Page:The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, Volume 7.djvu/187

Rh That Stella was helping, abetting, and aiding; And still, as he writ, stood smiling and reading: That her eyes were as bright as myself at noonday, But her graceful black locks were all mingled with gray: And by the description I certainly know, 'Tis the nymph that I courted some ten years ago; Whom when I with the best of my talents endued On her promise of yielding, she acted the prude: That some verses were writ with felonious intent, Direct to the north, where I never yet went: That the letters appeared revers'd through the pane, But in Stella's bright eyes they were plac'd right again: Wherein she distinctly could read every line, And presently guess'd that the fancy was mine. She can swear to the person, whom oft she has seen At night between Cavan street and College green. Now you see why his verses so seldom are shown; The reason is plain, they are none of his own: And observe while you live, that no man is shy To discover the goods he came honestly by. If I light on a thought, he will certainly steal it, And, when he has got it, find ways to conceal it: Of all the fine things he keeps in the dark, There's scarce one in ten but what has my mark; And let them be seen by the world if he dare, I'll make it appear that they're all stolen ware. But as for the poem he writ on your sash, I think I have now got him under my lash; My sister transcrib'd it last night to his sorrow, And the publick shall see it, if I live till to morrow. Through the zodiack around, it shall quickly be spread In all parts of the globe where your language is read. He