Thee best befits a lowly style;
Teach Dennis how to stir the guile;[32]
With Peggy Dixon[33] thoughtful sit,
Contriving for the pot and spit.
Take down thy proudly swelling sails,
And rub thy teeth and pare thy nails;
At nicely carving show thy wit;
But ne'er presume to eat a bit:
Turn every way thy watchful eye,
And every guest be sure to ply:
Let never at your board be known
An empty plate, except your own.
Be these thy arts;[34] nor higher aim
Than what befits a rural dame.
"But Cloacina, goddess bright,
Sleek----claims her as his right;
And Smedley,[35] flower of all divines,
Shall sing the Dean in Smedley's lines."
[Footnote 1: The Lady of Sir Arthur Acheson.]
[Footnote 2: A village near Sir Arthur Acheson's house where the author
passed two summers.--_Dublin Edition_.]
[Footnote 3: The names of two overseers.]
[Footnote 4: My lady's footman.]
[Footnote 4: Dr. Daniel, Dean of Down, who wrote several poems.]
[Footnote 5: The author preached but once while he was there.]
[Footnote 6: He sometimes used to direct the butler.]
[Footnote 7: The butler.]
[Footnote 8: He sometimes used to walk with the lady. See _ante_, p. 96.]
[Footnote 9: The neighbouring ladies were no great understanders of
raillery.
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