[ J

JANUARY AND MAY,

^ 1 *HERE liv’d in Lombardy , as authors write,In days of old, a wife and worthy knight;

Of gentle manners, as of gen’rous race,

Bleft with much fenfe, more riches, and fome grace.

Yet led aftray by Venus’ foft delights;

5

He fcarce could rule fome idle appetites:

For long ago, let Prielts fay what they could,Weak finful laymen were but flelli and blood.

But in due time, when fixty years were o’er,He vow’d to lead this vitious life no more; 10Whether pure holinefs infpir’d his mind,

Or dotage turn’d his brain, is hard to find ;

NOTES.

January and MA\t] This tranllation was done at fixteen otfeventeen years of age.

In conformity to our author's own pra&ice, it has been thoughtproper to iofert a portion of the original of Chaucer , that the readermay form a judgment of Pope ’s many improvements and alterations •

IMITATIONS.

41 Whilom ther was dwelling in Lumbardit44 A worthy knight, that was born in Pa vie,

44 fn which he lived in gret profperitee j44 And fjxtv yere a wifles man was he,

44 Aud folwed ay his bodily delit44 On women, ther as was. his appetit;

41 As don thife fooles that been feculere.

44 Aud whan that he was pa£Ted fixty