That would a sterling gift have made.

Whether a sudden twitch of gout

Caus'd him to leave the figures out;

Or visit of a chatt'ring friend

That did th' important words suspend,

And thus retard the kind design,

Until the 'morrow's sun should shine,

That 'morrow with its ha's and hums,

Which, often promis'd, never comes:

Howe'er the enquiring mind may guess