Chapter MI: Molle Anni

_An Irish Ballad._

O pateo tulis aras cale fel O,
Hebetis vivis id, an sed "Aio puer vello!"
Vittis nox certias in erebo de nota olim,--
A mite grate sinimus tonitis ovem:
"Præ sacer, do tellus, hausit," sese,
"Mi Molle anni cano te ver ægre?"
Ure Molle anu cano te ver ægre.
Vere truso aio puellis tento me;
Thrasonis plano "cum Hymen" (heu sedit),
"Diutius toga thyrso" Hymen edidit;--
Sentior mari aget O mare nautis alter id alas!
Alludo isto terete ure daris pausas anas.
"O pater hic, heu vix en" ses Molle, and vi?
Heu itera vere grates troche in heri.
Ah Moliere arti fere procaciter intuitis!
Vos me! for de parte da vas ure arbuteis.
Thus thrasonis planas vel huma se,
Vi ure Molle anu cano te ver ægre.
Betæ Molle indulgent an suetas agile,--
Pares pector sex, uno vimen ars ille;
"Quietat ure servis Jam," sato heras heu pater,
"Audio do missus Molle, an vatis thema ter?
Ara mi honestatis, vetabit, diu se,--
O mare, mi dare, cum specto me:
Ago in a væ æstuare, vel uno more illic,
O mare, mi dare, cum pacto ure pater hic."
Beavi ad visu civile, an socia luse,
Ure Molle an huma fore ver ægre.

_Key._

MY MOLLY AND I.

O Paty O'Toole is a rascally fellow,
He beat his wife's head, and said, "I hope you are well, O!"
With his knocks, Sir, she has in her body not a whole limb,--
A mighty great sin I must own it is of him.
"Pray say, Sir, do tell us, how is it," says he,
"My Molly and I cannot ever agree?"
Your Molly and you cannot ever agree:
Very true, so I hope you will listen to me;
The _rason_ is plain, "O come, Hymen" (you said it),
Do ye tie us togather. So Hymen he did it.
Since your marriage to Mary now 'tis alter'd, alas!
All you do is to _trate_ your dear spouse as an ass.
"O Patrick! you vixen," says Molly, and why?
You hit her a very great stroke in her eye.
Ah Molly! her heart I fear _proke_ as 'twere in two it is!
Woes me! for departed away sure her beauty is.
Thus the _rason_ is plain, as well you may see,
Why your Molly and you cannot ever agree.
Be to Molly indulgent and _swate_ as a jelly,--
Pay respect to her sex, you know women are silly:
"Quite at your service, I am," say to her as you pat her,
"How d'ye do, Misses Molly, and what is the matter?
Arah, my honey! stay, 'tis, wait a bit, d'ye see;--
O Mary, my _dary_, come _spake_ to me:
A-going away is't you are, well you no more I'll lick,
O Mary, my _dary_, come _pack_ to your Patrick."
Behave, I advise you, and so shall you see,
Your Molly and you may for ever agree.

E. N.

Replies to Minor Queries.

_Cooper's Miniatures of Cromwell_ (Vol. iv., p. 368.; Vol. v., pp. 17. 92. 189. 234. 255.).--Eight years ago I saw, at the house of my friend, A. Macdonald, Esq., since deceased, but then living in Hyde Park Square, three miniatures, which were said to be by Cooper, of Cromwell and his two daughters. The miniatures of the women were, I thought, stiff and harsh; but that of their father (of which only the head was finished) appeared to me to be the finest painting of the kind that I ever saw. I examined it through a strong magnifying glass, when the face exhibited all the truth and force of a portrait. A high value was set upon it; but I do not know whether it was sold, or where it is.

ALFRED GATTY.

[We take this opportunity of stating that we have availed ourself
of General Fox's invitation, and examined the beautiful miniature
of Cromwell, described by him in our Number for the 6th instant,
and so considerately left by him at Colnaghi's, for the inspection
of all who are interested in the subject. The General having
placed beside it the volume of Carlyle's _Cromwell_, containing
the engraving from Cooper's miniature in the possession of
Archdeacon Berners, we are bound to agree with him that the
Archdeacon's may be "better painted;" but General Fox may
certainly congratulate himself upon being the possessor of a work
of very high art, as well as of great historical interest; and one
which we are extremely pleased to have had the opportunity of
examining. It will, we believe, remain on view until the 31st.]

_The Vellum-bound Junius_ (Vol. iii., p. 262.).--Your correspondent MR. HAGGARD tells us, that from the time he read the private correspondence between Junius and Woodfall he has examined all book catalogues that came in his way, in the hope of finding a copy, or the copy, "bound in vellum"--so bound by Woodfall, for and at the express desire of Junius. Of course the edition so bound was "the author's edition," as Junius calls it, the edition of 1772, printed by H. J. Woodfall. At last, says MR. HAGGARD, "_the long-wished-for object appeared at the Stowe sale_;" but though, he bid eight pounds, he was not so fortunate as to obtain it. Thus far all is simple and clear enough. But then MR. HAGGARD subsequently informs us (Vol. iii., p. 307.) that the reason of his "being so desirous to procure this copy" was, because it was "not only bound in vellum, but was printed on that article"--that is, as I understand it, because it was _not_ the copy bound by Woodfall for Junius. I am at a loss to reconcile these statements. However, as I observe by the periodicals that MR. HAGGARD'S first statement is getting into circulation, and that it now assumes this form--that the vellum-bound copy of Junius presented by Woodfall to Junius was sold at the Stowe sale, I think it right to state, that the Stowe copy, printed on and bound in vellum, was, as I am informed on good authority, not the edition of 1772--not a Woodfall edition at all--but the common illustrated edition, printed more than thirty years after, by Bensley, for Vernor and Hood.