THE VENTRILOQUIST. SIR WALTER SCOTT.1 F yore, in Old England, it was not thought good What should folks say to you? who have faces so plenty, Stand forth, arch deceiver, and tell us in truth, Are you handsome or ugly, in age or in youth? Or are you, at once, each live thing in the house? Each live thing did I ask?—each dead implement, too, You must be, at least, Alexandre and Co. Addressed to Monsieur Alexandre, a popular ventriloquist. 2 Sir Walter Scott was Sheriff of Selkirkshire. 23 MINERVA'S THIMBLE. THOMAS MOORE. OUNG Jessica sat all the day, In love-dreams languishingly pining, Her needle bright neglected lay, Like truant genius idly shining. Jessy, 'tis in idle hearts That love and mischief are most nimble; The safest shield against the darts A child, who with a magnet play'd, And new its winning ways so wily. The magnet near the needle laid, And laughing, said, "We'll steal it slily." The needle, having naught to do, Was pleased to let the magnet wheedle, Till closer still the tempter drew, And off, at length, eloped the needle. Now, had this needle turn'd its eye To some gay reticule's construction, A PUBLISHER'S EPISTLE. THOMAS MORE. ER post, sir, we send your MS.-look'd it through- And though statesmen may glory in being unbought, In an author 'tis not so desirable thought. Hard times, sir,-most books are too dear to be readThough the gold of Good-sense and Wit's small-change are fled, Yet the paper we publishers pass, in their stead, Rises higher each day, and ('tis frightful to think it) Not even such names as F-tzg-r-d's can sink it! However, sir-if you're for trying again, Since the Chevalier C-rr took to marrying lately, An East-India pamphlet's a thing that would tell- You'll get to the blue-stocking routs of Albinia! Should you feel any touch of poetical glow, We've a scheme to suggest-Mr. Se-tt, you must know, (Who, we're sorry to say it, now works for the Row,) Having quitted the Borders, to seek new renown, Is coming, by long quarto stages, to town; And beginning with Rokeby (the job's sure to pay) Now, the scheme is (though none of our hackneys can beat him) Who, by means of quick proofs-no revises-long coachesMay do a few villas, before Sc-tt approaches. Indeed, if our Pegasus be not curst shabby, He'll reach, without found'ring, at least Woburn-Abbey. "Tis a match! and we'll put you in training next week. Line will oblige very much Yours, et cetera. Temple of the Muses. |