CURIOSITY. (PINDAH.) WALKING one afternoon along the strand, My wond'ring eyes did suddenly expand Upon a pretty leash of country lasses. Heav'ns! my dear beauteous angels, how d'ye do? • Upon my soul I'm monstrous glad to see ye.' Swinge! Peter we are glad to meet with you; We're just to London come-well, pray, how be ye? 'We're just a going, while 'tis light, 6 To see St. Paul's, before 'tis dark. 'Lord! come-for once, be so polite, And condescend to be our spark.' With all my heart, my angels.'—On we walk'd, And much of Lond on-much of Cornwall talk'd: Now did I hug myself, to think How much that glorious structure would surprise, As near to Ludgate-hill we drew, As if they had been tumbled on the stones, And some confounded cart had crush'd their bones. After well fright'ning people with their cries, Swinge! here are colours then to please! 126 DISAPPOINTED HUSBAND. "Why! not to see such things as these, 'Here, here! look! here are beauties to delight; Why! how a body's heels might dance 6 'Along, from Launceston to Penzance, 'Before that one might meet with such a sight!' Come, ladies, 't will be dark,' cry'd I-- I fear; Pray, let us view St. Paul's, it is so near’— Lord! Peter, (cry'd the girls) do n't mind St. Paul! Sure! you're a most incurious soul 6 Why we can see the church another day: DISAPPOINTED HUSBAND. A SCOLDING wife so long a sleep possess'd, ODE TO A MARGATE HOY. (PINDAR.) Great is the loss of Gentlefolks from Wapping, Nothing is good enough to greet their jaws; Like mighty Charles of Sweeden, with their thumbs. But Hoy, inform me--who is she-on board, corn Dress'd in a glaring, gorgeous damask gown, 128 ODE TO A MARGATE HOY. That, reaching o'er thy side, so doleful throw, 'Tis Madam Bacon, proud of wordly goods, Whose first spouse shav'd and bled-drew teeth, made wigs; Who, having by her tongue destroy'd poor Suds, But hark! she speaks! extremely like a man! 'Why, captain, what a beastly ship! Good God! Why, captain, this indeed is very odd! Why, what a grunting dirty pack of doings! For heaven's sake, captain, stop the creatures' sp-gs.' Now hark! the captain answers-Mistress Bacon 'I own I can't be with such matters taken; 'I likes not vomitings no more than you; 'But if so be that gentlefolks be sick. A woman hath the bowels of Old Nick, 'Poor souls, to bung their mouths--'t were like a Jew.' Majestic Mistress Bacon speaks agen! 'Folks have no bus'ness to make others sick: 'I don't know, Mister Captain what you mean About your Jews, and bowels of Old Nick: 'If all your cattle will such bubbub keep, 'I know that I shall leave your stinking ship. 'Some folks have dev'lish dainty guts, good lord! 'What bus'ness have such cattle here aboard? Such gang indeed to foreign places roam! "Tis more becoming them to sp-w at home.' But hark! the captain properly replies Why, what a breeze is here, G-d d-mn my eyes! THE BOY AND THE BAKER. 129 'God bless us, Mistress Bacon! who are you? Zounds, Ma'am, I say my passengers shall sp-w." THE BOY AND THE BAKER. (c. I. PITT.) ONCE, when monopoly had made The baker, his complaint to parry, The boy grinn'd plaudits to his joke, And on the counter laid down rhino, Then took his loaf, and went his way; 'Sir,' says the boy, you 've less to count ! |