Her love was sought, I do aver, But now, her wealth and finery fled, Let us lament, in sorrow sore, For Kent Street well may say, That, had she liv'd a twelvemonth moreShe had not died to-day. FIRST let me suppose, what may shortly be true, I lay down my stake, apparently cool, While the harpies about me all pocket the pool; I fret in my gizzard-yet cautious and sly, I wish all my friends may be bolder than I: All play their own way, and they think me an ass: "What does Mrs. Bunbury?" "I, sir? I pass." Pray what does Miss Horneck? Take courage, come, do!" "Who-I? Let me see, sir; why, I must pass, too." Mr. Bunbury frets, and I fret like the Devil, To see them so cowardly, lucky, and civil; To Mrs. Bunbury. Yet still I sit snug, and continue to sigh on, I venture at all, while my avarice regards The whole pool as my own. "Come, give me five cards." I ask for advice from the lady that's next. Don't you think the best way is to venture for 't twice?" Ah! the Doctor is loo'd: come, Doctor, put down." And so bold, and so bold, I'm at last a bold beggar. Whether crimes such as yours should not come before Fielding? May well be call'd picking of pockets in law; And picking of pockets, with which I now charge ye, Is, by Quinto Elizabeth --death without clergy. What justice! when both to the Old Bailey brought ; Both cover their faces with mobs and all that, But the judge bids them, angrily, take off their hat. When uncover'd, a buzz of inquiry runs round; 66 Pray what are their crimes?" "They 've been pilfering found." But, pray, whom have they pilfer'd?" "A Doctor, I hear." "What, that solemn-fac'd, odd-looking man that stands near?" "The same." "What a pity! How does it surprise one: Two handsomer culprits I never set eyes on!" Then their friends all come round me, with cringing and leering, To melt me to pity, and soften my swearing. First, Sir Charlès advances, with phrases well strung: Consider, dear Doctor, the girls are but young." "The younger the worse," I return him again; "It shows that their habits are all dy'd in grain." "But then they're so handsome; one's bosom it grieves.” "There's the parish of Edmonton offers forty poundsthere's the parish of St. Leonard, Shoreditch, offers forty pounds there's the parish of Tyburn offers forty pounds : I shall have all that, if I convict them." "But consider their case, it may yet be your own; And see how they kneel: is your heart made of stone?" This moves: so, at last, I agree to relent, For ten pounds in hand, and ten pounds to be spent. I tell you, you I challenge you all to answer this. cannot it cuts deep. But now for the rest of the letter; and next-but I want room-so I believe I shall battle the rest out at Barton some day next week. I don't value you all! O. G. FOR you, bright fair, the Nine address their lays, While soul-brought tears steal down each shining face. And felt her charms, without disguise, within. |