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WRITTEN JANUARY FIRST, 1792.
1 TO-DAY old wrinkl'd Time appears;
2 A smile adorns his brow,
3 While to our list of fleeting years,
4 He adds the ninety-two.
5 Our fav'rite hopes, that swiftly glide,
6 Announce his steps too slow,
7 Lest Disappointment's hazy stride
8 Should ev'ry bliss o'erthrow.
9 He softly creeps along the way,
10 While we his progress watch:
11 He turns his back, vain our essay
12 His bald-pate then to catch.
13 On his right hand a lovely dame,
14 In robes of crimson hue;
15 Her eyes our admiration claim,
16 Her form attracts our view;
17 Distant her air, staid, sapient, mild,
18 A figure fine and tall;
19 By Wisdom own'd, her legal child,
20 Who did her Prudence call.
21 With vermil lips, in accents sweet,
22 Soft as that falling snow,
23 There words I heard the nymph repeat,
24 Address'd to all below:
25 "In Virtue's cause exert your pow'rs,
26 Let her your actions sway;
27 Employ with speed the passing hours,
28 Nor trust another day."
29 On his left hand, with tardy pace,
30 Here walks a maid forlorn;
31 Lank hunger painted on her face,
32 Her scanty raiment torn:
33 Rich Luxury her father deem'd,
34 Idle her dam confess'd;
35 In public by no man esteem'd,
36 In secret much caress'd.
37 With smirking smile, and speeches fair,
38 She does us kindly greet;
39 But sage Experience cries, "Beware!
40 She'll prove an arrant cheat."
41 This now the lazy warrior finds,
42 His sword with rust adorn'd;
43 Half plann'd as yet his dire designs,
44 His conquests unperform'd.
45 She'll spoil the politician's scheme,
46 The patriot's gen'rous toil;
47 For Sloth is the impostor's name,
48 O deign her not a smile.
49 She whisper'd in young Strephon's ear,
50 When Delia seem'd to frown,
51 That soon she'd change that look severe,
52 And all his wishes crown.
53 Lull'd in her soft, alluring chain,
54 His success did prevent;
55 Till Delia found an active swain,
56 And left him to lament.
57 Poor Chloe's comrade, air and late,
58 While pow'rs she had to charm;
59 Those gone, she feels the sad deceit,
60 And gives the loud alarm.
61 In vain each specious art she tries;
62 Vain the cosmetic aid:
63 She must be what all ranks despise,
64 An old forsaken maid.
65 Sloth, of society the pest,
66 Of ev'ry bliss the bane,
67 May we the latent ills detest,
68 Which form thy direful train.
69 Our helm let Prudence ever steer;
70 She'll shield us from the blast;
71 And ev'ry new, revolving year,
72 Remind us of our last.
73 Direct our course to yonder shore,
74 Where virtue ever reigns;
75 Where time and seasons are no more;
76 Where death is bound in chains.
77 Unvari'd there the blissful scene,
78 'Mid seraphims above,
79 All pure, all placid, and serene,
80 All harmony and love.
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About this text
Author: Janet Little (later Richmond)
Themes:
Genres:
occasional poem
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Source edition
Little, Janet, 1759-1813. The Poetical Works of Janet Little, the Scotch Milkmaid. Air: Printed by John & Peter Wilson, 1792, pp. [106]-110. (ESTC T126549) (Page images digitized from a copy in the Library of the University of California, Los Angeles.)
Editorial principles
Typography, spelling, capitalization, and punctuation have been cautiously modernized. The source of the text is given and all significant editorial interventions have been recorded in textual notes. This ECPA text has been edited to conform to the recommendations found in Level 5 of the Best Practices for TEI in Libraries version 4.0.0.
