Had robb'd some widow of her right,

And, by his cutting and his carving,

Had got the house—and left her starving.

"Oft I my loss, in secret, wept,
And when my eyelids should have slept,
Nay, when those eyelids should have clos'd
And I in strength'ning sleep repos'd,
They remain'd wakeful oft and shed
Their dews upon my troubled bed.
Though Master Gripe-all, it was known
Shew'd me a kindness not his own;
And did with all indulgence treat me,
As the best means, at length, to cheat me.
He strove my early grief to soothe,
Call'd me his dear, delightful youth;
Gave me a pretty horse to ride,
With money in my purse beside;
Let me employ the taylor's art
To deck me out and make me smart,
Let me just study when I pleas'd,
Nor e'er my mind with learning teas'd.
But still a gnawing discontent
Prey'd on me wheresoe'er I went.
—Of Phillis too I was bereft,
One real pleasure that was left:
A fav'rite spaniel of my friend,
That did on all my steps attend,
At eve was frisking, fond and gay,
But on the sad succeeding day,
A poison'd, swollen form it lay.		}
It might be chance, but while I griev'd,
The following letter I received,
Which was thrown o'er a hedge the while
I sat half weeping on a stile.
The writer I could never tell;
But he who wrote it meant me well;
And I've no doubt that it contain'd
The thoughts which through the country reign'd."

Letter.

"I'm a poor man, but yet can spell,
And I lov'd Madam Syntax well:
—But I've a sorry tale to tell.		}
Young 'Squire you're in the Devil's hands,
Or one who yields to his commands,
And who, I'm certain, would be bold
In bloody deeds, if 'tis for gold.
Halters he fears, but the base wretch
Fears no one mortal but Jack Ketch:
Yet what with quirks and such like flaws,
He can contrive to cheat the laws:
Though Madam's hand the will might sign,
It is no more her will than mine.
Some say, as she lay on her bed,
The deed was sign'd when she was dead,
And I've heard some one say, whose name
I must not give to common fame,
He'd lay ten pounds and say, 'have done,'
You liv'd not on to twenty-one;
And if you die before, 'tis known,
That Madam's money's all his own.
Nay, how he did the will compose,
'Tis Beelzebub alone who knows!
He in a lonely mansion lives,
But there the cunning villain thrives:
Yes, he gets on, as it appears,
By setting people by the ears:
Though I have heard Nan Midwife say,
Who sometimes travels late that way,
That 'neath the yew, near the house wall,
Where the dark ivy's seen to crawl,
A cat she once saw which was half
As big as any full-grown calf,
And with her tail beat down the bushes,
As if they were but slender rushes;
Has often felt sulphureous steam,
And seen bright lines of lightning gleam.
These things the good, old woman, swears
She sometimes smells and sees and hears,
While thus all trembling with affright,
She scarce can get her bald mare by't.
—Run off, young 'Squire, for much I fear
You'll be cut off, if you stay here.
My service thus I do commend,
From, Sir, your very humble friend:
And hope you will take in good part,
What comes from poor but honest heart!"

"This plain epistle told no more

Than had been hinted at before;

But though I was too bold to fear

That danger of such kind was near,