Pretty Lessons in Verse for Good Children; with Some Lessons in Latin, in Easy Rhyme. By Sara Coleridge. The Fourth Edition, with Many Cuts |
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THE REQUEST DENIED. |
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 | Pretty Lessons in Verse |  |
51
THE REQUEST DENIED.
“Now give me the scissors, I pray;”
Young Herbert impatiently cried;
His Mother was forced to say, Nay,
And thus his request she denied—
Young Herbert impatiently cried;
His Mother was forced to say, Nay,
And thus his request she denied—
“The scissors so pointed and keen
Are not for my Herbert to handle;
I trust he will never be seen
Attempting to carry the candle.
Are not for my Herbert to handle;
I trust he will never be seen
Attempting to carry the candle.
“A knife with a sharp shining blade
To such a small youth I refuse,
And forks which so pointed are made,
I cannot permit him to use.
To such a small youth I refuse,
And forks which so pointed are made,
I cannot permit him to use.
“The tongs I forbid him to touch.
The poker he'd best leave alone.
The shovel he never need clutch
Till older and stronger he 's grown.
The poker he'd best leave alone.
The shovel he never need clutch
Till older and stronger he 's grown.
“The fire-guard and fine polished fender
He never must try to remove;
The pranks of a foolish pretender
A parent is bound to reprove.
He never must try to remove;
The pranks of a foolish pretender
A parent is bound to reprove.
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“The snuffers he never need snatch
Till he to trim candles is fit,
Nor e'er at the bell-pull must catch
Till he has a little more wit.
Till he to trim candles is fit,
Nor e'er at the bell-pull must catch
Till he has a little more wit.
“The box which contains Papa's snuff,
My darling, 'twere folly to covet;
And as to the powdery stuff,
No children were e'er known to love it.
My darling, 'twere folly to covet;
And as to the powdery stuff,
No children were e'er known to love it.
“The coal-box so heavy and black,
And filled up with coals to the brim,
Would burden his poor little back,
'Tis not to be lifted by him.
And filled up with coals to the brim,
Would burden his poor little back,
'Tis not to be lifted by him.
“The brush and the long dirty broom,
Pray put away out of his sight;
I bought them for cleaning the room,
And not for my Herbert's delight.
Pray put away out of his sight;
I bought them for cleaning the room,
And not for my Herbert's delight.
“His dear Papa's very keen razor,
If mother beheld in his hand,
How much it would shock and amaze her!
He'd have a severe reprimand.
If mother beheld in his hand,
How much it would shock and amaze her!
He'd have a severe reprimand.
“And as to the rusty old axe
We saw lying under the hedge,
The oak-tree may feel how it hacks,
But we will beware of its edge.
We saw lying under the hedge,
The oak-tree may feel how it hacks,
But we will beware of its edge.
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“And as to the terrible scythe
Which lately cut down the rank grass,
My Herbert so gamesome and blithe
With caution beside it must pass.
Which lately cut down the rank grass,
My Herbert so gamesome and blithe
With caution beside it must pass.
“To flourish the reaper's old sickle,
With which the ripe corn is cut down,
'Tis certain he never must stickle,
'Twould cause his good father to frown.
With which the ripe corn is cut down,
'Tis certain he never must stickle,
'Twould cause his good father to frown.
“And as to the sharp pair of shears,
With which many a sheep has been shorn,
To take them might cost him some tears,
And cause his fond mother to mourn.
With which many a sheep has been shorn,
To take them might cost him some tears,
And cause his fond mother to mourn.
“The china he never must claw:
The glass so transparent and polish'd,
If e'er it came into his paw,
I fear would full soon be demolish'd.
The glass so transparent and polish'd,
If e'er it came into his paw,
I fear would full soon be demolish'd.
“The rod, and the whip, and the cane,
I hope we need never produce;
Long may they in pickle remain,
But never be brought into use!
I hope we need never produce;
Long may they in pickle remain,
But never be brought into use!
“And may no ridiculous whim
Cause Herbert their faces to see!
The rod will be nothing to him,
If he'll be obedient to me.”
Cause Herbert their faces to see!
The rod will be nothing to him,
If he'll be obedient to me.”
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