Then die! that she The common fate of all things rare How small a part of time they share [Yet, though thou fade, From thy dead leaves let fragrance rise; That goodness Time's rude hand defies,- The last stanza was added by Henry Kirke White, and is the crowning grace of a beautiful poem, which would scarcely have been complete without it, THE FAIRIES' SONG. Anonymous. From the Tixall Poetry, temp. Charles I, WE dance on hills above the wind, When all our dancing days are past. Sometimes we dance upon the shore, The thunder's noise is our delight, About the moon we make a ring, : But when we'd hunt away our cares, Thus giddy grown, we make our beds, Thus having done with orbs and sky, Next turn'd to mites in cheese, forsooth, We frisk and dance, the devil and all. THE JOVIAL BEGGARS. From PLAYFORD'S " Choice Aires," 1660. THERE was a jovial beggar, And forced for to beg. And a begging we will go, will go, will go. And a bag for his oatmeal, A bag for his wheat, Another for his rye, And a little bottle by his side, Seven years I begg'd For my old master Wild; He taught me to beg When I was but a child. I begg'd for my master, And got him store of pelf; But, Jove now be praised. I'm begging for myself. And a begging, &c. In a hollow tree I live, and pay no rent; Of all the occupations, For whenever he's a-weary, And a begging, &c. I fear no plots against me, Then who would be a king When beggars live so well? And a begging we will go, &c. This song is the prototype of many others in the English language, including the popular favourite, A hunting we will go,' "which appears among the sporting songs in this volume, and "A sailing we will go," which appears among the sea-songs. THE PRAISE OF MILK. From PLAYFORD'S "Musical Companion," Part II., 1687. Usually sung to the old English melody of "Packington's Pound." In praise of a dairy I purpose to sing; But all things in order-first, God save the king; Who every May-day Has many fine dairy-maids, all fine and gay: Assist me, fair damsels, to finish my theme, Inspire my fancy with strawberry-cream. The first of fair dairy-maids, if you'll believe, As well she knew how, Though butter was then not so cheap as 'tis now : In that age or time there was no horrid money, Yet the children of Israel had both milk and honey. Of the highest degree, But would milk the brown cow with the meanest she: Their lambs gave them clothing, their cows gave them meat, And in plenty and peace all their joys were complete. Amongst the rare virtues that milk does produce, Ere it goes in the belly, Must have from good milk both the cream and the jelly; For a dainty fine pudding without cream or milk Is a citizen's wife without satin or silk. In the virtues of milk there is more to be muster'd You can have no sport, Unless you have custard and cheese-cake too for't; And what's the jack-pudding that makes us to laugh, Unless he hath got a great custard to quaff? Both pancake and fritter of milk have good store, Though you study and wink, From the lusty sack-posset to poor posset drink, But milk's the ingredient, though sack's ne'er the worse; For 'tis sack makes the man, though 'tis milk makes the nurse. THE OLD MAN'S WISH. Dr. WALTER POPE, born about 1630, died 1714. The music by Dr, BLOW. If I live to grow old, for I find I go down, May I have a warm house, with a stone at the gate, Near a shady grove and a murmuring brook, |