Not made with country sugar, for too strong
The flavors that to maple juice belong;
But foreign sugar, nicely mixed ‘to suit
The taste,’ spoils not the fragrance of the fruit.”
“'T is pretty good,” half-tasting, you reply,
“I scarce should know it from fresh blackberry.
But the best pleasure such a fruit can yield,
Is to be gathered in the open field;
If only as an article of food,
Cherry or crab-apple are quite as good;
And, for occasions of festivity,
West India sweetmeats you had better buy.”
Thus, such a dish of homely sweets as these
In neither way may chance the taste to please.
Yet try a little with the evening-bread;
Bring a good needle for the spool of thread;
Take fact with fiction, silver with the lead,
And, at the mint, you can get gold instead;
In fine, read me, even as you would be read.
