Page:The Spirit of the Nation.djvu/159

Rh When you asked her to sing about Margery Daw,

And she said with her sweet little frown, "Au mammau,"

"Don't ausk me, I pray, sure you know that I caunt."

Had she sung it, she couldn't have more pleased her aunt.

Yes! England's the place for an accent—it's there

One imbibes the pure sounds with the pure English air;

Besides, 'tis the place where a young man will learn

All his mere vulgar Irish attachments to spurn.

While he talks with a tone, he will act with one, too,

That will show he has little with Ireland to do.

Will be thoroughly Englified—shamed out of all

Those nonsensical notions the frize-coated call

Patriotic—will always evince a sang froid

That vastly contributes in my mind to awe

People into respect; one moves on so distingue,

In a path quite apart from the middle-class gangway.

I like a young man with an air supercilious,

Looking English, and aristocratic, and bilious—

It shows folk at once he has rank on his side,

When he looks down on all with a cool, conscious pride.

Now, Deb., I would ask you, what is there in all

Their language, and science, and stuff that they call

Education at home here that is not vulgarity

Compared with nice manners?—just think what disparity!

And yet, though fine accent and notions abound

In your Oxford and Cambridge, yet trust me, I found

Poor Mr. O'Rorke hard enough to bring round.

He's a good man, indeed—as a husband no better—

Whatever his wife's bent on doing—he'll let her;

Minds his lands and his cattle, his markets and fairs;

Talks of rises and falls, and the prices of shares;

In these vulgar affairs he displays some ability,

But not an idea has he of gentility.

Only think how he said th' other day, he'd regret

That his sons were aristocrats—soon was he met

With an answer, I fancy, he'll hardly forget:

"Are your sons like yourself," said I, "Mr. O'Rorke,

To be noted for knowledge of mutton, and pork?