Mirth and Metre consisting of Poems, Serious, Humorous, and Satirical; Songs, Sonnets, Ballads & Bagatelles. Written by C. Dibdin, Jun |
 |
|
 |
GIVE AND TAKE. |
 | Mirth and Metre |  |
242
GIVE AND TAKE.
To be merry, sirs, now is the properest time;
If you ask for a Reason, I'll give it in Rhyme;
But, in my Rhymes for Reason to look, you may say,
Is like seeking a horse in a bottle of hay.
If you ask for a Reason, I'll give it in Rhyme;
But, in my Rhymes for Reason to look, you may say,
Is like seeking a horse in a bottle of hay.
That we've met here as friends is the reason I give,
And may we all be friends as long as we live;
And long enough all of us may live, I trow,
If our good friend, the Doctor, don't take us in tow.
And may we all be friends as long as we live;
And long enough all of us may live, I trow,
If our good friend, the Doctor, don't take us in tow.
Yet physic's a friend, if in reason 'tis us'd,
The doctors, like lawyers, are often abus'd;
Yet, faith, they can take their own parts, if they're sore,
And 'twere all very well if they took nothing more.
The doctors, like lawyers, are often abus'd;
Yet, faith, they can take their own parts, if they're sore,
And 'twere all very well if they took nothing more.
Give and take is a game we know all of us well,
Tho' give some folks an inch and they'll sure take an ell;
But at giving and taking none can beat a Jew,
For he'll give you a bargain, and take you in too.
Tho' give some folks an inch and they'll sure take an ell;
But at giving and taking none can beat a Jew,
For he'll give you a bargain, and take you in too.
Give and take differ much, as oft Nelson would show—
The foe gave him battle, while he took the foe;
Yet the foe took in turn, truth the Muse ne'er conceals,
Yes, the foe from Lord Nelson oft took—to their heels.
The foe gave him battle, while he took the foe;
Yet the foe took in turn, truth the Muse ne'er conceals,
Yes, the foe from Lord Nelson oft took—to their heels.
But of friends and of giving, may we, heaven grant,
A friend and a bottle to give him ne'er want.
'Tis a magical union—for friendship's divine,
And the best bottle conq'rer on earth is good wine.
A friend and a bottle to give him ne'er want.
'Tis a magical union—for friendship's divine,
And the best bottle conq'rer on earth is good wine.
| Mirth and Metre | |