'A fig for your languages, German and Norse,
Let me have the song of the kettle
And the tongs and the poker.'—W. W.
[The poem, which contains no references to Germany, follows.]
Port Folio, IV-342, Oct. 27, 1804, Phila.
AGAINST FAUSTUS.
In scorn of writers, Faustus still doth hold,
Nought is now said, but hath been said of old;
Well, Faustus, say my wits are gross and dull,
If for that word I give thee not a Gull:
Thus then I prove thou holdst a false position;
I say thou art a man of fair condition,
A man true of thy word, tall of thy hands,
Of high descent and left good store of lands;
Thou with false dice and cards hast never play'd,
Corrupted never widow, wife or maid,
And, as for swearing, none in all this realm,
Doth seldomer in speech curse or blaspheme.
In fine, your virtues are so rare and ample,
For all our Song thou mayst be made a sample.
This, I dare swear, none ever said before,
This, I may swear, none ever will say more.
Port Folio, IV-383, Dec. 1, 1804, Phila.
The Celebrated Swiss Air,
RANZ DES VACHES.
"This air, so dear to the Swiss," says Rousseau, "was forbidden by the French government to be played among the Swiss soldiers, employed in the service of France, under pain of death; because it excited such a fond remembrance of the scenes they had witnessed in their own native country, and such a strong desire of seeing them again, that it caused them to shed tears, to desert, or, if they despaired of this, to commit suicide."
Quand reverrai-je, en un jour,
Tous les objets de mon amour?
Nos claires ruisseaux,
Nos couteaux [sic],
Nos hameaux,
Nos montagnes,
Et l'ornament de nos campagnes,
La si gentille Isabeau?
A l'ombre d'un ormeau,
Quand danserai-je au son du chalumeau?
Quand reverrai-je, en un jour,
Tous les objects de mon amour?
Mon père,
Ma mère,
Mon frère
Ma soeur,
Mes agneaux
Mes troupeaux,
Ma bergère?
Quand reverrai-je, en un jour,
Tous les objet de mon amour?