Page:Poems of Anne Countess of Winchilsea 1903.djvu/321

 COUNTESS OF WINCHILSEA ���183 ���Whilst these poor Fools of short, and bounded View, �Think 'twill be well, when you have set them down, And eas'd One of her Milk, the Other of her Gown. �But all the dreadful Butchers in a Row, To my far-searching Thoughts appear, �Who know indeed, we to the Shambles go, �Whilst I, whom none but Belzebub wou'd shear, Nor but his Dam wou'd milk, must for my Carcase fear. �But tell me then, will it prevent thy Fate? �The rude unpitying Farmer cries; If not, the Wretch who tastes his suff' rings late, �Not He, who thro' th'unhappy Future prys, Must of the Two be held most Fortunate and Wise. ���THE SHEPHERD AND THE CALM �Soothing his Passions with a warb'ling Sound, A Shepherd-Swain lay stretch'd upon the Ground; Whilst all were mov'd, who their Attention lent, Or with the Harmony in Chorus went, To something less than Joy, yet more than dull Content. (Between which two Extreams true Pleasure lies, O'er-run by Fools, unreach'd-at by the Wife) But yet, a fatal Prospect to the Sea Wou'd often draw his greedy Sight away. He saw the Barques unlading on the Shore, 10 �And guess' d their Wealth, then scorn' d his little Store. Then wou'd that Little lose, or else wou'd make it more. To Merchandize converted is the Fold, The Bag, the Bottle, and the Hurdles fold; The Dog was chang'd away, the pretty Skell Whom he had fed, and taught, and lov'd so well. In vain the Phillis wept, which heretofore ��� �