"When David melodiously play'd to appease
The troubled emotions of Saul,
Were his sounds more enchanting—ah, tell me, than these?
'Hannah Ball, oh! the fair Hannah Ball.'
"Near yonder fair copse as I pensively rove
In an eve, when the dews 'gin to fall;
To my sighs how kind echo responds from the grove—
'Hannah Ball, oh! the fair Hannah Ball.'
"With graces so winning see Rossi advance
But what's all his grace?—Why a sprawl—
With my Hannah compared, as she skims through the dance—
The lovely, the fair Hannah Ball.
"The song of the Mara—tho' great is her skill,
Believe me's no more than a squall,
Compared with the rapturous magical trill
Of my charming, my fair Hannah Ball.
"For oft in the meads at the close of the day,
Near yon murmuring rivulet's fall,
Have I heard the soft nightingale's soul-piercing lay,
And thought 'twas my fair Hannah Ball.
"To her eyes in Love's language I've told a soft tale,
But, alas! they replied not at all;
Yet bashfulness oft will our passions conceal;
Oh! the modest, the fair Hannah Ball.
"Ye Gods! would you make the dear creature my wife,
With thanks would I bow to you all;
How smoothly would then run the wheels of my life,
With my charming, my fair Hannah Ball.
"But should my petition be flung from the skies,
I'll take the bare bodkin or awl;
Yes! the cold seal of Death shall be fix'd on my eyes,—
What's Life without fair Hannah Ball."
This is a happy little satire on a vilage scandal. The Methodist parson and Roger were amongst the doctor's rustic neighbours.
On a quarrel between Butler, the Methodist parson of Frampton, and Roger his clerk. Butler accused the clerk of stealing his liquors, and the clerk accused Butler of stealing his bacon.
"Quoth good parson Butler to Rogers his clerk,
'How things come to light that are done in the dark!
My wine is all pilfer'd,—a sad piece of work,—
But a word with thee, Richard—I see thou'rt no Turk.'"'What evil befall us!'—quoth Dick in reply,
Whilst contempt methodistical glanced from his eye,—
'My bacon's slipt off too—alas, sir! 'tis true,
And the fact seems to whisper that—you are no Jew.'"