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TUNBRIDGE WELLS. |
217 |
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If with things here below we compare things on high, The walks are like yonder bright path in the sky, Where heavenly bodies in such clusters mingle As makes it invidious their graces to single. See the charms of her sex unite in Miss K-ll-y ; If ever you've seen her, permit me to tell ye, Descriptions are needless; for, after to you No beauty, no graces can ever be new.
But when to their gaming the ladies withdraw, Those beauties are fled which when walking you saw; Most ungrateful the scene which there is display'd, Chance murd'ring the features which heaven had made. If the Fair Ones their charms did sufficiently prize, Their elbows they'd spare for the sake of their eyes ; And the men too—what work ! 'tis enough, in good faith is't, Of the nonsense of chance to convince any Ath'ist.
But now it is proper to bid my friend " vale," Lest we tire you too long with our Tunbridgiale :
notwithstanding, picturesque and interesting. The High Rocks are about sixty feet in height. On one known as the Bell Rock is inscribed the following quatrain : —
" This scratch I made that you may know On this rock lyes ye beauteous Bow ; Reader, this lock is the Bow's bell, Strike't with thy stick, and ring his knell."
And the visitors rarely fail to elicit a metallic sound from the rock, and thus perpetuate the memory of tbe unfortunate lap-dog lost in the fissure of the rock in 1702. One other rock furnishes this brief sermon in stone :—
" Infidel! who with thy finite wisdom, Would'st grasp things infinite, and dost A scoffer of God's holiest mysteries ; become, Behold this rock, then tremble and rejoice ; Tremble ! for He who formed the mighty mass, Could, in His Justice, crush thee where thou art. Rejoice ! that still His mercy spares thee." March 21st, 1831. J. Phippen.
Here the orthodoxy of the scribe is more evident than his poetic genius. |
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