Poems

by George Crabbe

ARGUMENT.

Previous Consideration necessary: yet not too long Delay.—Imprudent Marriage of Old Kirk and his Servant.—Comparison between an antient and youthful Partner to a Young Man.—Prudence of Donald the Gardener.—Parish Wedding: the compelled Bridegroom: Day of Marriage, how spent.—Relation of the Accomplishments of Phœbe Dawson, a Rustic Beauty: her Lover: his Courtship: their Marriage.—Misery of Precipitation.—The Wealthy Couple: Reluctance in the Husband; why?—Unusually fair Signatures in the Register: the common Kind.—Seduction of Bridget Dawdle by Footman Daniel: her Rustic Lover: her Return to him.—An Antient Couple; Comparisons on the occasion.—More pleasant View of Village Matrimony: Farmers celebrating the Day of Marriage; their Wives.—Reuben and Rachel an happy Pair: an Example of Prudent Delay.—Reflections on their State who were not so prudent, and its Improvement towards the Termination of Life: an Old Man so circumstanced.—Attempt to seduce a Village Beauty: Persuasion and Reply: the Event.

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THE
PARISH REGISTER.

PART II.
Marriages.

Nubere si quà voles, quamvis properabitis ambo,
Differ; habent parvæ commoda magna moræ.
Ovid. Fast. lib. 3.

Dispos’d to wed, ev’n while you hasten, stay;
There’s great Advantage in a small Delay:
Thus Ovid sang, and much the Wise approve
This prudent Maxim of the Priest of Love:
If Poor, Delay for future Want prepares
And eases humble Life of half its Cares;
If Rich, Delay shall brace the thoughtful Mind,
T’ endure the Ills that ev’n the happiest find:
Delay shall Knowledge yield on either part,
And shew the Value of the vanquish’d Heart:
The Humours, Passions, Merits, Failings prove,
And gently raise the Veil that’s worn by Love;
Love, that impatient Guide!—too proud to think
Of vulgar Wants, of Clothing, Meat and Drink,
Urges our amorous Swains their Joys to seize,
And then at Rags and Hunger, frighten’d flees:
Yet not too long in cold Debate remain,
Till Age, refrain not—but if Old, refrain.

By no such Rule, would Gaffer Kirk be tied;}
First in the Year he led a blooming Bride, }
And stood a wither’d Elder at her side. }
Oh! Nathan! Nathan! at thy years, trepann’d,
To take a wanton Harlot by the hand!
Thou, who wert us’d so tartly to express
Thy sense of Matrimonial Happiness,
Till every Youth, whose Banns at Church were read,
Strove not to meet, or meeting, hung his head;
And every Lass forbore at thee to look,
A sly old Fish, too cunning for the Hook;—
And now at Sixty, that pert Dame to see,
Of all thy Savings Mistress, and of Thee;
Now will the Lads, rememb’ring insults past,
Cry, “What, the Wise-one in the trap at last!”
Fie! Nathan, fie! to let an artful Jade,
The close recesses of thine Heart invade;
What grievous pangs! what suffering she’ll impart,
And fill with anguish that rebellious Heart;
For thou wilt strive incessantly, in vain,
By threat’ning Speech, thy Freedom to regain;
But she for Conquest married, nor will prove
A Dupe to Thee, thine Anger or thy Love;
Clamorous her Tongue will be;—of either Sex,
She’ll gather friends around thee and perplex
Thy doubtful Soul;—thy Money she will waste,
In costly Frippery cull’d with vulgar taste;
And will be happy to exert her power,
In every Eye, in thine, at every hour.
Then wilt thou bluster—“No! thou wilt not rest,
“And see consum’d each Shilling of thy Chest:”
Thou wilt be valiant,—“when her Cousins call,
“Thou wilt abuse and shut thy door on all:”
Thou wilt be cruel!—“what the Law allows,
“That be thy Portion, my ungrateful Spouse!
“Nor other Shillings shalt thou then receive, }
“And when I die”——“what! may I this believe? }
“Are these true tender tears? and does my Kitty grieve?}
“Ah! crafty vixen, thine Old Man has fears;
“But weep no more! I’m melted by thy tears;
“Spare but my Money, thou shall rule ME still,
“And see thy Cousins—— there! I burn the Will.”—
Thus with Example sad, our Year began,
A wanton Vixen and a weary Man;
“But had this Tale in other guise been told,”
Young let the Lover be, the Lady old,
And that Disparity of Years shall prove
No bane of Peace, although some bar to Love:
’Tis not the worst, our Nuptial Ties among,
That joins the Antient Bride and Bridegroom Young;—
Young Wives, like changing Winds, their power display,
By shifting Points and varying day by day;
Now Zephyrs mild, now Whirlwinds in their force,
They sometimes speed, but often thwart our Course:
And much experienc’d should that Pilot be,
Who sails with them on Life’s tempestuous Sea:
But like a Trade-Wind is the Antient Dame,
Mild to your wish and every day the same;
Steady as Time, no sudden Squalls you fear,
But set full-sail and with assurance steer;
Till every Danger in your way be past,
And then she gently, mildly breathes her last;
Rich you arrive, in Port awhile remain,
And for a second Venture sail again.

For this, blithe Donald southward made his way,
And left the Lasses on the Banks of Tay;
Him to a neighbouring Garden Fortune sent,
Whom we beheld, aspiringly content:
Patient and mild he sought the Dame to please,
Who rul’d the Kitchen and who bore the Keys;
Fair Lucy first, the Laundry’s Grace and Pride,
With smiles and gracious looks, her Fortune tried;
But all in vain she prais’d his “pawky Eyne,”
Where never fondness was for Lucy seen;
Him the mild Susan, boast of Dairies, lov’d,
And found him civil, cautious, and unmov’d;
From many a fragrant Simple, Catharine’s skill,
Drew Oil, and Essence from the boiling Still;
But not her Warmth, nor all her winning Ways,
From his cool phlegm could Donald’s spirit raise;
Of Beauty heedless, with the Merry mute,
To Mistress Dobson he preferr’d his suit;
There prov’d his Service, there address’d his Vows,
And saw her Mistress,—Friend,—Protectress,—Spouse:
A Butler now, he thanks his powerful Bride,
And like her Keys keeps constant at her side.