A converfa

tion.

24. Here Price ended his remarkable story, and, according to our agreement, I began to relate what happened to me from the time we parted at fchool, and concluded with informing him, that I was going in fearch of Charles Turner, my near friend, when fortune brought me to his houfe; that this gentleman lived fomewhere towards the confines of Cumberland and the North-riding of Yorkshire; but where the spot was, I could not tell; nor did I know well how to go on, as the country before me seemed unpassable, on account of its mountains, precipices, and floods: I muft try, however, what can be done; not only in regard to this gentleman, but because I have reason to think it may be very much to my advantage, as he is very rich, and the most generous of men. If he is to be found, I know I fhall be welcome to share in his happiness as long as I please; nor will it be any weight to him. Price to this replied, that I was most heartily welcome to him as long as I pleased to ftay, and that tho' he was far from being a rich man, yet he had every day enough for himself and one more; and his Martha, he was fure, would be as well pleased with my company, as if I had been his own brother, fince fhe knew I was his esteemed friend. -In respect of the way, he faid he would

enable

-This

enable me to find Mr. Turner, if he could, but the country was difficult to travel, and he doubted very much if one could go to the extremity of Cumberland or Yorkshire over the hills; but we would try, however, and, if it was poffible, find out Mr. Turner's houfe. Yet folely with him I must not stay, if he could be feen. I must live between both, till I got fome Northern girl, and had a wife and habitation of my own; and there is (continued Price) not many miles from me, a fweet pretty lafs, the daughter of a gentleman farmer, who is a very good man, and would, I believe, upon my recommendation, give you his girl, and a sum of money, to fit down on thofe hills.is vaftly kind, Jack, I answering, said, and what I fhall gratefully remember fo long as I live. I may ride many a mile, I am fure, and be an adventurer many a long day, before I meet with fuch offers again. Your fweetly fituated house and good things, with a fine Northern girl and money down, are benefits not to be met with every day.-But at present the object I must purfue, is my univerfity friend, Charles Turner; and if you pleafe to do me the great favour of guiding me fo far as you can over this wild, uninhabited land, after I have ftaid with you, for the first time, two or three days, and promise to abide many more hereafter, if it

be in my power, we will fet out in quest of what I want. As you will, my friend, Price replied; and for the prefent, let us be gay. Here comes my beloved, with a little bowl of punch; and as fhe fings extremely well, and you have not forgot, I fancy, our old fong, we will have it over our nectar. You fhall represent Janus and Momus, and I will be Chronos and Mars, and my wife Diana and Venus. Let us take a glass first-the liberties of the world-and then do you begin. We drank, and in the following manner I went on.

A SON G.

JANUS.

25. Chronos, Chronos, mend thy pace, An hundred times the rolling fun Around the radiant belt has run,

In his revolving race.

Behold, behold the goal in fight,
Spread thy fans, and wing thy flight.

CHRONOS.

Weary, weary of my weight,

Let me, let me drop my freight,
And leave the world behind.

I could not bear

MOMUS.

Ha! ha ha! ha ha! ha! well haft thou done,
To lay down thy pack,
And lighten thy back.

The world was a fool e'er fince it begun;
And fince neither Janus, nor Chronos, nor I,
Can hinder the crimes,

Or mend the bad times,

'Tis better to laugh than to cry.

CHORUS.

'Tis better to laugh than to cry.

JANUS.

Since Momus comes to laugh below,
Old Time begin the fhow!

That he may fee, in every fcene,
What changes in this age have been;

CHRONOS.

Then goddess of the filver bow begin!

DIANA.

With horns and with hounds I awaken the day,
And hye to my woodland-walks away;
I tuck up my robe, and am bufkin'd foon,
And tye to my forehead a waxing moon;
I course the fleet ftag, and unkennel the fox,
And chase the wild goats o'er fummits of rocks,
With fhouting and hooting we pierce thro' the fky;
And Echo turns hunter, and doubles the cry.

CHORUS.

With fhouting and hooting we pierce thro' the sky, And Echo turns hunter, and doubles the cry.

Then

JANUS.

Then our age was in its prime,

CHRONOS.

Free from rage,

DIANA.

And free from crime.

MOMUS.

A very merry, dancing, drinking,
Laughing, quaffing, and unthinking time.

CHORUS.

Then our age was in its prime,
Free from rage, and free from crime.
A very merry, dancing, drinking,
Laughing, quaffing, and unthinking time.

MARS,

Inspire the vocal brass, inspire;
The world is paft its infant age:
Arms and honour,

Arms and honour,

Set the martial mind on fire,
And kindle manly rage.

Mars has look'd the fky to red,
And Peace, the lazy good, is fled.
Plenty, peace, and pleasure fly;