POEMS ON Several Subjects: WRITTEN BY STEPHEN DUCK, LATELY A POOR THRESHER IN THE COUNTY OF WILTS, AT THE WAGES OF FOUR SHILLINGS AND SIX PENCE PER WEEK.
Which were publicly read in the drawing room at Windsor Castle, on Friday the 11th of September, 1730, to her Majesty Queen Caroline—Who was thereupon pleased to take the Author into her protection.
TO WHICH IS ADDD, THE WOMAN's LABOUR: AN EPISTLE TO STEPHEN DUCK; IN ANSWER TO HIS POEM, CALLED THE THRESHER LABOUR: TOGETHER WITH THE THREE WISE SENTENCES, TAKEN FROM ESDRAS, CH. III. AND IV.
By MARY COLLIER, a Washer-Woman.
CORK, PRINTED—PHILADELPHIA: RE-PRINTED AND SOLD BY WILLIAM GIBBONS NO. 144, NORTH THIRD STREET. 1793.
THE AUTHOR's LIFE.
STEPHEN DUCK, the Author of the following Poems, was born in the year 1705, near the seat of Peter Bathurst, Esq at Clarendon Park, in the county of Wilts, of parents remarkable only for their honesty and industry. However, we find he had some small share of reading and writing bestowed on him, with very little or no grammar: For before he had reached his syntaxis, his mother had a very notable complaint exhibited against him by his Schoolmaster, viz. That he took his Learning too fast, even faster than the master could give it him. So that the prudent parent, to prevent so growing an evil, removed her son from School to the Plough, lest he might become too fine a gentleman for the family that produced him.
The seeds of learning being once sowed in our young plowman, there was no possibility of weeding them out: for the labour of his mind generally accompanied that of his body. Milton was his constant companion in the field and the barn: He had likewise made himself master of a set of the Spectators, and Bailey's English Dictionary. Our Author, thus equipped, ascends the Hill of Parnassus.
The courteous reader must be informed that our Poet is to be unhappily numbered amongst those men, whose learning and fine parts are not able to give their yokemates that satisfaction and content, which a weak mind with a vigorous constitution is generally apt to do. However, he has had three children born to him in wedlock; at the christening of the last child, one of the good women happened to blab it out to the reverend gentleman who performed the ceremony, That Mr. Duck was a man of great learning, and had wit enough to be a parson; for that he could make verses like any man, and as good as ever she heard in her life. Upon the recommendation of this wise woman, the doctor who is a dignified person in the University of Oxford, had some discourse with Mr. Duck, and gave him a theme, with some directions for the improvement of his genius: But when Mr. Duck had finished his Verses, and presented them to him for his approbation, the Doctor recommended them to the [Page iv] flames. This was a most cruel discouragement; so that for a long time after he was almost out of conceit with himself, and went on writing and burning, and his wife continually scolding, because he neglected his labour: And when he was scanning his lines, she would oftentimes run out and raise the whole neighbourhood, telling the people, That her Husband dealt with the Devil, and was going mad because he did nothing all day but talk to himself, and tell his Fingers.
But mangre this ill situation of his poetical affairs, his fame at length began to rouse the Wits of Wiltshire to some consideration of him, and he was admitted to the tables of a great many worthy gentlemen. He now wrote his Poem called the Shunamite, that on Poverty, and the Thresher's Labour; which were handed about the country with great applause, in manuscript. A copy was sent to the Right Honourable the Earl of Tankerville at Windsor, where the Honourable Mrs. Clayton, of her Majesty's Bed-chamber, happening to see it, that Lady immediately presented it to the Queen: The Verses became in much reputation at Court by all judges of Poetry; and the Author was then sent for to Windsor, where her Majesty was graciously pleased to declare, she would allow him Thirty Guineas a year, and a little House at Richmond, till he should be better provided for.
He was asked by a Noble Earl to write upon the Sun, but said, That as he had no true knowledge, nor had read any thing of the nature of that great Luminary, he was at present uncapable of such a task. He has read Milton with such attention, (whom he esteems the first of the English Poets) that he can repeat the whole book by heart. The Spectators, he says, were of singular use to him, and Bailey's English Dictionary instructed him in the signification of all words which he thought uncouth. He gave such answers as were entirely satisfactory to those who might have any suspicion that the Poems were wrote by some other person; and as he readily accounted for every thing that seemed extraordinary, it is demonstrable he walks in no other Stilts than those of his own Genius, which has justly rendered him the admiration of the present age.
Poems on Several Subjects.
THE SHUNAMITE.
THE THRESHER's LABOUR.
ON POVERTY.
The following ingenious Pieces, we hope will not be thought improperly placed here.
ON STEPHEN DUCK.
To Stephen Duck, on his late preferment by Her Majesty.
THE WOMAN's LABOUR: AN EPISTLE TO STEPHEN DUCK: In answer to his POEM called, The THRESHER's LABOUR.
TO WHICH IS ADDED THE THREE WISE SENTENCES, TAKEN FROM ESDRAS, CH. III. AND IV.
Written by, MARY COLLIER, a WASHER WOMAN, At Petersfield in Hampshire.
ADVERTISEMENT.
IT is thought proper to assure the Readers, that the following Verses are really the productions of the Person to whom the Title-page ascribes them.
Tho' She pretends not to the Genius of Mr. DUCK, nor hopes to be taken notice of by the Great, yet her Friends are of opinion that the Novelty of a Washer-Women's turning Poetess, will procure her some Readers.
If all that follow the same employment would amuse themselves, and one another, during the tedious hours of their Labour, in this, or some other way as innocent, instead of tossing Scandal to and fro, many reputations would remain unwounded, and the peace of families be lese disturbed.
I think it no reproach to the Author, whose Life is toilsome, and her Wages inconsiderably, to confess honestly, that the view of her putting a small Sum of Money in her Pocket, as well as the Reader's Entertainment, had its share of influence upon this Publication. And she humbly hopes she shall not be absolutely disappointed; since, though she is ready to own that her performance could by no means stand a critical examination, yet she flatters herself that, with all its faults and imperfections, the candid Reader will judge it to be something considerably beyond the common capacity of those of her own rank and occupation.
THE WOMAN's LABOUR. TO MR. STEPHEN DUCK.
The THREE WISE SENTENCES.
We whose Names are hereunto subscribed, being Inhabitants of the Borough of Petersfield, in the County of Southampton, do hereby certify that we know Mary Collier, the Washer-woman of Petersfield, and that she is really the author of an Epistle to Stephen Duck, called the Woman's Labour; and also of (a Paraphrase on the third and fourth Chapters of Esdras, called) The Three Wise Sentences, therewith published. Signed by us at Petersfield, September 21, 1739.
- A. Matthew John Clement, Esq
- Edw. Rookes, Esq
- Charles Eades.
- Thomas Stilwell.
- Thomas Bradly.
- John Shackleford, Esq
- Thomas Swannack.
- W. Clement.
- Thomas Peace.
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