[]CHEAP REPOSITORY.
THE TWO GARDENERS.
[figure]
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[Entered at Stationers Hall.]
THE TWO GARDENERS.
[3]TWO Gardeners once beneath an oak,
Lay down to reſt, when Jack thus ſpoke;
"You muſt confeſs, dear Will, that nature
"Is but a blundering kind of creature;
"And I—nay why that look of terror?
"Could teach her how to mend her error."
[4] "Your talk," quoth Will, "is bold and odd,
"What you call nature I call God."
"Well, call him by what name you will,"
Quoth Jack, "he manages but ill;
"Nay, from the very tree we're under,
"I'll prove that Providence can blunder."
Quoth Will, "through thick and thin you daſh,
"I ſhudder, Jack, at words ſo raſh;
"I truſt to what the Scriptures tell,
"He hath done always all things well."
Quoth Jack, "I'm lately grown a wit,
"And think all good a lucky hit.
"To this vaſt oak lift up thine eyes,
"Then view that acorn's paltry ſize;
"How fooliſh! on a tree ſo ſmall,
"To place that tiny cup and ball.
[5] "Now look again, yon pompion
* ſee,
"It weights two pounds at leaſt, nay three,
"Yet this large fruit where is it found?
"Why, meanly trailing on the ground.
"Had Providence aſk'd my advice,
"I wou'd have chang'd it in a trice;
"I would have ſaid at nature's birth,
"Let acorns creep upon the earth;
"But let the pompion, vaſt and round,
"On the oak's lofty boughs be found."
He ſaid—and as he raſhly ſpoke,
Lo! from the branches of the oak,
A wind, which ſuddenly aroſe,
Beat ſhow'rs of acorns on his noſe;
[6] "Oh! oh!" quoth Jack, "I'm wrong I ſee,
"And God is wiſer far than me.
"For did a ſhow'r of pompions large,
"Thus on my naked face diſcharge,
"I had been bruis'd and blinded quite;
"What heav'n appoints I find is right;
"Whene'er I'm tempted to rebel,
"I'll think how light the acorns fell;
"Whereas on oaks had pompions hung,
"My broken ſkull had ſtopp'd my tongue."
THE END.