(As punctual to his word as the great ball
Which in the morn fulfils the promis’d boon,
Or as, at night, comes forth the gracious moon,
By God’s consent,) he took his pen and wrote
With dexterous hand the first momentous note;
For otherwise the moment would be lost
To catch, at the lodge-gate, the evening post:
’Tis done: and now along the turnpike main
The mail bears on the destiny of Jane.