DAME Durden kept five serving girls "Twas Moll and Bet, and Doll and Kate, and Dorothy Draggletail, And John and Dick, and Joe and Jack, and Humphrey with his flail. 'Twas John kiss'd Molly, And Dick kiss'd Betty, And Joe kiss'd Dolly, And Jack kiss'd Katty, And Humphrey with his flail, And Kitty was a charming girl to carry the milking pail. Dame Durden in the morn so soon She did begin to call; To rouse her servants, maids and men, She then began to bawl. 'Twas Moll and Bet, and Doll and Kate, and Dorothy Draggletail, And John and Dick, and Joe and Jack, and Humphrey with his flail. 'Twas John kiss'd Molly, &c. 'Twas on the morn of Valentine, The birds began to prate, Dame Durden's servants, maids and men, They all began to mate. 'Twas Moll and Bet, and Doll and Kate, and Dorothy Draggletail, And John and Dick, and Joe and Jack, and Humphrey with his flail. 'Twas John kiss'd Molly, And Dick kiss'd Betty, And Joe kiss'd Dolly, And Jack kiss'd Katty, And Humphrey with his flail, And Kitty was a charming girl to carry the milking pail. THE SHEPHERD'S COMPLAINT. CHARLES HAMILTON (LORD BINNING), died 1732-3. DID ever swain a nymph adore Was ever Shepherd's heart so sore- If Nanny call'd, did Robin stay, And all she ask'd was quickly done: To let her cows my clover taste, If Robin in his yard had hay? If Nanny ever lost a sheep, I cheerfully did give her two; Did not her lambs in safety sleep Within folds in frost and snow? my Have they not there from cold been free? But Nanny still is cold to me. Whene'er I clim'd our orchard trees, If Nanny to the well did come, To Nanny's poultry oats I gave, I'm sure she always had the best; Within this week her pigeon's have Eat up a peck of peas at least; Her little pigeons kiss, but she Would never take a kiss from me. Must Robin always Nanny woo, THE CHOICE OF A RURAL WIFE. Anonymous: about 1740. WOULD you choose a wife for a happy life; Where Susan and Doll, and Nancy and Moll, Leave the London dames-be it spoke to their shames- Then get up and stretch, then paint too and patch, Then coffee and tea, both green and bohea, Where their tattles do run as swift as the sun, The lass give me here, though brown as my beer, This, this is the girl, worth rubies and pearl; JOHNNY AND JENNY. EDWARD MOORE, born 1712, died 1757. Music by Dr. BOYCE. HE. LET rakes for pleasure range the town, Let plenty smile or fortune frown, The sweets of love are mine and Jenny's. SHE. Let wanton maids indulge desire; How soon the fleeting pleasure gone is! The joys of virtue never tire, And such shall still be mine and Johnny's. BOTH. Together let us sport and play, And live in pleasure where no sin is; The priest shall tie the knot to-day, And wedlock's bands make Johnny Jenny's. HE. Let roving swains young hearts invade- SHE. So Lucy lov'd, and lightly toy'd, And laugh'd at harmless maids who marry; But now she finds her shepherd cloy'd, And chides too late her faithless Harry. |