CCCCXXXVIII.
[Our collection of nursery songs may appropriately be concluded with the Quaker's commentary on one of the greatest favourites—Hey! diddle, diddle. We have endeavoured, as far as practicable, to remove every line from the present edition that could offend the most fastidious ear; but the following annotations on a song we cannot be induced to omit, would appear to suggest that our endeavours are scarcely likely to be attended with success.]
"Hey! diddle, diddle,
The cat and the fiddle"—
Yes, thee may say that, for that is nonsense.
"The cow jumped over the moon"—
Oh no! Mary, thee musn't say that, for that is a falsehood; thee knows a cow could never jump over the moon; but a cow may jump under it; so thee ought to say—"The cow jumped under the moon." Yes,—
"The cow jumped under the moon;
The little dog laughed"—
Oh Mary, stop. How can a little dog laugh? thee knows a little dog can't laugh. Thee ought to say—"The little dog barked—to see the sport,"
"And the dish ran after the spoon"—
Stop, Mary, stop. A dish could never run after a spoon; thee ought to know that. Thee had better say—"And the cat ran after the spoon." So,—
"Hey! diddle, diddle,
The cat and the fiddle,
The cow jump'd under the moon;
The little dog bark'd,
To see the sport,
And the cat ran after the spoon!"
FOURTEENTH CLASS.
LOVE AND MATRIMONY.
