登陆注册
4245600000056

第56章

I gave him some beer, And he thought it good cheer.

My mother she bid me cut him some bread:

I cut him some bread, And I threw't at his head.

My mother she bid me light him to bed.

I lit him to bed, And wished he were dead.

My mother she bid me tell him to rise:

I told him to rise, And he opened his eyes.

My mother she bid me take him to church:

I took him to church, And left him in the lurch;With his grey beard newly-shaven.

Ballad: WHY SHOULD WE QUARREL FOR RICHES.

[A VERSION of this very favourite song may be found in Ramsay's TEA-TABLE MISCELLANY. Though a sailor's song, we question whether it is not a greater favourite with landsmen. The chorus is become proverbial, and its philosophy has often been invoked to mitigate the evils and misfortunes of life.]

HOW pleasant a sailor's life passes, Who roams o'er the watery main!

No treasure he ever amasses, But cheerfully spends all his gain.

We're strangers to party and faction, To honour and honesty true;And would not commit a bad action For power or profit in view.

Then why should we quarrel for riches, Or any such glittering toys;A light heart, and a thin pair of breeches, Will go through the world, my brave boys!

The world is a beautiful garden, Enriched with the blessings of life, The toiler with plenty rewarding, Which plenty too often breeds strife.

When terrible tempests assail us, And mountainous billows affright, No grandeur or wealth can avail us, But skilful industry steers right.

Then why, &c.

The courtier's more subject to dangers, Who rules at the helm of the state, Than we that, to politics strangers, Escape the snares laid for the great.

The various blessings of nature, In various nations we try;No mortals than us can be greater, Who merrily live till we die.

Then why should, &c.

Ballad: THE MERRY FELLOWS; OR, HE THAT WILL NOT MERRY, MERRY BE.

[THE popularity of this old lyric, of which ours is the ballad-printer's version, has been increased by the lively and appropriate music recently adapted to it by Mr. Holderness. The date of this song is about the era of Charles II.]

NOW, since we're met, let's merry, merry be, In spite of all our foes;And he that will not merry be, We'll pull him by the nose.

CHO. Let him be merry, merry there, While we're all merry, merry here, For who can know where he shall go, To be merry another year.

He that will not merry, merry be, With a generous bowl and a toast, May he in Bridewell be shut up, And fast bound to a post.

Let him, &c.

He that will not merry, merry be, And take his glass in course, May he be obliged to drink small beer, Ne'er a penny in his purse.

Let him, &c.

He that will not merry, merry be, With a company of jolly boys;May he be plagued with a scolding wife, To confound him with her noise.

Let him, &c.

[He that will not merry, merry be, With his sweetheart by his side, Let him be laid in the cold churchyard, With a head-stone for his bride.

Let him, &c.]

Ballad: THE OLD MAN'S SONG.

[THIS ditty, still occasionally heard in the country districts, seems to be the original of the very beautiful song, THE DOWNHILLOF LIFE. THE OLD MAN'S SONG may be found in Playford's THEATRE OFMUSIC, 1685; but we are inclined to refer it to an earlier period.

The song is also published by D'Urfey, accompanied by two objectionable parodies.]

IF I live to grow old, for I find I go down, Let this be my fate in a country town:-May I have a warm house, with a stone at the gate, And a cleanly young girl to rub my bald pate;May I govern my passions with absolute sway, And grow wiser and better as strength wears away, Without gout or stone, by a gentle decay.

In a country town, by a murmuring brook, With the ocean at distance on which I may look;With a spacious plain, without hedge or stile, And an easy pad nag to ride out a mile.

May I govern, &c.

With Horace and Plutarch, and one or two more Of the best wits that lived in the age before;With a dish of roast mutton, not venison or teal, And clean, though coarse, linen at every meal.

May I govern, &c.

With a pudding on Sunday, and stout humming liquor, And remnants of Latin to welcome the vicar;With a hidden reserve of good Burgundy wine, To drink the king's health in as oft as I dine.

May I govern, &c.

When the days are grown short, and it freezes and snows, May I have a coal fire as high as my nose;A fire (which once stirred up with a prong), Will keep the room temperate all the night long.

May I govern, &c.

With a courage undaunted may I face my last day;And when I am dead may the better sort say -'In the morning when sober, in the evening when mellow, He's gone, and he leaves not behind him his fellow!'

May I govern, &c.

Ballad: ROBIN HOOD'S HILL.

[RITSON speaks of a Robin Hood's Hill near Gloucester, and of a 'foolish song' about it. Whether this is the song to which he alludes we cannot determine. We find it in NOTES AND QUERIES, where it is stated to be printed from a MS. of the latter part of the last century, and described as a song well known in the district to which it refers.]

YE bards who extol the gay valleys and glades, The jessamine bowers, and amorous shades, Who prospects so rural can boast at your will, Yet never once mentioned sweet 'Robin Hood's Hill.'

This spot, which of nature displays every smile, From famed Glo'ster city is distanced two mile, Of which you a view may obtain at your will, From the sweet rural summit of 'Robin Hood's Hill.'

Where a clear crystal spring does incessantly flow, To supply and refresh the fair valley below;No dog-star's brisk heat e'er diminished the rill Which sweetly doth prattle on 'Robin Hood's Hill.'

Here, gazing around, you find objects still new, Of Severn's sweet windings, how pleasing the view, Whose stream with the fruits of blessed commerce doth fill The sweet-smelling vale beneath 'Robin Hood's Hill.'

