Then shifting his side, as a lawyer knows how, But what were his arguments few people know, COWPER. 3. -THE MONKEY. MONKEY, little merry fellow, In the very ark, no doubt, Look not at him, slily peep; Now that posture is not right, Ha! he is not half asleep; See he slily takes a peep, Monkey! though your eyes were shut, You shall have it, pigmy brother! What, another! and another! Nay your cheeks are like a sack- There the little ancient man Now good-bye, you merry fellow, MARY HOWITT. · 4. LODGINGS FOR SINGLE GENTLEMEN. WHO has e'er been in London, that overgrown place, WILL WADDLE, whose temper was studious and lonely, Next night 't was the same!—and the next! and the next! In six months his acquaintance began much to doubt him; "I have lost many pounds-make me well-there's a guinea." The Doctor looked wise :-" a slow fever," he said; "Sudorifics in bed," exclaimed WILL, "are humbugs! WILL kicked out the Doctor:-but when ill indeed, "Look ye, Landlord, I think," argued WILL with a grin, "The OVEN!!!"—says Will;-says the host, "Why this passion? "In that excellent bed died three people of fashion. "Why so crusty, good sir?"—"Zounds!" cried WILL in a taking, "Who would not be crusty, with half a year's baking?" WILL paid for his rooms:―cried the host, with a sneer, COLMAN. 5. THE WELL OF ST KEYNE. A WELL there is in the west country, And a clearer one never was seen; An oak and an elm tree stand beside, A traveller came to the Well of St Keyne, For from cock-crow he had been travelling, He drank of the water so cool and clear, And he sat down upon the bank, Under the willow tree. There came a man from the neighbouring town, At the Well to fill his pail; By the well-side he rested it, And he bade the stranger hail. 66 Now, art thou a bachelor, stranger?" quoth he, "For an if thou hast a wife, "The happiest draught thou hast drunk this day, “That ever thou didst in thy life. "Or has thy good woman, if one thou hast, "Ever here in Cornwall been? "For an if she have I'll venture my life, "She has drank of the Well of St Keyne." "I have left a good woman who never was here," The stranger he made reply; "But that my draught should be better for that, "I pray you answer me why." "St Keyne," quoth the Cornishman, "many a time "Drank of this crystal Well; "And before the angel summoned her "If the husband, of this gifted Well "But if the wife should drink of it first, The stranger stoop'd to the Well of St Keyne, "You drank of the Well, I warrant, betimes," He to the Cornishman said; But the Cornishman smiled as the stranger spake, "I hastened as soon as the wedding was done, "But i' faith she had been wiser than 1, "For she took a bottle to church." SOUTHEY. 6. THE NEWCASTLE APOTHECARY. A MAN in many a country town we know, Yet some affirm, no enemies they are; Though the Apothecary fights with Death, A member of the Esculapian line, Or mix a draught, or bleed, or blister; Or spread a plaster. His fame full six miles round the country ran, All the old women called him "a fine man!"- Benjamin Bolus, though in trade, (Which oftentimes will genius fetter), Read works of fancy, it is said, And cultivated the Belles Lettres. And why should this be thought so odd? Apollo patronizes physic. Bolus loved verse, and took so much delight in 't, That his prescriptions he resolved to write in 't. |