And the sly little dormouse crept out of his hole,

And led to the feast his blind brother the mole;

And the snail, with his horns peeping out from his shell,
Came from a great distance, the length of an ell.

A mushroom their table, and on it was laid
A water-dock leaf, which a table-cloth made;
The viands were various, to each of their taste,
And the bee brought his honey to crown the repast..

There close on his haunches, so solemn and wise,
The frog from a corner looked up to the skies;
And the squirrel, well pleased such diversion to see,
Sat cracking his nuts overhead in the tree.

Then out came the spider, with fingers so fine,
To show his dexterity on the tight line;

From one branch to another his cobwebs he slung,
Then as quick as an arrow he darted along.

But just in the middle, oh! shocking to tell!
From his rope in an instant poor Harlequin fell;
Yet he touched not the ground, but with talons outspread,
Hung suspended in air at the end of a thread.

Then a grasshopper came with a jerk and a spring,
Very long was his leg, though but short was his wing:
He took but three leaps and was soon out of sight,
Then chirped his own praises the rest of the night.

With step so majestic the snail did advance,

And promised the gazers a minuet to dance;

But they all laughed so loud that he pulled in his head, And went to his own little chamber to bed.

Then as evening gave way to the shadows of night,
Their watchman, the glow-worm, came out with his light:
Then home let us hasten while yet we can see,

For no watchman is waiting for you and for me.

11,

EPITAPH ON AN OLD HORSE-DR. LADD.

LET no facetious mortal laugh,
To see a horse's epitaph:

Lest some old steed, with saucy phiz,
Should have the sense to laugh at his ;
As well he might; for prove we can,
The courser equal to the man.

This horse was of supreme degree,
At least no common steed was he.
He scorn'd the tricks of sly trepanners,
And never horse had better manners.
He scorn'd to tell a lie, or mince
His words, by clipping half their sense:
But if he meant to show you why,
He'd out with't, let who would be by.
And (how can man the blush restrain ?)
Ne'er took his Maker's name in vain!
A better servant horse was never,
His master own'd, that he was clever.
Then to his equals all obliging,
To his inferiors quite engaging;
A better Christian, too, I trow,
Than some denominated so.

In him we the good father find,
The duteous son, the husband kind :
The friend sincere—tho' not to brag,-
The honest and well-meaning nag.

Then let those fools who vainly laugh,

To see a horse's epitaph,

Go, grope among the human dust,
And find an epitaph more just.

ELECTION TIMES.-ANON.

Let me

LIBERTY and independence! Vote for Humdrum-he is the man of the people, and not only the man of the people, but- -Hold your noise! Vote for Larkins. I say, where have you been? I have been chalking up Humdrum at a shilling a wall. Oh, you precious rascal! it was but last week I saw you chalking up "No Humdrum!" you han't no conscience. Conscience! I never heard of conscience at an election; but as it happens, I have a conscience, for I never ehalked up both together-I always chalked up Humdrum on one side, and No Humdrum on the other. Make way, there, for a committee man! Where's the printer's devil? read the bill. "Query. Who would make the bread a shilling a loaf-Larkins. Who would brew beer from leather apronsLarkins. Who would make coffee from coffin boards-Larkins. Who would put his own father on the tread-mill-Larkins." There, let's have five hundred of that pulled off directly. Come, boy, right away! Them's the questions to turn the day, and make Mr. Hamilton Humdrum the most popular of eandidates! Silence! here's an elector going to speak. "Gentlemen, I mean to say that I affirm this and no more, and I think as he won't, which is he as refuses as I do nor I won't, nor I never will give my vote to no man in a breathing existence of living unless he will always say no when the other party says yes. Bravo, Larkins! Sir, I wait upon you and beg the favor of your vote and interest for Mr. Humdrum. I won't vote for he. May I ask you why. Because I hates a man that would turn everything into money. What's that! Oh, he has only got a rap on the head from a rabbit pole. It's only an election squib. A cracker, I should think. I say, paper-hanger, where have you been? I've been canvassing all down the next street. Indeed! how many yards did it take, pray. We demand a show of hands. Hands up! There, Mr. High Bailiff-there's a show of hands! what do you think of them. Never saw a dirtier collection. Shame,

