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Smoke？ … bathe myself with scent？ … Play croquet？ Oh； with pleasure！
〃Wear all my hair in curl？ Stand at my door and wink … so … At every
passing girl？ My brothers； I should think so！
〃For years I've longed for some Excuse for this revulsion： Now that
excuse has come … I do it on compulsion！！！〃
He smoked and winked away … This REVEREND HOPLEY PORTER
…The deuce there was to pay At Assesmilk…cum…Worter。
And HOOPER holds his ground； In mildness daily growing …They
think him； all around； The mildest curate going。
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Fifty 〃Bab〃 Ballads … Much Sound and Little Sense
Fifty 〃Bab〃 Ballads … Much Sound and Little Sense
ONLY a dancing girl； With an unromantic style； With borrowed colour
and curl； With fixed mechanical smile； With many a hackneyed wile； With
ungrammatical lips； And corns that mar her trips。
Hung from the 〃flies〃 in air； She acts a palpable lie； She's as little a
fairy there As unpoetical I！ I hear you asking； Why … Why in the world I
sing This tawdry； tinselled thing？
No airy fairy she； As she hangs in arsenic green From a highly
impossible tree In a highly impossible scene （Herself not over…clean）。 For
fays don't suffer； I'm told； From bunions； coughs； or cold。
And stately dames that bring Their daughters there to see； Pronounce
the 〃dancing thing〃 No better than she should be； With her skirt at her
shameful knee； And her painted； tainted phiz： Ah； matron； which of us is？
（And； in sooth； it oft occurs That while these matrons sigh； Their
dresses are lower than hers； And sometimes half as high； And their hair is
hair they buy； And they use their glasses； too； In a way she'd blush to do。）
But change her gold and green For a coarse merino gown； And see her
upon the scene Of her home； when coaxing down Her drunken father's
frown； In his squalid cheerless den： She's a fairy truly； then！
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Fifty 〃Bab〃 Ballads … Much Sound and Little Sense
Fifty 〃Bab〃 Ballads … Much Sound and Little Sense
COME with me； little maid； Nay； shrink not； thus afraid … I'll harm thee
not！ Fly not； my love； from me … I have a home for thee … A fairy grot；
Where mortal eye Can rarely pry； There shall thy dwelling be！
List to me； while I tell The pleasures of that cell； Oh； little maid！ What
though its couch be rude； Homely the only food Within its shade？ No
thought of care Can enter there； No vulgar swain intrude！
Come with me； little maid； Come to the rocky shade I love to sing；
Live with us； maiden rare … Come； for we 〃want〃 thee there； Thou elfin
thing； To work thy spell； In some cool cell In stately Pentonville！
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Fifty 〃Bab〃 Ballads … Much Sound and Little Sense
Fifty 〃Bab〃 Ballads … Much Sound and Little Sense
A TROUBADOUR he played Without a castle wall； Within； a hapless
maid Responded to his call。
〃Oh； willow； woe is me！ Alack and well…a…day！ If I were only free I'd
hie me far away！〃
Unknown her face and name； But this he knew right well； The
maiden's wailing came From out a dungeon cell。
A hapless woman lay Within that dungeon grim … That fact； I've heard
him say； Was quite enough for him。
〃I will not sit or lie； Or eat or drink； I vow； Till thou art free as I； Or I
as pent as thou。〃
Her tears then ceased to flow； Her wails no longer rang； And tuneful in
her woe The prisoned maiden sang：
〃Oh； stranger； as you play； I recognize your touch； And all that I can
say Is； thank you very much。〃
He seized his clarion straight； And blew thereat； until A warden oped
the gate。 〃Oh； what might be your will？〃
〃I've come； Sir Knave； to see The master of these halls： A maid
unwillingly Lies prisoned in their walls。〃'
With barely stifled sigh That porter drooped his head； With teardrops
in his eye； 〃A many； sir；〃 he said。
He stayed to hear no more； But pushed that porter by； And shortly
stood before SIR HUGH DE PECKHAM RYE。
SIR HUGH he darkly frowned； 〃What would you； sir； with me？〃 The
troubadour he downed Upon his bended knee。
〃I've come； DE PECKHAM RYE； To do a Christian task； You ask me
what would I？ It is not much I ask。
〃Release these maidens； sir； Whom you dominion o'er … Particularly
her Upon the second floor。
〃And if you don't； my lord〃 … He here stood bolt upright； And tapped a
tailor's sword … 〃Come out； you cad； and fight！〃
SIR HUGH he called … and ran The warden from the gate： 〃Go； show
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Fifty 〃Bab〃 Ballads … Much Sound and Little Sense
Fifty 〃Bab〃 Ballads … Much Sound and Little Sense
By many a cell they past； And stopped at length before A portal； bolted
fast： The man unlocked the door。
He called inside the gate With coarse and brutal shout； 〃Come； step it；
Forty…eight！〃 And Forty…eight stepped out。
〃They gets it pretty hot； The maidens what we cotch … Two years this
lady's got For collaring a wotch。〃
〃Oh； ah！ … indeed … I see；〃 The troubadour exclaimed … 〃If I may make
so free； How is this castle named？
The warden's eyelids fill； And sighing； he replied； 〃Of gloomy
Pentonville This is the female side！〃
The minstrel did not wait The Warden stout to thank； But recollected
straight He'd business at the Bank。
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Fifty 〃Bab〃 Ballads … Much Sound and Little Sense
Fifty 〃Bab〃 Ballads … Much Sound and Little Sense
PART I。
AT a pleasant evening party I had taken down to supper One whom I
will call ELVIRA； and we talked of love and TUPPER；
MR。 TUPPER and the Poets； very lightly with them dealing； For I've
always been distinguished for a strong poetic feeling。
Then we let off paper crackers； each of which contained a motto； And
she listened while I read them； till her mother told her not to。
Then she whispered； 〃To the ball…room we had better； dear； be walking；
If we stop down here much longer； really people will be talking。〃
There were noblemen in coronets； and military cousins； There were
captains by the hundred； there were baronets by dozens。
Yet she heeded not their offers； but dismissed them with a blessing；
Then she let down all her back hair； which had taken long in dressing。
Then she had convulsive sobbings in her agitated throttle； Then she
wiped her pretty eyes and smelt her pretty smelling… bottle。
So I whispered； 〃Dear ELVIRA； say； … what can the matter be with you？
Does anything you've eaten； darling POPSY； disagree with you？〃
But spite of all I said； her sobs grew more and more distressing； And
she tore her pretty back hair； which had taken long in dressing。
Then she gazed upon the carpet； at the ceiling； then above me； And she
whispered； 〃FERDINANDO； do you really； REALLY love me？〃
〃Love you？〃 said I； then I sighed； and then I gazed upon her sweetly For
I think I do this sort of thing particularly neatly。
〃Send me to the Arctic regions； or illimitable azure； On a scientific
goose…chase； with my COXWELL or my GLAISHER！
〃Tell me whither I may hie me … tell me； dear one； that I may know … Is
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Fifty 〃Bab〃 Ballads … Much Sound and Little Sense
Fifty 〃Bab〃 Ballads … Much Sound and Little Sense
But she said； 〃It isn't polar bears； or hot volcanic grottoes： Only find