Anniversary Song
[This little song describes the different members of the party just spoken of.]
WHY pacest thou,my neighbour fair,
The garden all alone?
If house and land thou seek’st to guard,
I’d thee as mistress own.
My brother sought the cellar-maid,
And suffered her no rest;
She gave him a refreshing draught,
A kiss,too,she impress’d.
My cousin is a prudent wight,
The cook’s by him ador’d;
He turns the spit round ceaselessly,
To gain love’s sweet reward.
We six together then began
A banquet to consume,
When lo[4]！a fourth pair singing came，
And danced into the room.
Welcome were they,—and welcome too
Was a fifth jovial pair.
Brimful[5]of news，and stored with tales
And jests both new and rare.
For riddles,spirit,raillery,
And wit,a place remain’d;
A sixth pair then our circle join’d,
And so that prize was gain’d.
And yet to make us truly blest,
One miss’d we,and full sore;
A true and tender couple came,—
We needed them no more.
The social banquet[6]now goes on，
Unchequer’d by alloy;
The sacred double-numbers then
Let us at once enjoy!
1802.