To his esteemed Friend 



MR. ROBERT NOBBS, 



ON HIS 



BOOK OF TROLLING, 



JLJET proud Actseon chase the tim'rous hart, 

 And fair Diana pierce him with her dart ; 

 Let Pan the Satyrs and the Nymphs controul, 

 And briny Nereus on the billows roll ; 

 Whilst thou the brooks and silver streams dost greet, 

 Of Avon, Cham, Wetland, and Nine, that meet. 

 Thou dost not treat of that deformed race, 

 Which Neptune governs with his triple mace ; 

 Not of that monster in the ocean deep, 

 ^Which did in 's belly three days Jonah keep ; 

 Nor of the Orke that on Cephaean strand, 

 Bold Perseus slew with strong and mighty hand: 

 Nor of th' admirer of sweet harp, that bore 

 Arion safely on his back to the shore ; 

 Nor of that fish that bears a sword in *s snout, 

 Nor the fierce Thrasher that does fling about ; 

 Nor the Crocodile that weeps when he does wrong, 

 The Turbot, Sturgeon, or the Conger long: 

 These are the flock of Porteus' wat'ry fold, 

 And are too strong for slender lines to hold. 

 Thy recreation hath more easy been, 

 In rivers fresh adom'd with meadows green: 

 Checker'd with flowers, cloath'd in Ver's lively 

 Enamell'd round with Ftera's tapestry. 

 These are thy country pastimes and delights, 

 Proud of good luck when greedy Lupus bites; 

 And cross the stream thy slender line does draw, 

 ^Gorging thy gli&t'ning bait in's hungry maw; 



