The  jack  would  not  be  left  alone  ;
But,  up  against  the  steeple  rear'd,
Beoune  a  clock,  and  still  adhered  ;
And  still  its  love  to  household  cares,  1
By  a  shrill  voice  at  noon,  declares.
Warning  the  oookmaid  not  to  bum
That  roast-meat  which  it  cannot  turn.
The  groaning-chair  began  to  crawl.
Like  a  huge  snail,  along  the  wall ;
There  stuck  aloft  in  public  view.
And,  with  small  change,  a  pulpit  grew.
The  porringers,  that  in  a  row
Hung  high,  and  made  a  glittering  show,
To  a  less  noble  substance  changed.
Were  now  but  leathern  buckets  ranged.
The  ballads,  pasted  on  the  wall.
Of  Joan  of  France,  and  English  Moll,
Fair  Rosamond,  and  Robin  Hood,
The  Little  Children  in  the  Wood,
Now  seem'd  to  look  abundance  better.
Improved  in  picture,  size,  and  letter ;
And,  high  in  order  placed,  describe
The  heraldry  of  every  tribe.
A  bedstead  of  the  anUque  mode.
Compact  of  timber  many  a  load,
Such  as  our  ancestors  did  use.
Was  metamorphosed  into  pews  ;
Which  still  their  ancient  nature  keep
By  lodging  folks  disposed  to  sleep.
The  cottage  by  such  feats  as  these
Grown  to  a  church  by  just  degrees.
The  hermits  then  decdi^d  their  host
To  ask  for  what  he  fancied  most.
Philemon,  having  paused  a  while,^
Return^  them  thanks  in  homely  style  :
Then  said,  My  house  is  grown  so  fine,
Methinks  I  still  would  call  it  mine  ;
I'm  old,  and  (ain  would  live  at  ease  ;
Make  me  the  parson,  if  you  please.
He  spoke,  and  presently  he  feels
His  grazier's  coat  fall  down  his  heels  :
He  sees,  yet  hardly  can  believe,
About  each  arm  a  pudding-sleeve  ;


His  waistcoat  to  a  cassock  grew.
