Page:The complete poetical works and letters of John Keats, 1899.djvu/287

Rh By many a Damsel hoarse, and rouge of cheek;

Nor did he know each aged Watchman's beat,

Nor in obscured purlieus would he seek

For curled Jewesses, with ankles neat,

Who, as they walk abroad, make tinkling with their feet.

or three Posies

With two or three simples—

Two or three Noses

With two or three pimples—

Two or three wise men

And two or three ninny's—

Two or three purses

And two or three guineas—

Two or three raps

At two or three doors—

Two or three naps

Of two or three hours—

Two or three Cats

And two or three mice—

Two or three sprats

At a very great price—

Two or three sandies

And two or three tabbies—

Two or three dandies

And two Mrs.

Two or three Smiles

And two or three frowns—

Two or three Miles

To two or three towns—

Two or three pegs

For two or three bonnets—

Two or three dove eggs

To hatch into sonnets—

they sit, and roll their languid eyes,

Nibble their toast, and cool their tea with sighs,

Or else forget the purpose of the night,

Forget their tea—forget their appetite.

See with cross'd arms they sit—ah! happy crew,

The fire is going out and no one rings

For coals, and therefore no coals Betty brings.

A fly is in the milk-pot—must he die

By a humane society?

No, no; there Mr. Werter takes his spoon,

Inserts it, dips the handle, and lo! soon

The little straggler, sav'd from perils dark,

Across the teaboard draws a long wet mark.

Arise! take snuffers by the handle,

There 's a large cauliflower in each candle.

A winding-sheet, ah me! I must away

To No. 7, just beyond the circus gay.

'Alas, my friend! your coat sits very well;

Where may your Taylor live?' 'I may not tell.

O pardon me—I'm absent now and then.

Where might my Taylor live? I say again

I cannot tell, let me no more be teaz'd—

He lives in Wapping, might live where he pleas'd.'

This is from a transcript by George Keats, and dated 1819 ; but Keats's letters do not disclose any sickness during that year which would be likely to call forth the lines, and the date is probably 1820, if indeed we are author-