Now frowning, smiling, for the hundredth time, Great was the joy; but at the bridal feast, And fill'd his glass to all; but his hand shook, Orsini lived, and long mightst thou have seen Full fifty years were pass'd, and all forgot, 'Mid the old lumber in the gallery, That mouldering chest was noticed; and 'twas said By one as young, as thoughtless as Ginevra, With here and there a pearl, an emerald-stone, A golden clasp, clasping a shred of gold! ROGERS. New Year's Day in Paris 1. SINCE first the sun upon us shone, A year succeeds the year that's gone, So great, we'll try to draw, That all who see the sketch may say, No sooner day begins to break, The bells of every story ring: 1 In Paris the practice of making visits-not without a present-on New Year's Day-every body to every body-on any or no pretext, is universal and compulsory. The Parisians are beginning to get quite restive under this heavy tax on their purses, patience, and good manners. Some only visits come to pay- As early as the sun's first light, Gets up for all her gifts!-ah, ha!-Here comes a thimble from mamma, And here six francs from dear papa, From grandma, books to make her prayThis surely must be New Year's Day. The banker early in the morn, His clerk, though not so rich, takes care Unto his lady fair; And so he puts his watch away- To some we haste, when we've no doubt, "Alas! you vex me so!" “No,” We leave our names and walk away This surely must be New Year's Day. Now friends grown cool are cool no more, But seem as hearty as before, The method is not dear-a pound Of sugar plums is found, For many a social wound, The best of remedies they say, And such they give on New Year's Day. To yonder man direct your eyes, Who ever bargains-never buys, Takes down-hooks up-peeps here, peeps there, With such such a solemn air, Now hurries off elsewhere, That he the self-same game may play This surely must be New Year's Day. Now nephews who'd inherit all, The tender swain who does not care At Christmas time, to save expense, Next month-till then he stops away When all the handsome things are said, 193 Puns. My little dears, who learn to read, pray early learn to shun That very silly thing indeed which people call a pun: Read Entick's rules, and 'twill be found how simple an offence It is to make the self-same sound afford a double sense. For instance, ale may make you ail, your aunt an ant may kill, You in a vale may buy a veil, and Bill may pay the bill, Or if to France your bark you steer, at Dover, it may be, A peer appears upon the pier, who blind still goes to sea. Thus one might say, when to a treat good friends accept our greeting, 'Tis meet that men who meet to eat should eat their meat when meeting; Brawn on the board's no bore indeed, although from boar prepared; Nor can the fowl, on which we feed, foul feeding be declared. Thus one ripe fruit may be a pear, and yet be pared again, And still be one which seemeth rare until we do ex |