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THE SAGE'S WIT.

As lately a sage on fine ham was repasting, (Though for breakfast too savoury, I ween,) He exclaim'd to a friend, who sat silent and fasting, "What a breakfast of learning is mine!" "A breakfast of learning!" with wonder he cried, And laugh'd, for he thought him mistaken;

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Why, what is it else?" the sage quickly replied, "When I'm making large extracts from Bacon?"

THE FORTUNATE DEFECT.

How like is this picture, you'd think that it

breathes!

What life! what expression! what spirit!

It wants but a tongue.

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'Oh, no!" said the spouse, "That want is its principal merit."

ON DAME IDA PFEIFFER.

Through regions by wild men and cannibals haunted,

Old Dame Ida Pfeiffer goes lone and undaunted; Eut, bless you, the risk's not so great as its

reckon❜d,

She's too plain for the first, and too tough for the Hannay.

second.

A VALENTINE.

Frances Sargent Osgood.

For her this rhyme is penned, whose luminous

eyes,

Brightly expressive as the twins of Leda,

Shall find her own sweet name, that nestling lies Upon the page, enwrapped from every reader. Search narrowly the lines!- they hold a treasure Divine-a talisman-an amulet

That must be worn at heart. Search well the

measure

The words the syllables! Do not forget
The trivialest point, or you may lose your labour !
And yet there is in this no Gordian knot
Which one might not undo without a sabre,
If one could merely comprehend the plot.
E'en written upon the leaf where now are peering
Eye's scintillating soul, there lie perdus

Three eloquent words oft uttered in the hearing
Of poets, by poets—as the name is a poet's, too,
Its letters, although naturally lying

Like the knight Pinto-Mendez Ferdinando,

Still form a synonym for Truth. Cease trying! You will not read the riddle, though you do the E. A. Poe.

best you can do.

ON THE ROYAL MARRIAGE ACT, 1772.
Quoth Dick to Tom, "This Act appears
Absurd, as I'm alive;

To take the crown at eighteen years—
The wife at twenty-five.

"The mystery how shall we explain?

For sure, as well 'twas said,
Thus early if they're fit to reign,
They must be fit to wed."

Quoth Tom to Dick, "Thou art a fool,

And little know'st of life

Alas! 'tis easier to rule

A kingdom than a wife!"

THE VOWELS.

We are little airy creatures,

All of different voice and features;

One of us in glass is set,
One of us you'll find in jet;
T' other you may see in tin,
And the fourth a box within:
If the fifth you should pursue,
It can never fly from you.

Swift.

ON A PICTURE OF CHARLES THE SECOND.
Behold, a witty, foolish king,

Whose faith no man relies on!
Who never said a foolish thing,

Nor ever did a wise one.

DECLINED WITH THANKS.

A correspondent, something new

Rochester.

Transmitting, sign'd himself "X. Q.;"
The editor his letter read,

And begg'd he might be X. Q. Z.

TO PHILLIS.

Phillis, you little, rosy rake!

That heart of yours I long to rifle ;
Come, give it me-why should you make
So much ado about a trifle?

LIGHT-FINGERED JACK.

Jack, who thinks all his own that once he handles,

For practice-sake, purloin'd a pound of candles; Was taken in the act. Ah! thoughtless wight! To steal such things as needs must come to light.

AN UNFAVOURABLE TRIAL.

"Nay, prithee, dear Thomas, ne'er rave thus

and curse,

Remember you took me for better, for

worse;"

"I know it," quoth Thomas;

madam, look you,

"but then,

You prove, upon trial, much worse than I took you."

ON RECEIVING A PRESENT OF A BRACE OF

WOODCOCKS.

My thanks I'll no longer delay

For birds which you've shot with such skill; But though there was nothing to pay,

Yet each of them brought in a bill!

I mean not, my friend, to complain,
The matter was perfectly right;
And when bills such as these come again,
I'll always accept them at sight.

CARDINAL WOLSEY.

Begot by Butchers, but by Bishops bred

How high his Honour holds his haughty head.

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