Other works by Janet Little (later Richmond)
- AN ACROSTIC UPON A YOUNG WOMAN, WRITTEN BY HER LOVER. ()
- ALCANZAR. ()
- ALMEDA AND FLAVIA. ()
- AMANDA: AN ELEGY ON THE DEATH OF MRS. —, PERSONATING HER HUSBAND. ()
- ANOTHER EPISTLE TO NELL. ()
- THE CAPTIVATED SOLDIER. ()
- CELIA AND HER LOOKING GLASS. ()
- COLIN AND ALEXIS. ()
- DAMON AND PHILANDER. ()
- THE ENVIED KISS. ()
- AN EPISTLE TO A LADY. November, 1789. ()
- AN EPISTLE TO MR. ROBERT BURNS. ()
- EPISTLE TO NELL, WROTE FROM LOUDOUN CASTLE. ()
- AN EXTEMPORARY ACROSTIC. ()
- THE FICKLE PAIR. ()
- FROM ALONZO TO DELIA. ()
- FROM DELIA TO ALONZO. ()
- FROM DELIA TO ALONZO. WHO HAD SENT HER A SLIGHTING EPISTLE. ()
- FROM FLAVIA TO CARLOS. ()
- FROM PHILANDER TO EUMENES. ()
- FROM SNIPE, A FAVOURITE DOG, TO HIS MASTER. May, 1791. ()
- GIVEN TO A LADY WHO ASKED ME TO WRITE A POEM. ()
- LOTHARIO. ()
- THE LOTTERY TICKET. ()
- LUCINA: AN ELEGY. ()
- THE MONTH'S LOVE. ()
- NELL'S ANSWER. ()
- ON A GENTLEMAN'S PROPOSING TO TRAVEL 300 MILES TO SEE J—. H—. ESQ.'S CHILD. ()
- ON A VISIT TO MR. BURNS. ()
- ON AN UNLOOKED-FOR SEPARATION FROM A FRIEND. ()
- ON HALLOWEEN. ()
- ON HAPPINESS. ()
- ON READING LADY MARY MONTAGUE AND MRS. ROWE'S LETTERS. ()
- ON SEEING MR. — BAKING CAKES. ()
- ON THE BIRTH OF J—. H—. ESQ.'S SON. NOVEMBER 15, 1790. ()
- ON THE DEATH OF J—. H—. ESQ. JUNE, 1790. ()
- ON THE SPRING. ()
- A POEM ON CONTENTMENT. INSCRIBED TO JANET NICOL, A POOR OLD WANDERING WOMAN, WHO LIVES BY THE WALL AT LOUDOUN AND USED SOMETIMES TO BE VISITED BY THE COUNTESS. ()
- THE RIVAL SWAINS. ()
- SYLVIA AND ARMEDA. ()
- TO A LADY WHO SENT THE AUTHOR SOME PAPER WITH A READING OF SILLAR'S POEMS. ()
- TO A LADY, A PATRONESS OF THE MUSES, ON HER RECOVERY FROM SICKNESS. ()
- TO A YOUNG MAN UNDER SENTENCE OF DEATH FOR FORGERY. FROM HIS MISTRESS. ()
- TO HOPE. ()
- TO MY AUNTY. ()
- TO NELL WHEN AT MOFFAT WELL. ()
- TO THE COUNTESS OF LOUDOUN. ()
- TO THE PUBLIC. ()
- THE UNFORTUNATE RAMBLER. ()
- UPON A YOUNG LADY'S BREAKING A LOOKING-GLASS. ()
- UPON A YOUNG LADY'S LEAVING LOUDOUN CASTLE. ()
- VERSES WRITTEN ON A FOREIGNER'S VISITING THE GRAVE OF A SWISS GENTLEMAN, BURIED AMONG THE DESCENDENTS OF SIR WILLIAM WALLACE, GUARDIAN OF SCOTLAND IN THE THIRTEENTH CENTURY. ()
- WILLIAM AND MARY. ()
- A YOUNG LADY'S LAMENTATION FOR THE LOSS OF HER SISTER BY MARRIAGE. ()
- THE YOUNG MAN'S RESOLUTION. ()