ÀPROPOS OF THE GOOSE.
"Dear Uncle, accept our best thanks
For your very nice Michaelmas treat;
Such a beautiful bird I ne'er saw,—
So tender! so young! and so sweet!
My wife and myself both declare,
Since we tied the hymeneal noose,
We never before clapp'd our eyes
On so fine—so delicious a goose!
"The brats are all well. Little Sam
Is a Solomon quite for his age:
Such a mimic! We've serious thoughts
Of bringing him up to the stage.
He already takes off you and aunt,
Her way of exclaiming "The dooce!"
He can imitate cocks, hens, and ducks,
Àpropos, many thanks for the goose.
"Our eldest we've christened at last,
After you and my uncles at York,—
John James Paul Ralph George Job Giles Mark:
And Eliza's beginning to talk.
Little Arthur has lost a front tooth,
And another is getting quite loose:
They both want to know when you'll come;
And thank you, dear Sir, for the goose.
"Little Hal's as like you as two peas,—
So lively, so smart, and so jaunty!
And dear little Emily Ann
Is grown quite the moral of aunty.
Selina's translating in French
The voyage of Mister Pérouse;
And Amelia has knit you a purse;
And thank you, dear Sir, for the goose.
"Little Ellen's begun to sol-fa,
And her master, the Chevalier Bäûll,
Declares that he never yet heard
Child sing so exceedingly small.
Little Tom's quite a sportsman become;
He has caught a young hare in a noose,
And sends you the skin to have stuff'd:
And thank you, dear Sir, for the goose.
"Your godson's beginning to draw,—
You remember the rogue—little Mike?
He has chalk'd you and aunt on the wall;
And really they're laughably like.
Such spirits I never yet saw;
He's just like a tiger let loose:
And Sue means to work you a screen,
And thank you, dear Sir, for the goose.
"Your museum, I hope, goes on well:
But, Uncle, take care of your eyes;
And pray don't, with microscopes, look
So much at those very small flies.
I send you the horn of a deer,
(I believe it's a species of moose,)
And the quill of a real black swan;
And thank you, dear Sir, for the goose.
"I hope you ride out ev'ry day;
It's the first thing on earth for the health,
Without which, as I've oft heard you say,
What's honours, and station, and wealth?
But, dear Uncle, pray never more mount,
That wild thing you bought of Lord Roos:
But you are so exceedingly bold!
Did I thank you before for the goose?
"P.S.—Could you lend me ten pounds
Till Christmas? My lease is just out,
And I've no one to fly to but you:
Dear Sir—By-the-bye, how's your gout?—
The int'rest of course I shall pay,
Five per cent.—Is your cough getting loose?—
You can send it per post—and, dear Nunks,
Many thanks for that duck of a goose."
Messuages delivered.
1 London Parcels Delivery Comp. estab. 1837.