458 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1800. 



Quitting the cot's warm walls in filth to lie, 



Where the swine grunting yields up half his stye ; 



The damp night air her shiv'ring limbs assails ; 



In dreams she moans, and fancied wrongs bewails. 



When morning wakes, none earlier rous'd than she, 



When pendent drops fall glitt'ring from the tree ; 



But nought her rayless melancholy cheers, 



Or soothes her breast, or stops her streaming tears. 



Her matted locks unornr.mented flow ; 



Clasping her knees, and waving to and fro ; — 



Her head bow'd down, her faded cheek to hide — 



A piteous mourner by the pathway side. 



Some tufted molehill through the livelong day 



She calls her throne ; there weeps her life away : 



And oft the gaily-passing stranger stays 



His well-tim'd step, and takes a silent gaze, 



Till sympathetic drops unbidden start. 



And pangs quick springing muster round his heart; 



And soft he treads with other gazers round, 



And fain would catch her sorrow's plaintive sound : 



One word alone is all that strikes the ear, 



One short, pathetic, simple word, — " Oh dear! " 



A thousand times repeated to the wind, 



That wafts the sigh, but leaves the pang behind ! 



For ever of the proffer'd parley shy. 



She hears th' unwelcome foot advancing nigh ; 



Nor quite unconscious of her wretched plight, 



Gives one sad look, and hurries out of sight — 



Fair promis'd sunbeams of terrestrial bliss, 

 Health's gallant hopes, — and are ye sunk to this? 

 For in Life's road though thorns abundant grow, 

 There still are joys poor Poll can never know ; 

 Joys which the gay companions of her prime 

 Sip, as they drift along the stream of time ; 

 At eve to hear beside their tranquil home 

 The lifted latch, that speaks the lover come : 

 That love matur'd, next, playful on the knee, 

 To press the velvet lip of infancy ; 

 To stay the tottering step, the features trace ; — 

 Inestimable sweets of social peace ! 



