IMITATIONS

OF

ENGLISH POETS.

DONE BY THE AUTHOR IN HIS YOUTH.

AT the fuggeftion of the ingenious Dr. John Hoadly, Mr. Hawkins Brown wrote fix little poems, entitled, A Pipe of Tobacco, in imitation of fix late English poets, Cibber, Philips, Thomfon, Young, Pope, Swift. The fecond was written by Dr. Hoadly himself. The two beft of thefe imitations are that of Young and Pope, whofe manner is exactly characterized. Mr. Hawkins Brown, by his admirable Latin Poem on the Immortality of the Soul, fhewed he had a genius far above these pleasantries. Dr. Hoadly once fhewed me a new Rehearsal, being a comedy written by himself and his brother, the Author of the Sufpicious Husband, to ridicule feveral modern tragedies. I remember they were particularly fevere on the Saguntum of Frowde and the Sophonisba of Thomson.

IMITATIONS OF ENGLISH POETS.

I.

CHAUCER.

W

OMEN ben full of Ragerie,

Yet fwinken nat fans fecrefie.
Thilke moral fhall ye understond,
From schoole-boy's Tale of fayre Irelond
Which to the Fennes hath him betake,
To filche the gray Ducke fro the Lake.
Right then, there paffen by the way
His Aunt, and eke her Daughters tway.
Ducke in his Trowfes hath he hent,
Not to be spied of Ladies gent.
"But ho! our Nephew, (crieth one)
"Ho! quoth another, Cozen John;"
And stoppen, and lough, and callen out,-
This fely Clerk full low doth lout:

5

10

They afken that, and talken this,

15

"Lo here is Coz, and here is Mifs."

But, as he glozeth with Speeches foote,
The Ducke fore tickleth his Erfe roote:
Fore-piece and buttons all-to-brest,
Forth thrust a white neck, and red crest.

T 2

20

Te-he,