threats, Jonathan started up in a furious passion, and threw the tea-kettle at the old man's head. The choleric Bull was hereupon exceedingly enraged, and, after calling the poor lad an undutiful, ungrateful, rebellious rascal, seized him by the collar, and forthwith a furious scuffle ensued. This lasted a long time; for the squire, though in years, was a capital boxer, and of most excellent bottom. At last, however, Jonathan got him under, and before he would let him up made him sign a paper giving up all claim to the farms, and acknowledging the fee-simple to be in Jonathan for ever.

The Progress of Discontent.

[WRITTEN AT OXFORD IN 1746.]

WHEN, now mature in classic knowledge,
The joyful youth is sent to college,
His father comes, a vicar plain,
At Oxford bred-in Anna's reign,
And thus, in form of humble suitor,
Bowing accosts a reverend tutor :
"Sir, I'm a Glo'stershire divine,
And this my eldest son of nine;
My wife's ambition and my own
Was that this child should wear a gown;
I'll warrant that his good behaviour
Will justify your future favour;

And for his parts, to tell the truth,

My son's a very forward youth;

Has Horace all by heart-you'd wonder

And mouths out Homer's Greek like thunder.

If you'd examine-and admit him,

A scholarship would nicely fit him :
That he succeeds 'tis ten to one;

Your vote and interest, sir !”—'Tis done.

Our pupil's hopes, though twice defeated

Are with a scholarship completed;

A scholarship but half maintains,

And college rules are heavy chains :

T. WARTON,

In garret dark he smokes and puns,
A prey to discipline and duns;
And now intent on new designs,
Sighs for a fellowship-and fines.

When nine full tedious winters pass'd,
That utmost wish is crown'd at last :
But the rich prize no sooner got,
Again he quarrels with his lot;
"These fellowships are pretty things,
We live indeed like petty kings;
But who can bear to waste his whole age
Amid the dulness of a college,
Debarr'd the common joys of life,
And that prime bliss-a loving wife!
Oh! what's a table richly spread
Without a woman at its head?
Would some snug benefice but fall,
Ye feasts, ye dinners! farewell all!
To offices I'd bid adieu,

Of Dean, Vice-Pres.-of Bursar too;
Come joys, that rural quiet yields,

Come tithes, and house, and fruitful fields!"

Too fond of freedom and of ease,

A patron's vanity to please,

Long time he watches, and by stealth,
Each frail incumbent's doubtful health;
At length-and in his fortieth year,
A living drops-two hundred clear:
With breast elate beyond expression,
He hurries down to take possession,
With rapture views the sweet retreat-
What a convenient house! how neat!
For fuel here's sufficient wood:
Pray God the cellars may be good!
The garden—that must be new plann’d—
Shall these old-fashioned yew-trees stand?
O'er yonder vacant plot shall rise
The flowery shrub of thousand dyes :-
Yon wall, that feels the southern ray,
Shall blush with ruddy fruitage gay:
While thick beneath its aspect warm
O'er well-ranged hives the bees shall swarm,
From which, ere long, of golden gleam,

Metheglin's luscious juice shall stream.
Up yon green slope, of hazels trim,
An avenue so cool and dim,
Shall to an arbour, at the end,
In spite of gout, entice a friend.
My predecessor loved devotion-
But of a garden had no notion.

Continuing this fantastic farce on,
He now commences country parson.
To make his character entire,
He weds-a cousin of the 'squire;
Not over weighty in the purse,
But many doctors have done worse:
And though she boasts no charms divine,
Yet she can carve and make birch wine.

Thus fixt, content he taps his barrel,
Exhorts his neighbours not to quarrel;
Finds his churchwardens have discerning
Both in good liquor and good learning.
With tithes his barns replete he sees,
And chuckles o'er his surplice fees;
Studies to find out latent dues,
And regulates the state of pews;
Rides a sleek mare with purple housing,
To share the monthly club's carousing;
Of Oxford pranks facetious tells,
And-but on Sunday-hears no bells;
Sends presents of his choicest fruit,
And prunes himself each sapless shoot;
Plants cauliflowers, and boasts to rear
The earliest melons of the year;
Thinks alteration charming work is,
Keeps Bantam cocks, and feeds his turkeys;
Builds in his copse a fav'rite bench,

And stores the pond with carp and tench.

But ah! too soon his thoughtless breast
By cares domestic is opprest;
And a third butcher's bill, and brewing,
Threaten inevitable ruin:

For children fresh expenses yet,
And Dicky now for school is fit.
"Why did I sell my college life
(He cries) for benefice and wife?

Return, ye days! when endless pleasure
I found in reading, or in leisure;
When calm around the common room
I puff'd my daily pipe's perfume!
Rode for a stomach, and inspected
At annual bottlings, corks selected;
And dined untax'd, untroubled, under
The portrait of our pious founder!
When impositions were supplied
To light my pipe-or soothe my pride.
No cares were then for forward peas
A yearly-longing wife to please;
My thoughts no christening-dinners cross'd
No children cried for butter'd toast,
And every night I went to bed
Without a modus in my head!"

Oh! trifling head and fickle heart,
Chagrin'd at whatsoe'er thou art,
A dupe to follies yet untried,

And sick of pleasures, scarce enjoy'd!
Each prize possess'd, thy transport ceases.
And in pursuit alone it pleases.

Resolutions.

CONCERNING MY TALENTS.

BISHOP BEVERIDGE.

HAVING SO solemnly devoted myself to God, according to the covenant He hath made with me, and the duty I owe to Him; not only what I am, and what I do, but likewise what I have, is still to be improved for Him. And this I am bound to, not only upon a federal, but even a natural account; for whatsoever I have, I received from Him, and therefore all the reason in the world whatsoever I have should be improved for Him. For I look upon myself as having no other property in what I enjoy than a servant hath in what he is intrusted with to improve for his master's use: thus, though I should have ten thousand pounds a year, I should have no more of my own than if I had but two

pence in all the world. For it is only committed to my care for a season, to be employed and improved to the best advantage, and will be called for again at the grand audit, when I must answer for the use or abuse of it; so that, whatsoever in a civil sense I may call my own, that, in a spiritual sense, I must esteem as God's. And, therefore, it nearly concerns me to manage all the talents I am intrusted with as things I must give a strict account of at the day of judgment. As God bestows His mercies upon me, through the greatness of His love and affection; so am I to restore His mercies back again to Him by the holiness of my life and conversation. In a word, whatever I receive from His bounty, I must, some way or other, lay out for His glory, accounting nothing my own, any further than as I improve it for God's sake and the spiritual comfort of my own soul.

In order to this, I shall make it my endeavour, by the blessing of God, to put in practice the following resolutions :

RESOLUTION I.

Time, health, and parts, are three precious talents, generally bestowed upon men, but seldom improved for God. To go no further than myself, how much time and health have I enjoyed by God's grace: and how little of it have I laid out for His honour! On the contrary, how oft have I offended, affronted, and provoked Him even when He has been courting me with His favours, and daily pouring forth His benefits upon me! This, alas! is a sad truth, which, whensoever I seriously reflect upon, I cannot but acknowledge the continuance of my life as the greatest instance of God's mercy and goodness, as well as the greatest motive to my gratitude and obedience. In a due sense, therefore, of the vanities and follies of my younger years, I desire to take shame to myself for what is past, and do this morning humbly prostrate myself before the throne of grace, to implore God's pardon, and to make solemn promises and resolutions for the future, to cast off the works of darkness, and to put on the armour of light;" and not only so, but to redeem the precious minutes I have squandered away, by husbanding those that remain to the best