NEWS FOR COUNTRY COUSINS. DEAR Coz, as I know neither you nor Miss Draper, But trust for your news to such stray odds and ends As to Greece and Lord Cochrane, things couldn't look better— From the Knights of St. John to the Knights of St. Dan— From Russia the last accounts are, that the Czar- And whose first princely act (as you know, I suppose) The late Emperor's night-caps, and thinks of bestowing On all the distinguished old ladies now going.. Last advices from India-Sir Archy, 'tis thought, 'This Potentate styles himself the Monarch of the Golden Foot.. And engages (lest Gold-foot should give us leg bail, As he did once before) to pay down on the nail. This is all for the present-what vile pens and paper Yours truly, dear Cousin-best love to Miss Draper. AN INCANTATION. SUNG BY THE BUBBLE SPIRIT. Where the rocks of coral grow.' Mix the lather, Johnny W-lks, Now the frothy charm is ripe, Puff the bubbles high in air, 1 Strong indications of character may be sometimes traced in the rhymes to names. Marvell thought so, when he wrote: 'Sir Edward Sutton, The foolish knight who rhymes to mutton.' 2 An humble imitation of one of our modern poets, who, in a poem against war, after describ Others, as if lent a ray From the streaming Milky Way, st-n;John W-lks, junior, runs beside ye, Take the good the knaves provide ye!3 See, with upturned eyes and hands, Where the Chareman, Br-gd-n, stands, 4 Gaping for the froth to fall But, hark, my time is out- [Here the stage darkens-a discordant crash is heard from the orchestra—the broken bubbles descend in a saponaceous but uncleanly mist over the heads of the Dramatis Persona, and the scene drops, leaving the bubble-hunters—all in the suds.] But a turtle journeying o'er the sea, 'On the service of his Majesty!' When I spied him first, in the twilight dim, I did not know what to make of him; But said to myself-as slow he plied His fins, and rolled from side to side, Conceitedly over the watery path"Tis my Lord of St-w-11 taking a bath; And I hear him now, among the fishes, But, no-twas, indeed, a turtle, wide But now 'a change came o'er my dream,' Like the magic lantern's shifting slider ; I looked, and saw by the evening beam, On the back of that turtle sate a rider, A goodly man, with an eye so merry, As made the turtle squeak with glee, And own that they gave him a lively notion Of what his own forced-meat balls So on the Sec., in his glory, went Waving his hand, as he took farewell, Are the English forms of Diplomacy! COTTON AND CORN. A DIALOGUE. SAID Cotton to Coru t'other day, 'Great Squire, if it isn't uncivil To hint at starvation before you, Look down on a hungry poor devil, And give him some bread, I implore you !' Quoth Corn then, in answer to Cotton, Perceiving he meant to make free,— 'Low fellow, you've surely forgotten The distance between you and me! 'To expect that we, peers of high birth, Should waste our illustrious acres For no other purpose on earth Than to fatten curst calico-makers! 'That bishops to bobbins should bend, Should stoop from their bench's sublimity, Great dealers in lawn, to befriend Your contemptible dealers in dimity! 'No-vile manufacture! ne'er harbour Base offspring of Arkwright the barber, A hope to be fed at our boards; What claim canst thou have upon lords? 'No-thanks to the taxes and debt, So saying, whip, crack, and away Went Corn in his cab through the throng, So madly, I heard them all say Squire Corn would be down before long. THE DONKEY AND HIS PANNIERS. A FABLE. Fessus jam sudat asellus, Parce illi; vestrum delicium est asinus.-Virgil. Copa. A DONKEY, whose talent for burdens was wondrous, His owners and drivers stood round in amaze- For every description of job-work so ready! One driver (whom Ned might have 'hailed' as a 'brother')1 For vigour, for spirit, for one thing or other, When, lo, 'mid his praises, the donkey came down ! But, how to upraise him?-one shouts, t'other whistles, Declared that an 'over production of thistles 2 Another wise Solomon cries, as he passes, 'There, let him alone, and the fit will soon cease Some looked at his hoofs, and, with learned grimaces, But others who gabbled a jargon half Gaelic, Exclaimed, Hoot awa, mon, you're a' gane astray,'- Meanwhile the poor Neddy, in torture and fear, At length, a plain rustic, whose wit went so far Alluding to an early poem of Mr. Coleridge's addressed to an ass, and beginning, 'I hail thee, brother!' 2 A certain country gentleman having said in the House, 'that we must return at last to the food of our ancestors,' somebody asked Mr. T. what food the gentleman meant P'-'Thistles, I suppose,' answered Mr. T. ODE TO THE SUBLIME PORTE. GREAT Sultan, how wise are thy state compositions! "Tis my fortune to know a lean Benthamite spinster- To see her, ye Gods, a new Number devouring- Art. 3, Upon Fallacies,' Jeremy's own (The chief fallacy being his hope to find readers); Art. 4, Upon Honesty-author unknown; Art. 5 (by the young Mr. M-), 'Hints to Breeders.' Oh Sultan, oh Sultan, though oft for the bag And the bowstring, like thee, I am tempted to call- Ay, and-lest she should ever again lift her head I would hang round her neck her own darling Review. |