The Merry-Thought | Page 8

tell when they did ride. }
Underwritten.
Swim for thy Life, dear Boy, for I can feel neither Bottom nor Sides.
In Pencil upon a Wall in a Tavern near Covent-Garden.
I become all Things to all Men, to gain some, or I must have starved.
Moll. Friskey.
Star-Inn at Coventry.
Molly the gay, the black, the friskey, Would kiss like any wanton Gipsey; Nor was her Mouth alone the Case, A Man of Worth might kiss her A----se.
At a Tavern at the Royal Exchange.
I've now a Coach and Six before me, Each female court'sies to adore me: But from my dearest I can't part, Without returning her my Heart: Tell her I am gone a Month or longer, While she may gain more Love, and I grow stronger.
S. M. Oct. 17. 1720.
From a Tavern in Fleet-Street.
I'll drink like Bacchus, and I'll fight like Mars, The Kind I'll love, the Cross may kiss my A - - se.
In the same Room in a Woman's Hand.
Since cruel Fate has robb'd me of the Youth, For whom my Heart had hoarded all its Truth, I'll ne'er love more, dispairing e'er to find, Such Constancy and Truth amongst Mankind.
Feb. 18, 1725.
Underwritten.
I kiss'd her the next Night, and she's one of the Walkers Family.
Feb. 18. 1725.
Dublin in a Window in Castle-Street.
O mortal Man that's made of Clay, Is here to-Morrow, and is gone to Day.
In a Bog-House at Hampstead.
There's Nothing foul that we commit, But what we write, and what we sh - - t.
Three-Pigeons at Brentford.
Wer't not for Whims, Candles, and Carrots Young Fellows Things might ride in Chariots.
Tom Long, July 17.
Underwritten.
Heaven for all those Helps to Nature, Or else poor P---- could get no Quarter.
Letter on a Window at Stony-Stratford, to Miss Mary V - - d - - le.
We shall B in better Q, When U have I, and I have U.
T. M. 1720
From a Window in Hell, near Westminster-Hall.
Old Orpheus tickled his Harp so well, That he tickled Eurydice out of Hell, With a Twing come Twang, and a Twing come Twang; but, Some say Euridice was a Scold Therefore the Devil of her took hold, With a Twing come Twang, &c.
S. S. 1714.
Underwritten.
If my Wife had been e'er in the Devil's Hands, } You know it would loose all other Bands, } And I should been pleased with House and Lands. }
F. R. 1718.
PREFACE.
From a Paper found in the Street at Twelve at Night, 1708. near Covent-Garden. Argument concerning a Greek Opera that was to have been set on Foot, when People liked to see and hear Operas first in Italian.
As Languages are introduced among us Christian People daily that we do not understand, by Way of Italian Opera, &c. why may we not entertain the Publick with a little Greek, as natural as Pigs squeak.--
And for Latin, 'tis no more dificile, Than for a Blackbird 'tis to whistle. Hud.
I love dearly to quote my Authors.
I have been with both the Play-Houses, and one says d----n it, it won't do; and t'other says, Z----ds it will not take; then says I to myself, I'll have a Greek Opera, by G - - d; and with this Resolution I set about it, and made a Specimen, and so went with it in a Chair to the Opera-House, to give it the better Grace. But that would not do neither; for one did not understand Greek; nor t'other did not understand Greek; and Italian was all in Vogue: And I did not understand that; and so we could make no Bargain, and I returned Home.
Z----ds, thinks I, if I don't understand their barbarous Language, must I let them have any Thing of my ancient Language? No, Messieurs! I'll let my Opera remain in its Infancy, and you shall curse yourselves before you have it compleat; but that you shall know what Fools you have been, I'll stick a Needle through my Nose, that you may look sharp; and then you will say, why did not US take it, for in the first Scene I saw all the Audience laugh. But to the Point, i.e. the second Preamble or Argument,
OPERA.
Scene is the City of Athens, and an old Woman lives in a hollow Tree, where she sells Gin and Gingerbread to the Grenadiers; her Name is Gammer Hocus. Then there comes a Goddess, who sells Butter and Eggs at Athens Market, upon her Uncle's bald Mare; and as the Mare is a stumbling Jade, so she falls down before Hocus's Tree, and hurts her Rump, and then we begin.
N. B. When the Goddess Cinderaxan falls down before Gammer Hocus's Door, or Tree, she begins in Ricitativo----Greek Fashion.
O! mega mar, hocus the baldmare has cantedme ontoss; * Phillàdram sukami, some Spirit offerme to suckon. Dear Hokey behasty, forbum sufferssore by a Thumpon't; No baldmare my Gammon shall contuseagain by one