HENRY CAREY. -1748. “A VULGAR error having long prevailed among many persons, who imagine Sally Salisbury the subject of this ballad, the Author begs leave to undeceive and assure them it has not the least allusion to her, he being a stranger to her very name at the time this Song was composed. For as innocence and virtue were ever the boundaries to his Muse, so in this little poem he had no other view than to set forth the beauty of a chaste and disinterested passion, even in the lowest class of human life. The real occasion was this: a Shoemaker's 'Prentice making holiday with his Sweetheart, treated her with a sight of Bedlam, the puppet-shews, the flying-chairs, and all the elegancies of Moorfields: from whence proceeding to the Farthing-pye-house, he gave her a collation of buns, cheese-cakes, gammon of bacon, stuff'd beef, and bottled ale; through all which scenes the Author dodg'd them (charm'd with the simplicity of their courtship) from whence he drew this little sketch of nature; but being then young and obscure, he was very much ridiculed by some of his acquaintance for this performance; which nevertheless made its way into the polite world, and amply recompensed him by the applause of the divine Addison, who was pleased (more than once) to mention it with approbation."-CAREY'S POEMS, 3d edition, 1729. SALLY IN OUR ALLEY. Of all the girls that are so smart, There is no lady in the land Is half so sweet as Sally; And she lives in our alley. Her father he makes cabbage nets, And through the streets does cry 'em; Her mother she sells laces long, To such as please to buy 'em: But sure such folks could ne'er beget She is the darling of my heart, When she is by, I leave my work, And bangs me most severely : Of all the days that's in the week, And that's the day that comes betwixt For then I'm dressed in all my best, My master carries me to church, I leave the church in sermon-time, When Christmas comes about again, I'll hoard it up, and, box and all, I would it were ten thousand pound, My master, and the neighbours all, But when my seven long years are out, O then we'll wed, and then we'll bed, But not in our alley. CHARLES HAMILTON. LORD BINNING. -1732. THE SHEPHERD'S COMPLAINT. DID ever swain a nymph adore, Was ever shepherd's heart so sore ? My eyes are swelled with tears; but she Has never shed a tear for me. If Nanny called, did Robin stay, Or linger when she bid me run? She only had the word to say, And all she asked was quickly done: I always thought on her, but she Would ne'er bestow a thought on me. To let her cows my clover taste, Have I not rose by break of day? When did her heifers ever fast, If Robin in his yard had hay? Though to my fields they welcome were, I never welcome was to her. If Nanny ever lost a sheep, I cheerfully did give her two : Did not her lambs in safety sleep Within my folds in frost and snow? Have they not there from cold been free? But Nanny still is cold to me. Whene'er I climbed our orchard trees, The ripest fruit was kept for Nan; O how those hands that drowned her bees Were stung I'll ne'er forget the pain! Sweet were the combs, as sweet could be; But Nanny ne'er looked sweet on me. If Nanny to the well did come, "Twas I that did her pitchers fill; Full as they were, I brought them home; Her corn I carried to the mill. My back did bear her sacks; but she To Nanny's poultry oats I gave, I'm sure they always had the best; Within this week her pigeons have Eat up a peck of peas at least; Her little pigeons kiss; but she Must Robin always Nanny woo, And Nanny still on Robin frown? If Nanny does not love me soon? |