 | Miscellanies in Prose and Verse |  |
58
The Rural LASS.
My father and mother (what ails 'em)
Pretend I'm too young to be wed;
They expect (but in troth I shall fail 'em)
That I finish my chairs and my bed.
Pretend I'm too young to be wed;
They expect (but in troth I shall fail 'em)
That I finish my chairs and my bed.
Provided our minds are but cheary,
Wooden chairs wonnot argue a glove,
Any bed will hold me and my deary,
The main chance in wedlock is love.
Wooden chairs wonnot argue a glove,
Any bed will hold me and my deary,
The main chance in wedlock is love.
My father, when ask'd if he'd lend us
An horse to the parson to ride,
In a wheel-barrow offer'd to send us,
And John for the footman beside.
An horse to the parson to ride,
In a wheel-barrow offer'd to send us,
And John for the footman beside.
59
Wou'd we never had ask'd him, for, whip it,
Tho' to church is two miles and a half,
Twice as far 'twere a pleasure to trip it;
But then how the people wou'd laugh!
Tho' to church is two miles and a half,
Twice as far 'twere a pleasure to trip it;
But then how the people wou'd laugh!
The neighbours are nettled most sadly,
Was e'er such a forward bold thing!
Sure never girl acted so madly!
Thro' the parish these backbitings ring.
Was e'er such a forward bold thing!
Sure never girl acted so madly!
Thro' the parish these backbitings ring.
Yet I will be marry'd to morrow,
And charming young Harry's the man;
My brother's blind nag we can borrow,
And he may prevent us that can.
And charming young Harry's the man;
My brother's blind nag we can borrow,
And he may prevent us that can.
Not waiting for parents consenting,
My brother took Nell of the Green,
Yet both far enough from repenting,
Now happy and jocund are seen.
My brother took Nell of the Green,
Yet both far enough from repenting,
Now happy and jocund are seen.
60
Pray when will your gay things of London,
Produce such a strapper as Nell?
These wives by their husbands are undone,
As Saturday's news-paper tells.
Produce such a strapper as Nell?
These wives by their husbands are undone,
As Saturday's news-paper tells.
Poll Barnley said, over and over,
I soon shou'd be left in the lurch;
For Harry, she knows, was a rover,
And never wou'd venture to church.
I soon shou'd be left in the lurch;
For Harry, she knows, was a rover,
And never wou'd venture to church.
And I know the sorrows that wound her;
He courted her once, he confest:
With another too great when he found her,
He bid her take him she lik'd best.
He courted her once, he confest:
With another too great when he found her,
He bid her take him she lik'd best.
But all that are like her, or wou'd be,
May learn from my Harry and me,
If maids wou'd be maids while they shou'd be,
How faithful their sweet hearts wou'd be.
May learn from my Harry and me,
If maids wou'd be maids while they shou'd be,
How faithful their sweet hearts wou'd be.
61
My mother says, cloathing and feeding
Will soon make me sick of a brat:
But tho' I prove sick in my breeding,
I care not a farthing for that.
Will soon make me sick of a brat:
But tho' I prove sick in my breeding,
I care not a farthing for that.
For if I'm not hugely mistaken,
We can live by the sweat of our brow,
Stick a hog, once a year, for fat bacon,
And all the year round keep a cow.
We can live by the sweat of our brow,
Stick a hog, once a year, for fat bacon,
And all the year round keep a cow.
I value no dainties a button,
Coarse food nature's wants will allay;
If we cannot get veal, beef, or mutton,
A chine and a pudding we may.
Coarse food nature's wants will allay;
If we cannot get veal, beef, or mutton,
A chine and a pudding we may.
What care I for rich silks and brocades?
In linsey there's nothing that's base;
Your finery presently fades,
My dowlas will last beyond lace.
In linsey there's nothing that's base;
Your finery presently fades,
My dowlas will last beyond lace.
62
I envy not wealth to the miser,
Nor wou'd I be plagu'd with his store:
To eat all, and wear all, is wiser;
Enough let me have, and no more.
Nor wou'd I be plagu'd with his store:
To eat all, and wear all, is wiser;
Enough let me have, and no more.
So nothing shall tempt me from Harry,
His heart is as true as the fun;
Eve with Adam was order'd to marry;
This world it shou'd end as begun.
His heart is as true as the fun;
Eve with Adam was order'd to marry;
This world it shou'd end as begun.
| Miscellanies in Prose and Verse | |