Parodies of the works of English & American authors, vol. I

Parodies

In the _Bon Gaultier Ballads_ is a parody of Lilian entitled:--


CAROLINE.

    Lightsome, brightsome, cousin mine,
        Easy, breezy, Caroline!
    With thy locks all raven-shaded,
    From thy merry brow up-braided,
      And thine eyes of laughter full,
        Brightsome cousin mine!
    Thou in chains of love hast bound me--
    Wherefore dost thou flit around me,
        Laughter-loving Caroline!

    When I fain would go to sleep
        In my easy chair,
    Wherefore on my slumbers creep--
    Wherefore start me from repose,
      Tickling of my hookèd nose,
        Pulling of my hair?
    Wherefore, then, if thou dost love me,
    So to words of anger move me,
      Corking of this face of mine,
        Tricksy cousin Caroline?

           *       *       *

    Would she only say she'd love me,
        Winsome, tinsome, Caroline,
    Unto such excess 'twould move me,
        Teazing, pleasing, cousin mine!
    That she might the live-long day
    Undermine the snuffer-tray,
      Tickle still my hookèd nose,
    Startle me from calm repose
        With her pretty persecution;
    Throw the tongs against my shins,
    Run me through and through with pins,
        Like a piercèd cushion;
    Would she only say she'd love me,
    Darning-needles should not move me;
    But, reclining back I'd say,
    "Dearest! there's the snuffer-tray;
    Pinch, O pinch those legs of mine!
        Cork me, cousin Caroline!"

       *       *       *       *       *

I next give an extract from a capital parody of _The Merman_, taken from
_The Bon Gaultier Ballads_, in which the allusions to the Laureate's
office are happily introduced.


THE LAUREATE.

              Who would not be
                The Laureate bold,
              With his butt of sherry
                To keep him merry,
    And nothing to do but to pocket his gold?
    'Tis I would be the Laureate bold!
    When the days are hot, and the sun is strong,
    I'd lounge in the gateway all the day long,
    With Her Majesty's footmen in crimson and gold.
    I'd care not a pin for the waiting lord;
    But I'd lie on my back on the smooth greensward
    With a straw in my mouth, and an open vest,
    And the cool wind blowing upon my breast,
    And I'd vacantly stare at the clear blue sky,
    And watch the clouds that are listless as I,
                            Lazily, lazily!
    And I'd pick the moss and daisies white,
    And chew their stalks with a nibbling bite;
    And I'd let my fancies roam abroad
    In search of a hint for a birthday ode,
                            Crazily, crazily!

           *       *       *       *       *

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Parodies of the works of English & American authors, vol. I

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