Where either I must live, or bear no life— To knot and gender in !— Turn thy complexion there, Patience, thou young and rose-lipp'd cherubimr!- Shakspeare. COMIC PIECES. The Well of St. Keyne. A Well there is in the west country, An oak and an elm tree stand beside, A traveller came to the Well of St. Keyne; For from cock-crow he had been travelling, He drank of the water so cool and clear, And he sat down upon the bank Under the willow-tree. There came a man from the neighbouring town On the Well-side he rested it, Now art thou a bachelor, Stranger ?" quoth he, "For an if thou hast a wife, The happiest draught thou hast drunk this day That ever thou didst in thy life. "Or has thy good woman, if one thou hast, Ever here in Cornwall been? For an if she have, I'll venture my life She has drunk of the Well of St. Keyne." "I have left a good woman who never was here," The stranger he made reply, "But that my draught should be better for that, I pray you answer me why." "St. Keyne," quoth the Cornish-man, "many a time Drank of this crystal Well, And before the Angel summon'd her, "If the husband-of this gifted Well A happy man henceforth is he, For he shall be master for life. "But if the wife should drink of it first,- The stranger stoop'd to the Well of St. Keyne, "You drank of the Well I warrant betimes ?" But the Cornish-man smiled as the stranger spake, "I hasten'd as soon as the wedding was done, But i'faith she had been wiser than I, Lodgings for Single Gentlemen. Southey. Who has e'er been in London, that overgrown place, Are so dear, and so bad, they are best let alone. Next night 'twas the same!-and the next!-and the next! He perspired like an ox; he was nervous, and vex'd; Week pass'd after week, till, by weekly succession, His weakly condition was past all expression. In six months his acquaintance began much to doubt him; For his skin, like a lady's loose gown, hung about him! The Doctor look'd wise :-" a slow fever," he said: "Look ye, landlord, I think," argued Will with a grin, "That with honest intentions you first took me in: But from the first night-and to say it I'm bold— I've been so very hot, that I'm sure I've caught cold!' Quoth the landlord," Till now, I ne'er had a dispute I've let lodgings ten years,-I'm a baker to boot; In airing your sheets, Sir, my wife is no sloven; And your bed is immediately-over my oven." "The oven!!!"-says Will ;-says the host, "Why this passion? In that excellent bed died three people of fashion! Why so crusty, good Sir ?"-"Zounds!" cried Will in a taking, Who would not be crusty, with half a year's baking?" Will paid for his rooms;-cried the host, with a sneer, "Well, I see you've been going away half a year." Friend, we can't well agree;-yet no quarrel"-Will said; "But I'd rather not perish, while you make your bread." Colman. Life compared to the Stage. All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players! Even in the cannon's mouth! And then the justice, Is second childishness, or mere oblivion, The Chameleon. Shakspeare. Oft has it been my lot to mark |