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Besides times are hard and provisions are dear, Which makes me so loth to be married this year.

JOHN.

If times they be hard, and our money be scant, I'll do my endeavour, that you shall not want, I'll follow my oxen with diligent care,

I prithee, Love, let us be married this year.

SUSAN.

Should our numbers increase, 'twill increase our expense,

I fear a sad lack of pounds, shillings and pence, Here's this thing and that thing will come very

dear,

Which makes me so loth, to be married this

year.

JOHN.

Farewell, and Farewell, since it e'en must be so
I am fully resolv'd to another to go,

For good luck or bad luck I never will fear,
For I am resolv'd to be married this year.

SUSAN..

Stay Johnny, my Johnny, why in such haste, I will be your true Love, e'en as long as life last, The bells they shall ring and the music play clear, For joy, John and Susan are married this year.

XXV.

JOHN AND SUSAN.

PART II.

JOIN.

COME hither, sweet Susan, and sit by my side, Ten years have roll'd o'er us since thou wert a bride,

Is your heart still unchang'd, your affection

to me

As great as when first I was married to thee?

SUSAN.

In truth, honest John, my whole heart is thine

own,

I love thee most dearly, and thee love alone,
And I hope, as a partner, you ever in me,
Have found one both loving and faithful to thee.

JOHN.

O yes-but when crosses and troubles perplex, I fear that sometimes my sweet Susan I vex, Yet look in my bosom, and there you will see, That all my fond wishes still center in thee.

Ee

SUSAN.

Indeed, my dear husband, you never will find, That man or that woman can always be kind, No sky without clouds can you long hope to see, Such trifles are little regarded by me.

JOHN.

When with rapture I gaze on our dear little Sue,
I rejoice to possess such a pattern of you,
She lisps and she prattles and climbs up my
knee,

I kiss her, and then I bless Heaven and thee.

SUSAN.

When I see our dear Johnny at foot ball and

play,

So sturdy, so blithsome, so manly and gay,
His father's dear form in his image I see,

O! may he prove honest, and faithful like thee.

BOTH.

In affection united, then long may we prove, All the joys, that arise from connubial love, And each married couple, Heav'n grant they may be,

Like John and like Susan, as happy as we.

XXVI.

WIFE CHILDREN, AND FRIENDS.

BY THE HON. WILLIAM ROBERT SPENCER.

1**

Ir the stock of our bliss is in stranger hands vested,

The fund, ill secur'd, oft in bankruptcy ends, But the heart issues bills that are never protested When drawn on the firm of Wife, Children and Friends.

Tho' valour still glows in his life's waning embers,

The death-wounded tar (who his colours defends)

Drops a tear of regret as he dying remembers How blest was his home, with Wife, Children and Friends.

* The first verse of this Song, being inadmissible upon the Editor's principles, is omitted. The Song was too beautiful and valuable in its sentiments to be entirely rejected on account of that.

2

The Soldier, whose deeds live immortal in story,

Whom duty to far distant latitude sends, With transport would barter whole ages of

glory

For one happy day with Wife, Children and Friends.

Tho' spice-breathing gales o'er his caravan

hover,

Tho' round him Arabia's whole fragrance

ascends,

The Merchant still thinks of the woodbines

that cover

The bow'r where he sat with Wife, Children

and Friends.

3

The day-spring of Youth still unclouded with

sorrow

Alone on itself for enjoyment depends, But drear is the twilight of Age, if it borrow No warmth from the smiles of Wife, Children and Friends.

Let the breath of Renown ever freshen and flourish

The laurel which o'er her dead favorite bends,

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