y composition, but awful
one." "The _Newgate Calender_ is very instructive." (!) "A sailor called
here to say farewell; it must be dreadful to leave his native country
when he might get a wife; or perhaps me, for I love him very much. But O
I forgot, Isabella forbid me to speak about love." This antiphlogistic
regimen and lesson is ill to learn by our Maidie, for here she sins
again: "Love is a very papithatick thing" (it is almost a pity to
correct this into pathetic), "as well as troublesome and tiresome--but O
Isabella forbid me to speak of it." Here are her reflections on a
pineapple: "I think the price of a pine-apple is very dear: it is a
whole bright goulden guinea, that might have sustained a poor family."
Here is a new vernal simile: "The hedges are sprouting like chicks from
the eggs when they are newly hatched or, as the vulgar say, _clacked_."
"Doctor Swift's works are very funny; I got some of them by heart."
"Moreheads sermons are I hear much praised, but I never read sermons of
any kind; but I read novelettes and my Bible, and I never forget it, or
my prayers." Bravo, Marjorie!
She seems now, when still about six, to have broken out into song:--
"EPHIBOL (EPIGRAM OR EPITAPH,--WHO KNOWS WHICH?) ON MY DEAR LOVE,
ISABELLA.
"Here lies sweet Isabel in bed,
With a night-cap on her head;
Her skin is soft, her face is fair,
And she has very pretty hair:
She and I in bed lies nice,
And undisturbed by rats or mice.
She is disgusted with Mr. Worgan,
Though he plays upon the organ.
Her nails are neat, her teeth are white;
Her eyes are very, very bright.
In a conspicuous town she lives,
And to the poor her money gives.
Here ends sweet Isabella's story,
And may it be much to her glory!"
Here are some bits at random:--
"Of summer I am very fond,
And love to bathe into a pond:
The look of sunshine dies away,
And will not let me out to play.
I love the morning's sun to spy
Glittering through the casement's eye;
The rays of light are very sweet,
And puts away the taste of meat.
The balmy breeze comes down from heaven,
And makes us like for to be living."
"The casawary is an curious bird, and so is the gigantic crane, and the
pelican of the wilderness, whose mouth holds a bucket of fish and water.
Fighting is what ladies is not qualyfied for, they would not make a good
figure in battle or in a duel. Alas! we
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