Chapter I: DID not think to have taken up my pen any more, to have written on (3)

The Poet, intoxicated with the charms of his Mistress, now rapidly runs over the pleasures which he proposes to himself in the enjoyment of her society. But though he has the advantage of being his own caterer, either his palate is of a peculiar structure, or he has not made the most judicious selection.

To begin the day well, he will have the _sky-lark_
to come _in spite of sorrow_
And at his window bid "Good Morrow!"

The sky-lark, if we know anything of the nature of that bird, must come "in spite" of something else as well as "of sorrow," to the performance of this office.

In the next image, the Natural History is better preserved; and, as the thoughts are appropriate to the time of day, we will venture to transcribe the passage, as a favourable specimen of the Author's manner:

While the Cock, with lively din,
Scatters the rear of darkness thin,
And to the stack, or the barn door,
Stoutly struts his dames before;
Oft listening how the hounds and horns
Cheerly rouse the slumbering morn,
From the side of some hoar hill,
Through the high wood echoing still.

Is it not lamentable that, after all, whether it is the Cock, or the Poet, that listens, should be left entirely to the Reader's conjectures? Perhaps also his embarrassment may be increased by a slight resemblance of character in these two illustrious Personages, at least as far as relates to the extent and numbers of their seraglio.

* * * * *

After a _flaming_ description of sunrise, on which the clouds attend in their very best liveries; the Bill of Fare for the day proceeds in the usual manner. Whistling Ploughmen, singing Milkmaids, and sentimental Shepherds are always to be had at a moment's notice; and, if well grouped, serve to fill up the landscape agreeably enough.

On this part of the Poem we have only to remark, that if Mr JOHN MILTON proposeth to make himself merry with

Russet lawns, and fallows grey
Where the nibbling flocks _do_ stray;
Mountains on whose barren breast
The labouring clouds _do_ often rest,
Meadows trim with daisies pied,
Shallow brooks, and rivers wide,
Towers and battlements, &c. &c. &c.

he will either find himself egregiously disappointed; or he must possess a disposition to merriment which even DEMOCRITUS himself might envy. To such a pitch indeed does this solemn indication of joy sometimes rise, that we are inclined to give him credit for a literal adherence to the Apostolic precept, "Is any merry, let him sing Psalms!"

* * * * *

At length, however, he hies away at the sound of bell-ringing, and seems for some time to enjoy the tippling and fiddling and dancing of a village wake: but his fancy is soon haunted again by spectres and goblins, a set of beings not, in general, esteemed the companions or inspirers of mirth.

With stories told of many a feat,
How fairy MAB the junkets eat.
She was pinched, and pulled, she said:
And he, by friar's lanthern led,
Tells how the drudging Goblin sweat
To earn his cream-bowl duly set;
When, in one night, ere glimpse of morn,
His shadowy Flail hath threshed the corn
That ten day-labourers could not end.
Then lies him down the lubbar Fiend;
And, stretched out all the chimney's length,
Basks at the fire his hairy strength:
And, crop-full, out of door he flings
Ere the first cock his Matins rings.

Mr. M. seems indeed to have a turn for this species of Nursery Tales and prattling Lullabies; and, if he will studiously cultivate his talent, he need not despair of figuring in a conspicuous corner of Mr NEWBERY's shop window: unless indeed Mrs. TRIMMER should think fit to proscribe those empty levities and idle superstitions, by which the World has been too long abused.

* * * * *

From these rustic fictions, we are transported to another species of _hum_.

Towered cities please us then,
And the busy hum of men;
Where throngs of Knights and Barons bold,
In woods of peace, high triumphs hold:
With _store of Ladies_, whose bright eyes
_Rain influence_, and judge the Prize
Of Wit or Arms; while both contend
To win her grace, whom all commend.

To talk of the bright eyes of Ladies judging the Prize of Wit is indeed with the Poets a legitimate species of humming: but would not, we may ask, the _rain_ from these Ladies' bright eyes rather tend to dim their lustre? Or is there any quality in a shower of _influence_; which, instead of deadening, serves only to brighten and exhilarate?