shame, shame! There's a dog been thrown on the ticket box

what are we to consider that? Why, dog-matical! I say, we've been canvassing, and hard work we've had of it! We have got Dixon, and Howson, and Simpson, and Richardson, and Thomson, and Sampson, and Gilson, and Johnson, and Jackson. but cannot make anything of Nixon. No! send him a rocking-horse; that will do it a little bribery goes a great way! My father would come and vote for you, Mr. Larkins, but he hasn't got never a hat, and he cannot come without one. Mr. Larkins, send him your's. Certainly, with a great deal of pleasure. Here, my little man, run home with it. I hope you marked that transaction, Mr. Winterblossom. I did; and shall not fail to take advantage of it at the proper opportunity. Silence, for a speech from Mr. Terence o'Bother."Gentlemen, I must tell you, that by giving your votes to Humdrum, you will make for yourselves a never-dying wreath of odoriferous flowers of sublunary glory, like the primitive tints of the glorious rainbow. When the elections shall no more remain, and your member is shaking the senate with the effulgence and earthquake of his omnipotent eloquence, you will then, with your wives and children, all turn round and hug one another, that you have such an efficient and magnanimous representative. You will see him make himself a monument out of the people's fond hearts-he will sit in the arm-chair of their affections, he will be clothed in the garments of their good opinion, he will put his foot upon the neck of corruption, and make a watch-chain of the manacles of freedom. Vote for him, then-huzza!" Mr. Kilcoobery, you promised me to vote for Larkins, and you have just voted for the rival candidate. Upon my word, sir, I have a right to do as I like. No you haven't, and I say that I suspect you of bribery. Upon my conscience I never had anything at all at all' from the candidate but a hare, and that was so very high I could not eat it! Aye, all bribery and corruption. Vote for Larkins! Silence for a speech-hear him-hear Larkins! "Gentlemen, do not vote for my opponent—he is rich, and is not the man to care for you. the man of money care for the distresses of you, of

Does

your wives,

or your children? Let us think of the rich man sitting on his recumbent sofa, with his velvet cap and gold tassel on his head with his leopard skin morning gown upon his back, and his red slippers on his feet, drinking his chocolate out of the best china, and stirring it with a spoon impressed with a hand and dagger for his arms-he can care nothing about you. While he can walk in his orange groves, what does he care for them that sleep under the hay-rick? While he can eat his venison and currant jelly sauce, what does he care for them that's eating bread and hard cheese? Now I comes to the poor man-it is he that feels for all things. The worm and the hedgehog excite his sensibility-he walks upon a moor without a penny in his pocket, and he must feel for him who can't afford to pay coach hire." Vote for Larkins! he is a philanthropist he feels, in the divine words of the inspired poet, for "all women, sick persons, and young children." Vote for Larkins! he will repeal duties upon soap, tea, and treacle. Every man must impress his heart with the seal and sealingwax of bright red gratitude for his attempts in the senate, when he shall sit there. Let's shout, then, Larkins for ever!

PASSION FOR ARGUMENT-GEORGE COLMAN, JR.

SIR ROBERT BRAMBLE, HUMPHREY DOBBINS AND FREDERICK.

Sir R. I tell you what, Humphrey Dobbins-there isn't a syllable of sense in all you have been saying; but, I suppose, you will maintain that there is?

Dob. Yes.

Sir R. Yes! Is that the way you talk to me, you

old

Sir R. Ar'n't I a baronet-Sir Robert Bramble, of Blackberry Hall, in the county of Kent? 'Tis time you should know it; for you have been my clumsy, two-fisted valet-dechambre these thirty years. Can you deny that?

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