Our Borough-seamen? Could the timid Muse
More patriot-ardour in their breasts infuse;
Or could she paint their merit or their skill,
She wants not love, alacrity, or will;

But needless all, that ardour is their own,

And for their deeds, themselves have made them known. Soldiers in arms! Defenders of our soil!

Who from destruction save us; who from spoil

Protect the sons of peace, who traffic, or who toil;
Would I could duly praise you; that each deed
Your foes might honour, and your friends might read:
This too is needless; you've imprinted well
Your powers, and told what I should feebly tell:
Beside, a Muse like mine, to satire prone,

Would fail in themes where there is praise alone.
-Law shall I sing, or what to Law belongs?
Alas! there may be danger in such songs;
A foolish rhyme, 'tis said, a trifling thing,
The law found treason, for it touch'd the king.
But kings have mercy, in these happy times,
Or surely one had suffer'd for his rhymes;
Our glorious Edwards and our Henrys bold,
So touch'd, had kept the reprobate in hold;
But he escaped,-nor fear, thank Heav'n, have I,
Who love my king, for such offence to die.
But I am taught the danger would be much,
If these poor lines should one attorney touch-

(One of those limbs of law who're always here;

The heads come down to guide them twice a year.)
I might not swing indeed, but he in sport

Would whip a rhymer on from court to court;
Stop him in each, and make him pay for all
The long proceedings in that dreaded Hall:—
Then let my numbers flow discreetly on,
Warn'd by the fate of luckless Coddrington*,
Lest some attorney (pardon me the name)
Should wound a poor solicitor for fame.

One man of law in George the Second's reign
Was all our frugal fathers would maintain;
He too was kept for forms; a man of peace,
To frame a contract, or to draw a lease:
He had a clerk, with whom he used to write
All the day long, with whom he drank at night;
Spare was his visage, moderate his bill,

And he so kind, men doubted of his skill.

Who thinks of this, with some amaezment sees,
For one so poor, three flourishing at ease;
Nay, one in splendour!—see that mansion tall,
That lofty door, the far-resounding hall;
Well-furnish'd rooms, plate shining on the board,

Gay liveried lads, and cellar proudly stored:

*The account of Coddrington occurs in " The Mirrour for Magistrates:" he suffered in the reign of Richard III.

Then say how comes it that such fortunes crown
These sons of strife, these terrors of the town?

Lo! that small office! there th' incautious guest
Goes blindfold in, and that maintains the rest;
There in his web, th' observant spider lies,
And peers about for fat intruding flies;
Doubtful at first, he hears the distant hum,
And feels them flutt'ring as they nearer come;
They buzz and blink, and doubtfully they tread
On the strong birdlime of the utmost thread;
But when they're once entangled by the gin,

With what an eager clasp he draws them in;
Nor shall they 'scape, till after long delay,

And all that sweetens life is drawn away.

"Nay, this," you cry, " is common-place, the tale "Of petty tradesmen o'er their evening-ale ; “There are who, living by the legal pen, "Are held in honour,- honourable men.'

Doubtless-there are who hold manorial courts, Or whom the trust of powerful friends supports; Or who, by labouring through a length of time, Have pick'd their way, unsullied by a crime. These are the few-in this, in every place, Fix the litigious rupture-stirring race; Who to contention as to trade are led,

To whom dispute and strife are bliss and bread.

There is a doubtful pauper, and we think
'Tis not with us to give him meat and drink ;
There is a child, and 'tis not mighty clear
Whether the mother lived with us a year:
A road's indicted, and our seniors doubt
If in our proper boundary or without :

But what says our attorney? He our friend

Tells us 'tis just and manly to contend.

"What! to a neighbouring parish yield your cause,

"While you have money,

and the nation laws?

"What! lose without a trial, that which tried,
"May-nay it must-be given on our side?
"All men of spirit would contend; such men
“Than lose a pound would rather hazard ten.
"What, be imposed on? No! a British soul

66

Despises imposition, hates control;

"The law is open; let them, if they dare,

"Support their cause; the Borough need not spare: "All I advise is vigour and good-will:

"Is it agreed then?-Shall I file a bill ?”

The trader, grazier, merchant, priest and all,

Whose sons aspiring, to professions call,

Choose from their lads some bold and subtle boy,
And judge him fitted for this grave employ :
Him a keen old practitioner admits,

To write five years and exercise his wits:

VOL. II.

H

The youth has heard-it is in fact his creed-
Mankind dispute, that lawyers may be fee'd:
Jails, bailiffs, writs, all terms and threats of law,
Grow now familiar as once top and taw;
Rage, hatred, fear, the mind's severer ills,
All bring employment, all augment his bills:
As feels the surgeon for the mangled limb,
The mangled mind is but a job for him;

Thus taught to think, these legal reasoners draw
Morals and maxims from their views of law;
They cease to judge by precepts taught in schools,
By man's plain sense, or by religious rules;
No! nor by law itself, in truth discern'd,
But as its statutes may be warp'd and turn'd:
How they should judge of man, his word and deed,
They in their books and not their bosoms read:
Of some good act you speak with just applause,
"No! no!" says he, " 'twould be a losing cause:"
Blame you some tyrant's deed?-he answers "Nay,
"He'll get a verdict; heed you what

you say." Thus to conclusions from examples led,

The heart resigns all judgment to the head;

Law, law alone for ever kept in view,

His measures guides, and rules his conscience too;

Of ten commandments, he confesses three

Are yet in force, and tells you which they be,