The Poetical Works of John Gay, Volume 2

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Little, Brown, 1854
 

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Page 31 - As one who, long in populous city pent, Where houses thick and sewers annoy the air, Forth issuing on a summer's morn, to breathe Among the pleasant villages and farms Adjoin'd, from each thing met conceives delight ; The smell of grain, or tedded grass, or kine, Or dairy, each rural sight, each rural sound...
Page 56 - As peasecods once I pluck'd, I chanc'd to see, One that was closely fill'd with three times three, Which when I cropp'd I safely home convey'd, And o'er the door the spell in secret laid ; My wheel...
Page 54 - Last Valentine, the day when birds of kind Their paramours with mutual chirpings find, I early rose, just at the break of day, Before the sun had chased the stars away; Afield I went, amid the morning dew, To milk my kine (for so should huswives do): Thee first I spied, and the first swain we see, In spite of fortune, shall our true love be.
Page 58 - twas night ; My purse grew heavy, and my basket light. Straight to the 'pothecary's shop I went, And in love-powder all my money spent : Behap what will, next Sunday, after prayers, "When to the alehouse Lubberkin repairs, These golden flies into his mug I'll throw, And soon the swain with fervent love shall glow. * With my sharp heel I three times mark the ground, And turn me thrice around, around, around.
Page 52 - I'll speed me to the pond, where the high stool On the long plank hangs o'er the muddy pool, That stool, the dread of every scolding quean ; — Yet sure a lover should not die so mean!
Page 163 - Oh ! where shall I my true love find ? Tell me, ye jovial sailors, tell me true, If my sweet William sails among the crew?
Page 128 - Fishes and fowls deliciously unite, To feast at once the taste, the smell, and sight : So, Bernard ! must a miscellany be Compounded of all kinds of poetry ; The Muses' olio, which all tastes may fit, And treat each reader with his darling wit.
Page 139 - The milk-maid (thoughtless of her future shame) With smacking lip shall raise his guilty flame; The dairy, barn, the hay-loft and the grove Shall oft' be conscious of their stolen love.
Page 55 - Two hazel nuts I threw into the flame, And to each nut I gave a sweetheart's name ; This with the loudest bounce me sore amaz'd, That in a flame of brightest colour blaz'd. As blaz'd the nut, so may thy passion grow ; For 'twas thy nut that did so brightly glow.
Page 55 - I seiz'd the vermin, home I quickly sped, And on the hearth the milk-white embers spread. Slow crawl'd the snail, and if I right can spell, In the soft ashes mark'da curious L : Oh, may this wondrous omen lucky prove ! For L is found in Lubberkin and Love.

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