EASE OF TEMPER.

POOR Dick, an honest, thoughtless fellow,
Good-natur'd, whether cool or mellow;
No change of fortune Dick can alter,
No want can make his spirits falter:
Blow high, blow low, Dick feels it not,
He's quite at ease, not worth a groat.
What a curst father has poor Dick,
The wretched miser who lies sick!
He calls around his sons, to give

What ne'er should leave him, could he live;
But Death had struck him to the heart,

His ill-got hoards and he must part.

66

Imprimis," Gripus says, "to Dan, "Thou yet hast been a careful man, "I give-oh!—all my land-estate." "Dear father!" cries the joyful cheat, "I hope you'll live, and years enjoy."— “And you,” adds Gripus, "you, my boy, 66 My dear son John, to you I leave

My bills and stock-nay, do not grieve." "Father, I hope"-and dropp'd some tears"I hope you'll live these many years," Cries Cant-while Dick expecting stood. "And you, that ne'er will come to good,"

Says Gripus-" Spendthrift, thou'lt ne'er alter, "Thou'rt left a shilling for a halter."

No way disturb'd; says Dick, "I find,.
"You are, as usual, very kind;
"Dear Sir, I am no thankless elf,
"Live to enjoy the gift yourself."

THE INCUMBENT.

"I'm glad to see you well."—" Oh! faithless breath, "What! glad to see me well, and wish my death ?” "No more," replied the youth," Sir, this misgiving, "I wish not for your death-but for your living."

THE PROGRESS OF MATRIMONY.

In the blythe days of honey-moon,
With Kate's allurements smitten,
I lov'd her late, I lov'd her soon,
And call'd her dearest kitten.

But now my kitten's grown a cat,
And cross, like other wives;
Oh! by my soul, my honest Mat,
I think she has nine lives.

* EPIGRAM.

DAMON, whose wisdom ev'ry one allows,
Is anxious Amaryllis to espouse;

Yet she is old, and ugly to excess :

What is't attracts the youth, then; can you guess?

Is it the lustre of her mind bewitches?-
No, the more shining lustre of her riches.

SANG-FROID OF A SPANIARD.

A SPANIARD, who had but one eye, standing in the gallery of a tennis-court, had his remaining eye beat out by a tennis-ball; when, taking off his hat before the company, without any apparent emotion, he only said, "Buenos noches!" that is, "Good night!"

A PUN.

JACK DASH, in town a first-rate beau,

Some time ago,

For near a month had never ventur'd out:

"Twas wise-for Jack was poor, and what bespoke it

Was that he had no money in his pocket;

And therefore was not quite prepar'd to meet
A friend of his, who slily in the street

To tap him on the shoulder lurk'd about.
A Doctor's wife hard by,

Who much delighted in his company

(For Jack to please the ladies had the skill),
Began to think him ill;-

So sent her servant Thomas to assure him,
That if by fell disease he was assail'd,

And would but tell her freely what he ail'd,

She'd send some draughts that very soon would cure him.

The message hearing, thus replied young Dash: Friend Tom, then tell your mistress I will thank her, As my disorder's only want of cash,

To let the draughts be-on her husband's banker.

EPITAPH ON WEE JOHNNY.

[BURNS.]

WHOE'ER thou art, oh! reader, know,

That Death has murder'd Johnny;

And here his body lies full low,

For soul he ne'er had ony.

LINGUA POTENTIOR ARMIS.

THAT Specch surpasses force, is no new whim; Jove caus'd the heav'ns to tremble-Juno him.

IMITATIONS OF CHAUCER.

[HAWKINS BROWNE.]

RIGHT welle of lerned Clerkis it is sayd,
That womanhood for man his use is made:
But naughtie man liketh not one or soe,
But wisheth aye unthriftilie for moe;
And when, by holy church, to one he's ty'd,
Then for his soul he cannot her abyde:
Thus when a dogge first lighteth on a bone,
His tayle he waggeth, gladde thereof y grown;
But if thilke bone unto his tayle you tie,
Pardie, he feareth it, awaie doth flie.

ANOTHER.

FULL oft doth Mat with Topaz dine,
Eateth bak'd meate, drinketh Greek wine;
But Topaz his own werke rehearseth,
And Mat mote praise what Topaz verseth:
Now, sure as sainte did e'er shrive sinner,
Full hardlye earneth Mat his dinner.