Page:Trivia (John Gay) to which is added London (Samuel Johnson) (1809).djvu/61

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Now, man with utmost fortitude thy soul,
To cross the way where carts and coaches roll:170
Yet do not in thy hardy skill confide,
Nor rashly risk the kennel's spacious stride;
Stay till afar the distant wheel you hear,
Like dying thunder in the breaking air:
Thy foot will slide upon the miry stone,175
And passing coaches crush thy tortur'd bone,
Or wheels inclose the road; on either hand,
Pent round with perils, in the midst you stand,
And call for aid in vain; the coachman swears,
And carmen drive, unmindful of thy prayers.180
Where wilt thou turn? ah! whither wilt thou fly?
On ev'ry side the pressing spokes are nigh. . . . .
So sailors, while Charybdis' gulf they shun,
Amaz'd, on Scylla's craggy dangers run.
Be sure observe where brown Ostrea stands,185
Who boasts her shelly ware from Wallfleet sands;
There mayst thou pass, with safe unmiry feet,
Where the rais'd pavement leads athwart the street.
If where Fleet-ditch with muddy current flows
You chance to roam; where oyster-tubs in rows