This hill, though so lofty, yet fertile and rare, Few valleys can with it for herbage compare;Some far greater bard should his lyre and his quill Direct to the praise of sweet 'Robin Hood's Hill.'

同类推荐
  • 护法录

    护法录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Soldiers Three-2

    Soldiers Three-2

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 阿毗达磨识身足论

    阿毗达磨识身足论

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 曹文贞公诗集

    曹文贞公诗集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 十地义记

    十地义记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 和严给事闻唐昌观玉

    和严给事闻唐昌观玉

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说胜军王所问经

    佛说胜军王所问经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 拽妃别想逃

    拽妃别想逃

    【推荐刹那的完结文:清穿之四爷嫁到】安晴童鞋冒着傻气穿越而来,艾玛……这是哪路神仙,竟然将她扔到了死人堆儿里面?还莫名其妙的被人扣上了亡国公主的头衔,不过……她也不亏,这不,遇到了个帅哥儿王爷俗话说的好,帅哥王爷有三好,好抱、好亲,好扑倒……虾米?冤枉她是亡国公主?说什么?指认她是女杀手……尼玛!可是,这个女杀手,咋和她长得一模一样呐?亡国公主?为了小命儿,暂时先当着,杀手……尼玛也太难当了,随时都有生命危险啊!不当,打死也不当!【为今之计,三十六计走为上计!跑路!艾玛!这个帅哥王爷竟然穷追不舍,这可怎么办……本文为三翻文,本着的就是萌翻,笑翻,迷翻!请大家多多支持,收藏吧,推荐吧,留言吧,刹那都接着呢!】
  • 复活的狼鱼

    复活的狼鱼

    当年福城的王府街有三个收藏大家,他们的藏品不是大家能理解的奇物,他们也不是普通的藏家。朱秀元藏镜子,最远的为宋代的铜镜子,最近的也是宣统元年的宫中藏品,朱秀元被誉为天下第一镜子。何百堂藏灯,约有几千盏灯,最远的是金代帝王完颜阿骨达的朝拜灯,何百堂也被誉为天下灯王。郝庆章藏的是化石,他的藏品并不多,但都是天下罕见的东西。他有远古的樟木化石、兽骨化石、三羽鸟化石,还有鱼化石。郝庆章的收藏当初不被福城人看好,认为他的收藏只是一个玩家的好奇,所藏的物件应不算作是藏品的范畴。藏者,藏先人之器物,藏先人之工艺,藏先人之言物者;何为藏,阅先人之技艺奇妙,传承不解之谜也……郝庆章收藏的化石为远古遗者残骸,无工艺可言,且又沾满晦气。
  • 佛顶尊胜心破地狱转业障出三界秘密陀罗尼

    佛顶尊胜心破地狱转业障出三界秘密陀罗尼

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 七零娇妻是神医

    七零娇妻是神医

    新书《九零福妻好难追》已上传,望大家支持!--------------------------------------------------当外表甜美娇软内里狐狸的女神医对上冷硬腹黑的俊美帅哥会发生什么样的化学反应?这是一个甜到牙疼的故事。作者已有两本小说《重生调夫手册》《重生八零管家媳》,坑品有保证,欢迎跳坑!
  • 地府侦查局

    地府侦查局

    本人新书《冥后有喜:冷面冥王心尖宠》已发布,欢迎大家阅读。据《鬼录》记载,每个人死后都不记得自己临死之前三天内所发生的任何事,做了鬼也不知道自己是为何而死,茫茫地府,哀怨声不绝于耳。地府侦查局局长萧坤孤独千年,不近女色,雷厉风行,杀伐果断,俊美绝伦,有一天却阴差阳错的活成了人类的样子。“我是地府侦查局局长,遇上她之前,我只是冥界的杀人机器,在地府,除了鬼帝,只有我有杀人的权利,前世今生对我来说也只是一片空白,可是现在,我迫切的想知道……我到底是她的谁?”……
  • 海贼之死神副船长

    海贼之死神副船长

    一次意外,辰奇穿越到了海贼王世界,获得死神系统。他必须帮助路飞实现最后的梦想,才能重新返回现实世界...主线剧情,会有很多新的冒险。已有近百万字老书《海贼之神级火影系统》可解书荒。欢迎加入小风的书友群:498792123。欢迎来调戏作者。
  • 第六指

    第六指

    关宇蹲在地上,目光一厘一厘在草丛里爬梳。一缕乳白色的絮状物进入了他的视线。它黏在一根草叶尖上,颤颤地抖在风中。关宇用镊子小心地取下来,衬着清亮的天光端详一刻,像是一种合成纤维,黏住草叶的一端呈暗红色,不知是不是血迹。他小心地将它装进透明塑料袋里。“哈,一看‘兰花指’就知道是你。”身后传来响亮的一声。关宇没回头,知道是松岗村派出所所长老傅。老傅在他身边蹲下,一股酒气硬邦邦地砸过来。关宇扭过头,瞧见老傅的一张瘦脸被酒精染得通红。
  • 恋爱中的女人

    恋爱中的女人

    《恋爱中的女人》以煤矿小镇贝多弗为背景,描述了布朗温家两姐妹不同的情感经历和恋爱体会。姐姐厄秀拉是一名教师,爱上了敏感细腻的学校监察员伯金;妹妹戈珍是一位小有名气的艺术家,与矿主的儿子杰拉德陷入了一场疯狂而又悲剧的爱情。通过这四个人思想、情感和信仰的碰撞,劳伦斯展示了人与人之间关系的绝望,探求了一种新的情感纽带的可能性。