And rags that smell of tobacco and gin

He'll follow while he has eyes in his sockets.

There isn't another creature living

Would do it, and prove, through every disaster S fond, so faithful, and so forgiving,

To such a miserable thankless master!

Nɔ, sir !— see him wag his tail and grin !
By George! it makes my old eyes water!
That is, there's something in this gin

That chokes a fellow. But no matter!

We'll have some music, if you're willing,

And Roger (hem! what a plague a cough is, sir !) Shall march a little. Start, you villain !

Stand straight!

Put up that paw!

(Some dogs have arms, you see!) Now hold your Cap while the gentlemen give a trifle,

To aid a poor old patriot soldier!

March! Halt! Now show how the rebel shakes
When he stands up to hear his sentence

Now tell us how many drams it takes

To honor a jolly new acquaintance.

Five yelps, that's five; he's mighty knowing!
The night's before us, fill the glasses!—
Quick, sir! I'm ill,-my brain is going!

Some brandy, - thank you,-there!-it passes!

Why not reform? That's easily said;

But I've gone through such wretched treatmenį, Sometimes forgetting the taste of bread,

And scarce remembering what meat meant, That my poor stomach's past reform;

And there are times when, mad with thinking,

31411B

I'd sell out heaven for something warm
To prop a horrible inward sinking.

Is there a way to forget to think?

At your age, sir, home, fortune, friends,
A dear girl's love, but I took to drink ;-
The same old story; you know how it ends.
If you could have seen these classic features -
You needn't laugh, sir; they were not then
Such a burning libel on God's creatures:

I was one of your handsome men !

If you had seen her, so fair and young,

Whose head was happy on this breast! If you could have heard the songs I sung

When the wine went round, you wouldn't have guessed That ever I, sir, should be straying

From door to door, with fiddle and dog,

Ragged and penniless, and playing

To you to-night for a glass of grog!

She's married since,-a parson's wife :
'Twas better for her that we should part,--
Better the soberest, prosiest life

Than a blasted home and a broken heart.
I have seen her? Once: I was weak and spent
On the dusty road, a carriage stopped:

But little she dreamed, as on she went,

Who kissed the coin that her fingers dropped.

You've set me talking, sir; I'm sorry;
It makes me wild to think of the change!
What do you care for a beggar's story?

Is it amusing? you find it strange?

I had a mother so proud of me!

'Twas well she died before

Do you know

If the happy spirits in heaven can see
The ruin and wretchedness here below?

Another glass, and strong, to deaden
This pain; then Roger and I will start.
I wonder, has he such a lumpish, leaden,
Aching thing, in place of a heart?

He is sad sometimes, and would weep, if he could,
No doubt, remembering things that were,-

A virtuous kennel, with plenty of food,

And himself a sober, respectable cur.

I'm better now; that glass was warming.
You rascal! limber your lazy feet!
We must be fiddling and performing

For supper and bed, or starve in the street.

Not a very gay life to lead, you think?

But soon we shall go where lodgings are free,
And the sleepers need neither victuals nor drink ;—
The sooner, the better for Roger and me!

THE CLOWN'S REHEARSAL.-Part II.

[Enter Quince, Snug, Bottom Flute, Snout and Starveling.] BOT. Are we all met?

QUIN. Pat, pat; and heres a marvelous convenien1 place for our rehearsal. This green plot shall be ou stage, this hawthorn-brake our tiring-house; and we will do it in action as we will do it before the Duke.

BOT. Peter Quince,-

QUIN. What sayest thou, bully Bottom?

BOT. There are things in this comedy of Pyramus and Thisbe that will never please. First, Pyramus must draw his sword to kill himself; which the ladies cannot abide How answer you that?

SNOUT. By'r lakin, a parlous fear.

STAR. I believe we must leave the killing out, when ali is done.

BOT. Not a whit! I have a device to make all well Write me a prologue; and let the prologue seem to say, we will do no harm with our swords, and that Pyramus is not killed indeed, and, for the more better assurance. tell them that I, Pyramus, am not Pyramus. but Bottom the weaver! This will put them out of fear.

QUIN. Well, we will have such a prologue.
SNOUT. Will not the ladies be afraid of the lion?

STAR. I fear it, I promise you.

BOT. Masters, you ought to consider with yourselves; to bring in-God shield us!—a lion among ladies, is a most dreadful thing; for there is not a more fearful wildfowl than your lion living; and we ought to look to't.

SNOUT. Therefore another prologue must tell he is not a lion.

BOT. Nay, you must name his name, and half his face must be seen through the lion's neck; and he himself must speak through, saying thus, or to the same defect,— Ladies,'-or Fair ladies, I would wish you,' or 'I would request you,'-or 'I would entreat you, not to fear, not to tremble; my life for yours, if you think I come hither as a lion, it were pity of my life; no, I am no such thing; I am a man as other men are;' and there indeed let him name his name, and tell them he is Snug the joiner.

QUIN. Well, it shall be so. But there is two hard things; that is, to bring the moonlight into a chamber; for, you know, Pyramus and Thisbe met by moonlight. SNOUT. Doth the moon shine that night we play our play?

BOT. A calendar, a calendar! look in the almanac find out moonshine, find out moonshine.

QUIN. Yes, it doth shine that night.

BOT. Why, then you may leave a casement of the great chamber window, where we play, open, and the moon may shine in at the casement.

QUIN Ay; or else one must come in with a bush of thorns or a lanthorn, and say he comes to disfigure, or to present, the person of Moonshine. Then, there is another thing; we must have a wall in the great chamber; for Pyramus and Thisbe, says the story, did talk through the chink of a wall.

SNOUT.

You can never bring in a wall. What say

you, Bottom?

BOT. Some man or other must present Wall; and let him have some plaster, or some loam, or some rough-cast about him, to signify wall; and let him hold his fingers thus, and through that cranny shall Pyramus and Thisbe whisper.

QUIN. If that may be, then all is well. Come, sit down, every mother's son, and rehearse your parts. Pyramus, you begin; when you have spoken your speech, enter into that brake; and so every one according to his cue.

[Enter Puck, behind.]

PUCK. What hempen home-spuns have we swagge:. ing here,

So near the cradle of the fairy queen?
What, a play toward? I'll be an auditor;
An actor too, perhaps, if I see cause.

QUIN. Speak, Pyramus. Thisbe, stand forth.
BOT. Thisbe, the flowers of odious savours sweet,-
QUIN. Odours! odours!

BOT.

-Odours savours sweet;

So doth thy breath, my dearest Thisbe dear.
But hark, a voice! stay thou but here awhile,
And by and by I will to thee appear. [Exit.