Whatever the case may be, we would advise Mr. M. by all means to keep out of the way of these "Knights and Barons bold": for, if he has nothing but his Wit to trust to, we will venture to predict that, without a large share of most undue influence, he must be content to see the Prize adjudged to his competitors.

Of the latter part of the Poem little need be said.

The Author does seem somewhat more at home when he gets among the Actors and Musicians: though his head is still running upon ORPHEUS and EURYDICE and PLUTO, and other sombre personages; who are ever thrusting themselves in where we least expect them, and who chill every rising emotion of mirth and gaiety.

He appears however to be so ravished with this sketch of festive pleasures, or perhaps with himself for having sketched them so well, that he closes with a couplet which would not have disgraced a STERNHOLD.

These delights if thou canst give,
Mirth, with thee I _mean_ to live.

Of Mr. M.'s good _intentions_ there can be no doubt; but we beg leave to remind him that there are two opinions to be consulted. He presumes perhaps upon the poetical powers he has displayed, and considers them as irresistible: for every one must observe in how different a strain he avows his attachment now, and at the opening of the Poem. Then it was

If I give thee honour due,
Mirth, admit me of thy crew!

But having, it should seem, established his pretensions; he now thinks it sufficient to give notice that he means to live with her, because he likes her.

* * * * *

Upon the whole, Mr. MILTON seems to be possessed of some fancy and talent for rhyming; two most dangerous endowments which often unfit men for acting a useful part in life without qualifying them for that which is great and brilliant. If it be true, as we have heard, that he has declined advantageous prospects in business, for the sake of indulging his poetical humour; we hope it is not yet too late to prevail upon him to retract his resolution. With the help of COCKER and common industry, he may become a respectable Scrivener: but it is not all the ZEPHYRS, and AURORAS, And CORYDONS, and THYRSIS's; aye, nor his "junketing Queen MAB" and "drudging Goblins," that will ever make him a Poet.

W. HUNNEMAN.

_Old King COLE, his life and death._

[? Written between 1830 and 1837]

1.
OLD King COLE was a merry old Soul,
And a merry old Soul was he:
He called for his Pipe, and he called for his Glass,
And he called for his Fiddlers three.
There were PA-GAN-IN-I and SPAGNIOLETTI,
And to make up the three, MORI:
For King COLE he was fond of a Tri-
O, fond of a Trio was he.

For old King COLE was a merry old Soul,
And a merry old Soul was he:
He called for his Pipe, and he called for his Glass,
And he called for his Fiddlers three.

2.
Old King COLE kept Court at the "Hole
'o the Wall" in Chancery
lane, near the street which is termèd "Fleet"
(A queer name for Chancery!):
So his subjects to cloak from the very provok-
ing Bills of an Attorney;
Old King COLE turned his eyes to COKE,
and a very good Lawyer was he.

For old King COLE, _&c._

3.
Old King COLE, though a merry old Soul,
Not read nor write could he;
For to read and write, 'twere useless quite
When he kept a Secretary.
So his mark for _Rex_ was a single "X,"
And his drink was ditto double:
For he scorned the fetters of four and twenty Letters,
And it saved him a vast deal of trouble.

For old King COLE, _&c._

4.
Old King COLE was a musical Soul,
So he called for his Fiddlers three;
And he served 'em out a dozen pounds of best German resin,
And they played him a Symphony.
SPAGNIOLETTI and MORI, they play an Oratori;
While the great PA-GAN-IN-I
Played _God save the King_, on a single string;
And he went twelve octaves high!

For old King COLE, _&c._

5.
Old King COLE loved smoking to his Soul,
And a Pipe hard, clean, and dry;
And Virginny and Canaster, from his Baccy Box went faster
Than the "Dart" or the Brighton "Fly."
With his Fiddlers three, and his Secretary,
He'd kick up such a furious fume;
You'd think all the gas of London in a mass
Had met in his little back room.

For old King COLE, _&c._

6.
Old King COLE was a mellow old Soul
And he loved for to lave his clay:
But not with water; for he had in that quarter
An hy-dro-pho-bi-a.
So he always ordered Hemp for those that joined a Temp-
erance Society;
And he swore a _Drop_ too much, should always finish such
As refused for to wet t'other eye.

For old King COLE, &c.

