LONDON:

GILBERT AND RIVINGTON, PRINTERS,

ST. JOHN'S SQUARE.

CONTENTS.

CANTO I.

ANSWER TO THE CHARGE OF EMPLOYING VERSE-

DEFENCE OF POETRY

CANTO II.

ANSWER TO THE CHARGE OF CHOOSING LIGHT SUB-

JECTS SUCH AS STREET PLAY

CANTO III.

PAGE

ANSWER TO THE CHARGE OF TREATING ON UNIM-

PORTANT MATTERS, SUCH AS OBSERVATIONS FROM

A ROADSIDE SEAT

CANTO IV.

ANSWER TO THE CHARGE OF BEING ROMANTIC-THE

VARIETY RESULTING FROM SUCH A DISPOSITION

EVIDENCED BY ROMANCE IN LIFE, AS WITNESSED

IN ONE DAY

CANTO V.

ANSWER TO THE CHARGE OF INTRODUCING LOVE-

ITS FORCE AND BEAUTY CONSIDERED

CANTO VI.

ANSWER TO THE CHARGE OF INTRODUCING FAITH

AND CATHOLICITY, BEING AN ATTEMPT TO SKETCH

A SUMMARY OF THE GOOD EFFECTS RESULTING

FROM BOTH

PAGE

120

FINALE.

VANITY OF ALL ELSE AND OF HUMAN WISHES GENE-

RALLY EXEMPLIFIED

140

THE EPILOGUE.

CANTO I.

DEFENCE OF POETRY.

"Tis ended-grave and mirthful, like the stage That would for both these moods your wants as

suage,

Beginning with the solemn and the grand,

To finish with what all can understand;

For, look you, this strange chequer'd life is such,
That pass what may we should not cry too much.
Protracted to such lengths has been our Play,
That few, I think, to hear the whole would stay.
Yet still would he who framed it venture now
To speak once more before his final bow.
In all leave-takings we are apt to stop
Too long before we bid the curtain drop;
So it will be; yet sigh or laugh again,

I hope there may be those who won't complain;
Although too grave for some, too light for others,
Oblivion soon this poor life's labour covers.

B