The three tours of Doctor Syntax In search of 1. The picturesque, 2. Of consolation, 3. Of a wife. The text complete. [By William Combe] With four illustrations |
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 | The three tours of Doctor Syntax |  |
He now turn'd round and instant saw A quiet piece of Gipsy law.
A female hand had found its way, To where his trav'lling treasure lay;
And was just taking at a spirt His last new shoes and Sunday shirt,
Thus, when the solemn Doctor came,
He heard his furious groom exclaim—
“Now would your honour's self believe it!
My innocence could not conceive it,
That yon young girl whom you may see,
Who's out of sight behind the tree,
Would on her own ten naked toes, Have run off in my new made shoes,
Had I not turn'd a lucky eye, To stop her nimble thievery.
O how I long this whip to crack In well laid lashes on her back:
I'd make the wicked baggage feel Full sorely what it is to steal.”
This furious sally having heard, Syntax a short remark preferr'd.
“My observations shall be brief: The Gipsy wish'd to play the thief,
And that you knew, full well, she would,
If by your negligence she could.
Therefore, I pray, your anger cool,
For, Patrick, you have play'd the fool.”
—The Sage then mutter'd:—“à la lettre,
I fear that I have done no better.”
A female hand had found its way, To where his trav'lling treasure lay;
And was just taking at a spirt His last new shoes and Sunday shirt,
Thus, when the solemn Doctor came,
He heard his furious groom exclaim—
“Now would your honour's self believe it!
My innocence could not conceive it,
That yon young girl whom you may see,
Who's out of sight behind the tree,
Would on her own ten naked toes, Have run off in my new made shoes,
Had I not turn'd a lucky eye, To stop her nimble thievery.
O how I long this whip to crack In well laid lashes on her back:
I'd make the wicked baggage feel Full sorely what it is to steal.”
This furious sally having heard, Syntax a short remark preferr'd.
“My observations shall be brief: The Gipsy wish'd to play the thief,
And that you knew, full well, she would,
If by your negligence she could.
Therefore, I pray, your anger cool,
For, Patrick, you have play'd the fool.”
—The Sage then mutter'd:—“à la lettre,
I fear that I have done no better.”
| The three tours of Doctor Syntax | |