7.
On old King COLE left cheek was a mole,
So he called for his Secretary;
And bade him look in a Fortune-telling Book,
And read him his destiny.
And the Secretary said, when his fate he had read,
And cast his nativity,
A mole on the face boded something would take place;
But not what that something might be.

For old King COLE, &c.

8.
Old King COLE, he scratched his poll;
And resigned to his fate was he:
And he said, "It is our will, that our Pipe and Glass you fill,
And call for our Fiddlers three."
So PAGAN-IN-I took VIOTTI in G;
And his _Concerto_ played he:
But at page forty-four, King COLE began to snore:
So they parted company.

For old King COLE, &c.

9.
Old King COLE drank so much Alcohol
That he reeked like the worm of a still;
And, while lighting his pipe, he set himself alight,
And he blew up like a gunpowder mill.
And these are the whole of the records of King COLE
From the COTTON Library;
If you like you can see 'em at the British Museum
In Russell Street, Bloomsbury.

For old King COLE was a merry old Soul,
And a merry old Soul was he:
He called for his Pipe, and he called for his Glass,
And he called for his Fiddlers three.

THE END OF THE
Eighth Volume
OF
_AN ENGLISH GARNER_,
_INGATHERINGS FROM OUR HISTORY AND LITERATURE_:
COMPLETING THE SERIES.

* * * * *

TRANSCRIBER'S NOTES.

1. Italic text is denoted by _underscores_ and bold text by =equal signs=.

2. Every effort has been made to replicate this text as faithfully as
possible.

3. Silently corrected simple spelling, grammar, and typographical
errors.

4. The footnotes have been moved to the end of their relevant chapters.

5. Page 7: "Index of First Lines of Poems and Stanzas": Original "All that
this earth" should read "All that this Earth". Corrected.

6. Page 8: "Index of First Lines of Poems and Stanzas": The reference to
Page 229 shows two entries. "If so you would" and "If you so would".
They both link to the same stanza on Page 229. "If you so would" is
correct. The incorrect entry has been removed.

7. Page 9: "Index of First Lines of Poems and Stanzas": Error in
index: "Non convitia" shown in Index as Page 416 and in italics. It
should read "Non convitia" (no italics) Page 415. The index has been
corrected.

8. Page 9: "Index of First Lines of Poems and Stanzas": Original;
"Painter, in lovely": should read "Painter, in lively". The
index has been corrected.

9. Page 9: "Index of First Lines of Poems and Stanzas": Original; "Si
coelum patria Page 416". It should read "Page 415". The index has been
corrected.

10. Page 10: "Index of First Lines of Poems and Stanzas": Original; "The
cruel, thou" Page 327. It should read; "If cruel, thou" Page 327. The
index has been corrected and the reference moved to Page 8.

11. Page 10: "Index of First Lines of Poems and Stanzas": The reference to
Page 540 shows two entries. "Thus while we" and "This while we are".
They both link to the same stanza on Page 540. "This while we are" is
correct. The original error in the index has been removed.

12. Page 10: "Index of First Lines of Poems and Stanzas": The
reference to Page 532 showed two entries. "Thy ancient" and "The
ancient". They were both link to the same stanza on Page 453. 'Thy
ancient' is correct. The error in the index has been removed.

13. Page 10: "Index of First Lines of Poems and Stanzas": The reference to
Page 453 showed two entries. "Thy Love, fair"' and "The love fair".
They were both link to the same stanza on Page 453. "Thy love fair" is
correct. The incorrect entry has been removed.

14. Page 56: Hyphenated words left to match original format.

15. Page 67: "(and yet, by long imprisonment"; Round bracket [(] unclosed.
Left as the original as unable to ascertain where the author intended
to place the closing bracket.

16. Page 119: Illustrated "[W]th lovely Neatherd" should read illustrated
"[W]Ith lovely Neatherd". Corrected.

17. Page 344: Closing square bracket ] missing from end of paragraph: "p.
78, Ed. 1686.]". Corrected.

18. Page 508: The original text reads "[Sir Walter Cope co. Oxon.]"; it
should read "Sir Walter Cope [co. Oxon.]". Corrected.

19. Page 520: 'Master ROBERT LEF' corrected to 'Master ROBERT LEE'.