FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   177   178   179   180   181   182   183   184   185   186   187   188   189   190   191   192   193   194   195   196   197   198   199   200   201  
202   203   204   205   206   207   208   209   210   211   212   213   214   215   216   217   218   219   220   221   222   223   224   225   226   >>   >|  
set, And he could no further get; But, unable to proceed, Made a virtue out of need, And, his labors wiselier deem'd of, Did omit _what the queen dream'd of_. * * * * * A BALLAD. NOTING THE DIFFERENCE OF RICH AND POOR, IN THE WAYS OF A RICH NOBLE'S PALACE AND A POOR WORKHOUSE. _To the Tune of the "Old and Young Courtier."_ In a costly palace Youth goes clad in gold; In a wretched workhouse Age's limbs are cold: There they sit, the old men by a shivering fire, Still close and closer cowering, warmth is their desire. In a costly palace, when the brave gallants dine, They have store of good venison, with old canary wine, With singing and music to heighten the cheer; Coarse bits, with grudging, are the pauper's best fare. In a costly palace Youth is still carest By a train of attendants which laugh at my young Lord's jest; In a wretched workhouse the contrary prevails: Does Age begin to prattle?--no man heark'neth to his tales. In a costly palace if the child with a pin Do but chance to prick a finger, straight the doctor is called in; In a wretched workhouse men are left to perish For want of proper cordials, which their old age might cherish. In a costly palace Youth enjoys his lust; In a wretched workhouse Age, in corners thrust, Thinks upon the former days, when he was well to do, Had children to stand by him, both friends and kinsmen too. In a costly palace Youth his temples hides With a new-devised peruke that reaches to his sides; In a wretched workhouse Age's crown is bare, With a few thin locks just to fence out the cold air. In peace, as in war, 'tis our young gallants' pride, To walk, each one i' the streets, with a rapier by his side, That none to do them injury may have pretence; Wretched Age, in poverty, must brook offence. * * * * * HYPOCHONDRIACUS. By myself walking, To myself talking, When as I ruminate On my untoward fate, Scarcely seem I Alone sufficiently, Black thoughts continually Crowding my privacy; They come unbidden, Like foes at a wedding, Thrusting their faces In better guests' places, Peevish and malecontent, Clownish, impertinent, Dashing the merriment: So in like fashions Dim cogitations Follow and haunt me, Striving to daunt me, In my heart festering, In my ears whispering,
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   177   178   179   180   181   182   183   184   185   186   187   188   189   190   191   192   193   194   195   196   197   198   199   200   201  
202   203   204   205   206   207   208   209   210   211   212   213   214   215   216   217   218   219   220   221   222   223   224   225   226   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

costly

 

palace

 

workhouse

 

wretched

 

gallants

 

friends

 

children

 

injury

 

streets

 
rapier

reaches

 
temples
 
kinsmen
 

peruke

 
devised
 

untoward

 

Clownish

 

malecontent

 
impertinent
 

Dashing


merriment

 

Peevish

 

places

 
Thrusting
 
wedding
 

guests

 

festering

 

whispering

 

Striving

 

fashions


cogitations

 
Follow
 

talking

 

walking

 

ruminate

 

HYPOCHONDRIACUS

 

offence

 

Wretched

 
poverty
 

Thinks


Crowding
 
continually
 

privacy

 

unbidden

 

thoughts

 

Scarcely

 

sufficiently

 
pretence
 

Courtier

 
WORKHOUSE