ADream

adream

thoughts,words,anddeeds,thestatuteblameswithreason;

butsurelydreamswerene'erindictedtreason.

onreading,inthepublicpapers,thelaureate'sode,withtheotherparadeofjune4th,1786,theauthorwasnosoonerdroptasleep,thanheimaginedhimselftransportedtothebirth-daylevee:and,inhisdreamingfancy,madethefollowingaddress:

guid-mornin'toourmajesty!

mayheavenaugmentyourblisses

onev'rynewbirth-dayyesee,

ahumblepoetwishes.

mybardshiphere,atyourlevee

onsicadayasthisis,

issureanuncouthsighttosee,

amangthaebirth-daydresses

saefinethisday.

iseeye'recomplimentedthrang,

bymonyalordan'lady;

“godsavetheking”'sacuckoosang

that'suncoeasysaidaye:

thepoets,too,avenalgang,

wi'rhymesweel-turn'dan'ready,

wadgaryoutrowyene'erdowrang,

butayeunerringsteady,

onsicaday.

forme!beforeamonarch'sface

ev'nthereiwinnaflatter;

forneitherpension,post,norplace,

amiyourhumbledebtor:

so,naereflectiononyourgrace,

yourkingshiptobespatter;

there'smonywaurbeeno'therace,

andaiblinsanebeenbetter

thanyouthisday.

'tisverytrue,mysovereignking,

myskillmayweelbedoubted;

butfactsarechielsthatwinnading,

an'downabedisputed:

yourroyalnest,beneathyourwing,

ise'enrightreftandclouted,

andnowthethirdparto'thestring,

an'less,willgangabootit

thandidaeday.

farbe'tfraemethatiaspire

toblameyourlegislation,

orsay,yewisdomwant,orfire,

torulethismightynation:

butfaith!imuckledoubt,mysire,

ye'vetrustedministration

tochapswhainbarnorbyre

wadbetterfill'dtheirstation

thancourtsyonday.

andnowye'vegienauldbritainpeace,