I am just two and two, I am warm, I am cold,
And the parent of numbers that cannot be told;
I am lawful, unlawful—a duty, a fault,
I am often sold dear, good for nothing when bought;
An extraordinary boon, and a matter of course,
And yielded with pleasure when taken by force.
The answer, not given by Cowper, is “A Kiss.” The riddle was first published in The Gentleman’s Magazine in 1806. In a later number the following answer was given, the initials “J. T.” being appended to it:—
A riddle by Cowper
Made me swear like a trooper,
But my anger, alas! was in vain;