solecisms and false quantities which sometimes occur,
"et alia multa damna atque outragia," others may be amused with these
emulations of the cloistered muse of the Middle Ages. The witty author of
_Whistlecraft_ has shown that he had a true relish for them, and has
successfully tried his hand, observing at the same time:

"Those monks were poor proficients in divinity,
And scarce knew more of Latin than myself;
Compar'd with theirs, they say that true Latinity
Appears like porcelain compar'd with delf."

Honest Barnaby had no intention of rivalling Horace: his humbler, but not
less amusing, prototypes were Walter de Mapes and his cotemporaries. We may
accept his own defence, if any is needed:

"That paltry Patcher is a bald translator,
Whose awl bores at the _words_ but not the matter;
But this TRANSLATOR makes good use of leather,
By stitching _rhyme_ and _reason_ both together."

S. W. SINGER.

A SONG ON ROBIN GOODFELLOW.

"From Oberon in faery-land,
The king of ghosts and goblins there,
Mad Robin I, at his command,
Am sent to view the night-sports here.
What revel rout is here about,
In every corner where I go;
I will it see, and merry be,
And make good sport with ho, ho, ho!

"As swift as lightning I do fly
Amidst the aery welkin soon,
And, in a minute's space, descry
What things are done below the moon.
There's neither hag nor spirit shall wag,
In any corner where I go;
But Robin I, their feats will spy,
And make good sport with ho, ho, ho!

"Sometimes you find me like a man,
Sometimes a hawk, sometimes a hound,
Then to a horse me turn I can,
And trip and troll about you round:
But if you stride my back to ride,
As swift as air I with you go,
O'er hedge, o'er lands, o'er pool, o'er ponds,
I run out laughing ho, ho, ho!

"When lads and lasses merry be,
With possets and with junkets fine;
Unknown to all the company,
I eat their cake and drink their wine;
Then to make sport, I snore and snort,
And all the candles out I blow;
The maids I kiss; they ask who's this?
I answer, laughing, ho, ho, ho!

"If that my fellow elf and I
In circle dance do trip it round,
And if we chance, by any eye
There present, to be seen or found,
Then if that they do speak or say,
But mummes continue as they go,[1]
Then night by night I them affright,
With pinches, dreams, and ho, ho, ho!

"Since hag-bred Merl