Two excellent songs (1)/John of Badenyon

JOHN OF BADENYON,

WHEN firſt I came to be a man,
of twenty years or ſo,
I thought myſelf a handſome youth,
aud ſain, the wor'd would know.
In beſt attire I ſtept abroad
with ſpirits briſk and gay,
And here and there aud every-where,
was like a morn in May:
I had no care, nor fear or want,
but rambled up and down;
And for a beau I might have paſs’d
in country or in town:
I ſtill was pleas’d where’er I went,
aud when I was alone,
I tun’d my pipe and pleas’d myſelf
with John of Badenyou,

Now in the days of youthful prime,
a miſtreſs I muſt find;
For love, they ſay gives one an air,
and even improves the mind;
On Pryliss fair above the reſt,
kind fortune fix’d my eyes.
Her piercing beauty ſtruck my heart,
and l became net priſes,
To Cupid now with hearty pray'r
ſuffer d many a vow ,
And danc’d, and ſang, and ſwore,
as other lovers do:
But when l came to breathe my flame,
I found her cold as ſtone:
I left the jilt and turn’d my pipe
to John of Badenyon.

3 When love had thus my heart betray’d,
with fooliſh hopes and vain
To Friendſhip s port I ſteer’d my courſe,
and laugh’d at lovers’ pain:
A Friend I got. my lucky chance,
’twas ſomething like divine!
An honeſt friend’s a precious gift,
and ſuch a gift was mine :
And now whatever might betide!
a happy man was I
In any ſtrait, I knew to whom
I freely might apply:
A ſtrait ſoon came l try’d my friend,
he heard, and ſpurn’d my moan I
I turn’d away, and pleas’d myſelf
with John of Badenyon.

I thought I ſhould be wiſer next,
and would a Patriot turu,
Began to doat on Johnney Wilkes,
and cry up Parſon Horn:
Their manly courage I admir'd!
approv’d their noble ſeal,
Who had, with flaming tongue and pen,
maiurain’d the public wea:
But e'er a month or two was pait,
I found myſelf betray’d,
T'was ſelf and party after all,
for all the ſtir they made.
For when I ſaw the factious knaves
inſult the very throne.
I curs’d them all and turn'd my pipe
to John of Badenyon.

5 What to do next I mus’d a while,
ſtill hoping to ſecceed,
I pitch’d on books for company,
and gravely try’d to read;
I bought aud borrow’d every-where,
and ſtudied night and day,
Ne’er miſt what Dean or Doctor wrote,
that happen’d in my way,
Philosophy I now eſteem’d
the ornament of youth.
And carefully, thro’ many a page,
I hunted after truth;
Ten thouſaud various ſcheme I trs’d,
but yet was pleaſ’d with none
threw them by and ruin'd my pipe
to John of Badenyon.

And now ye youngſters every-where,
who want to make a ſhow,
Take heed in time nor vainly hope
for happineſs below;
What you may fancy pleaſure here,
is but an empty name.
For girls and friend and books alſo,
you’ll find them all the fame,
Then be advis’d and warning take,
from ſuch a man as me,
I’m neither Pope nor Cardinal,
I nor one of high degree;
You’ll find displeaſure every-where,
then do as I have done,
E’en tune your pipe and pleaſe yourſelf
with John of Badenyon.