THE TOPER AND THE FLIES.

A groupe of topers at a table sat,

With punch; that much regales the thirsty soul:

Flies soon the party joined in chat,

Humming and pitching round the mantling bowl:

At length these flies got drunk, and for their sin,
Some hundreds lost their legs, and tumbled in ;
And, sprawling 'mid the gulph profound,
Like Pharaoh and his daring host were drown'd!

Wanting to drink, one of the men,

Dipp'd from the bowl the drunken host,

And drank-then, taking care that none were lost,

He put in every mother's son again.

Up jump'd the Bacchanalian crew on this,
Taking it very much amiss,-

Swearing, and in the attitude to smite.

L-d," cry'd the man, with gravely-lifted eyes, Though I don't want to swallow flies,

"I do not know but others might."

INGRATITUDE.

God and the soldier men alike adore
Just on the brink of danger: not before.
The danger o'er, they're equally requited,
God is forgotten, and the soldier slighted.

INVITATION TO KENSINGTON GARDENS.

By the Hon. R. Spencer.

No storm to-day, no lightning's glare,
No thunder shall astound you;
But western breezes hover there,
To winnow health around you.

Warm as the virgin's breath who sings
Her first love's first complaint;
Pure as the air from Cherubs' wings,
That fan a dying saint.

Fair as those days of infancy,
So fair, when nearly ended,
With all her snow-drop purity,
Youth's primrose sweets are blended.

THE CASE REVERSED.

Had equity but rul'd the ball,

O Simon! Where had been thy pride? Thou'dst drawn thy carriage to the hall, Thy horses would have gone inside.

ON BARGAINS.

My thrifty spouse, her taste to please, With rival dames at auctions vies ;; She doats on every thing she sees, And every thing she doats on buys.

I with her taste am quite enchanted: Such costly wares, so wisely songht!

Bought, because they may be wanted;
Wanted, because they may be bought.”

IMPROMPTU.

On seeing the last Musical Productions of the venerable Dr. Harrington,
When people borrow, it should be their care
To send things back again-it is but fair;
To gratitude and manners this is due.
Therefore, good doctor, to the God of Song,
Return his lyre-you've really had it long.
Others must be obliged as well as you.

Peter Pindar.

GENUINE AFFECTION.

Those men, indeed, their loss of wives may brook,
Where bodies only are from bodies took;

But, O! what reason can that grief control,
Where love is torn from love, and soul from soul?

SINGULAR INTERMARRIAGE.

Mr. Hardwood had two daughters by his first wife, the eldest of whom was married to John Coshick: this Coshick had a daughter by his first wife whom old Hardwood married, and by her had a son; therefore John Coshick's second wife could say,

My father is my son, and I'm my mother's mother; My sister is my daughter, and I'm grandmother to my brother.

ON TWO MILLARS.

At a time when the price of corn was very high, Dr. Byrom wrote the following lines on two millars of the names of Bone and Skin, in the

neighbourhood of Manchester, who were said to have combined together to raise it still higher.

"Bone and Skin,

Two millars thin,

Would starve the town, or near it,
But be it known

To Skin and Bone

That Flesh and Blood won't bear it."

KING WILLIAM'S CHARTER TO HUnter.

The following specimen of some of the Charters granted by William the Conqueror, which were of a tenor, form, and brevity, far preferable to those tedious and perplexed conveyances since in use.

Stow.

I, William, King, the third year of my reign, Give to thee, Norman Hunter, to me that art both leefe and dear,

The Hop and the Hopton and all the bounds up and down,

Under the earth to hell, above the earth to heaven, From me and mine to thee and thine,

As good and as fair, as ever they mine were,

To witness that this is sooth, I bite the wax with my tooth.

Before judge Maud and Margery, and my youngest son Harry,

For a bow and a broad arrow, when I come to hunt upon Yarrow.

ENGLISH TRAVELLERS.

On the wall of the Parthenon at Athens, beneath a variety of names, are inscribed the following lines:

Fair Albion, smiling sees her sons depart
To trace the birth and nursery of Art;

Noble his object, glorious is his theme,

He comes to Athens, and he writes-his name.

Under this, the late Lord Byron wrote the following lines, during his stay at Athens, in 1810. Although not so epigrammatic as the foregoing they are nevertheless good, and well worthy of preservation as a specimen of his talents, even when exercised on that side which was evidently the weakest.

This modest bard, like many a bard unknown, Rhymes on our names, but wisely hides his own; But, yet, whoe'er he be-to say no worse,

His name would sound much better than his verse.

ITATIAN INSCRIPTION.

In the gardens of the Gaddi family is the following ancient inscription.

DODUS. MALUS. ABESTO. ET. JURISCONSULTUS.

Which may be thus translated:

From open Force, and secret Fraud,

And long-wigged Law, defend us Lord!

COMPLAINT OF BUTLER'S GHOST AGAINST HIS PRE

TENDED MONUMENT IN WESTMINSTER-ABBEY.

Again my garret-poverty is shown

By the mean cov'ring of this Portland stone;
I lose my fame as Martyrs lose their breath,
For, like St. Stephen, I am ston'd to death.

THE MISER.

Gripus, the miser, boldly cries,
In extasies of joy,