Before the sun has risen high, And all their colours fade, Come, lady fair, my posies buy, Of modest wild-flow’rs made. 20. The Water-cress Girl, Lady, lady, buy, I pray, Water-cresses fresh and young; Many miles I’m forced to stray, Lanes and meadows damp among. Stooping at the crystal brook, By the morning light I’m seen: Lady, lady, pray you look; Buy my water-cresses green. ’Tis the honest truth I tell, These were gather’d fresh to-day; I have cause to know it well, By the long and weary way. On my arm, so tann’d and brown, So my little basket hung; As I travell’d back to town, With my water-cresses young. Hardly was a little bird Stirring as I went along; Not a waggon-wheel I heard, Nor the ploughman’s cheery song. Still upon the waters grey, Mists of early morning hung; Buy then, lady fair, I pray, Buy my water-cresses young. 21. The Brewer’s Dray. [Picture: The Brewer’s Dray] Here travels the brewer along with his dray, And the horse seems as if he had something to say; Now (tho’ between friends I am forced to confess That I cannot quite _hear_ him) I think I can guess: “Good master,” perhaps, “do not give such a smack; For even a dray-horse can feel on his back; And surely ’tis fair that my labour should earn, At least civil treatment from you in return.” 22. The Twopenny-post Boy. [Picture: The Twopenny-post Boy] This is a most welcome lad to many a tradesman, when he brings good orders, with a Banknote, or bill to be regularly paid: also to every parent, child, or friend, who wishes to hear of the welfare of parties that live at a distance. Quoth I to the Postman, good master, your nag, By this time is tired by the weight of your bag; You’ve set off from your office, and rode without stopping, Till your poor panting steed is in danger of dropping. Now, said he, if these letters were weigh’d by their sense, ’Twere a chance if they rose o’er a couple of pence; And if that could be managed, my beast would not mind, If I carried them with me, or left them behind. 23. The Dancing Bear and Dogs. [Picture: The Dancing Bear and Dogs] I wish the bear had remained in Russia or Poland, rather than, after being brought from his native woods, to be thus tormented; for who can tell what misery he underwent in learning to move at the command of his keeper. And as for the poor dogs, they must be very tired before their day’s work is ended. I would rather find employment for the men, than give them money for punishing poor animals as they do! 24. The Camel and Monkey. [Picture: The Camel and Monkey]