Hoot out the old, ring in the new;
Hoot out the false, ring in the true?
Magnificent! There's some sting in that; it "gets over," and it brings the whole poem into harmony with modern practice.
Come on, we'd better have another dance before the great moment. I wonder if Tennyson ever saw the New Year in at two guineas a head. I don't expect so. For that matter it's the first time we've done it at an expensive public "Revel" ourselves; but then this is the first year we've been absolutely bankrupt. Up till now we've been rather well off, and have celebrated cheaply at home. Do you realise that this is our wedding-day? I believe you'd forgotten; women never remember these things. Yes, it's six years ... Six years. And this is the first year we've been bankrupt. All the same, as I say, it's the first year we've come out and had a jolly good supper. Reckless? Yes, I'm afraid we are. But we've caught it from the Government ... However, to-morrow we'll start a new cheque-book.
Have you made your resolutions yet? I have. Do you remember this time last year? You said you'd keep accounts, and I said I wouldn't smoke so much. And all the year through our resolution has never wavered. I've got evidence of that. Look at my diary. Here we are:—
January 1st.—G. started keeping accounts. Gave up smoking.
And here we are again:—
March 20th.—G. started accounts.
March 29th.—Knocked off smoking.
That shows it was no mere flash-in-the-pan, doesn't it?