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The Works of the Right Honourable Sir Chas. Hanbury Williams

... From the Originals in the Possession of His Grandson The Right Hon. The Earl of Essex and Others: With Notes by Horace Walpole ... In Three Volumes, with Portraits

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A SONG: ON MISS HARRIET HANBURY,
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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 III. 


116

A SONG: ON MISS HARRIET HANBURY,

ADDRESSED TO THE REV. MR. BIRT.

I

DEAR doctor of St. Mary's
In the hundred of Bergavenny,
I've seen such a lass,
With a shape and face,
As never was match'd by any.

II

Such wit, such bloom, and beauty,
Has this girl of Ponty Pool, Sir,
With eyes that would make
The toughest heart ache,
And the wisest man a fool, Sir.

117

III

At our fair t'other day she appear'd, Sir,
And the Welchmen all flock'd and view'd her;
And all of them said,
She was fit to have been made
A wife for Owen Tudor.

IV

They would ne'er have been tir'd with gazing,
And so much her charms did please, Sir,
That all of them stay'd,
Till their ale grew dead,
And cold was their toasted cheese, Sir.

V

How happy the lord of the manor,
That shall be of her possest, Sir;
For all must agree,
Who my Harriet shall see,
She's a Harriet of the best, Sir,

118

VI

Then pray make a ballad about her;
We know you have wit if you'd show it,
Then don't be asham'd,
You can never be blam'd,
For a prophet is often a poet.

VII

But why don't you make one yourself, then?
I suppose I by you shall be told, Sir:
This beautiful piece,
Alas, is my niece;
And besides, she's but five years old, Sir.

VIII

But tho', my dear friend, she's no older,
In her face it may plainly be seen, Sir,
That this angel at five,
Will, if she's alive,
Be a goddess at fifteen, Sir.