fear,
Pour thy misdoings in my ear
And I will with indulgence hear. | } |
I'll not discard you for the evil,
Though you should prove a little devil,
Though to your hump you should not fail,
To add your horns and hoofs and tail;
Though you should prove a bag of sin,
And hump'd without be hump'd within,
Here you shall have your home, your food;
Kick at Miss-Fortune, and be good." |