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The Works of the Late Aaron Hill

... In Four Volumes. Consisting of Letters on Various Subjects, And of Original Poems, Moral and Facetious. With An Essay on the Art of Acting

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TIDDI DOLL.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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80

TIDDI DOLL.

I

What a noise in pit, boxes, and gall'ries, and all,
Have you lately heard made, about one Tiddi-dol.
Tiddi-dol, honest creature! took none of these airs,
'Till the wars of King Pantomime chang'd his affairs,
From a baker of gingerbread, (God bless the trade!)
Now the mark of the muse, by our malice's aid.
For the great and the small
Cry—all,
Tiddi-doll—Tiddi-doll,
'Tis Tiddi-dol, Tiddi-doll, all.

II

All the joke of it rose, from his plume, and fine coat,
Which but odly agreed with his shop, and his note.
Tho' he sold me my gingerbread, yet, I confess,
No proportion was hit, 'twixt his name, and his dress.

81

But, if Actors must all, by proportion, be try'd;
Then, alas, for poor Pistol, and Drury beside!
Where they sell none at all,
Yet bawl,
Tiddi-doll—Tiddi-doll,
Mere, sham, wooden, Tiddi-dolls all.

III

When their rope-dancers swung, and their tumblers went round,
To convince you where wit, and wise management's found;
When, to quicken a compliment, sagely bestow'd,
They assur'd their kind boxes, 'twas Taste Alamode.
When a whole club of beauties, cry'd out for good sense,
Yet coud'nt drive gingerbread management thence.
Sure—all
Was then Tiddi-doll,
Aye, Tiddi-doll, Tiddi-doll all.

IV

So, 'till chance some expression, more suitable, sends,
To describe brother Pistol, and all his good friends.

82

Wou'd you speak of men's heads, that run out of their way,
'Till their own parts the silliest of all, they can play;
Wou'd you name folks, that manage a stage, with such skill,
That, alike, wit and nonsense, brings grist to their mill,
Then, at Drury, go call,
And behold Tiddi-doll,
'Tis—all,
Tiddi-doll, Tiddi-doll,
'Tis Tiddi-doll, Tiddi-doll, all.