Let us dry the ready tear; Though the hours are surely creeping, Little need for woeful weeping Till the sad sundown is near. All must sip the cup of sorrow, I to-day and thou to-morrow: This the close of every song-- Ding dong! Ding dong! What though solemn shadows fall, Sooner, later, over all? Sing a merry madrigal-- Fal la! [Illustration] TO MY BRIDE (WHOEVER SHE MAY BE) Oh! little maid!--(I do not know your name, Or who you are, so, as a safe precaution I'll add)--Oh, buxom widow! married dame! (As one of these must be your present portion) Listen, while I unveil prophetic lore for you, And sing the fate that Fortune has in store for you. You'll marry soon--within a year or twain-- A bachelor of _circa_ two-and-thirty, Tall, gentlemanly, but extremely plain, And, when you're intimate, you call him "BERTIE." Neat--dresses well; his temper has been classified As hasty; but he's very quickly pacified. You'll find him working mildly at the Bar, After a touch at two or three professions, From easy affluence extremely far, A brief or two on Circuit--"soup" at Sessions; A pound or two from whist and backing horses, And, say, three hundred from his own resources. Quiet in harness; free from serious vice, His faults are not particularly shady; You'll never find him "_shy_"--for, once or twice Already, he's been driven by a lady, Who parts with him--perhaps a poor excuse for him-- Because she hasn't any further use for him. Oh! bride of mine--tall, dumpy, dark, or fair! Oh! widow--wife, maybe, or blushing maiden, I've told _your_ fortune: solved the gravest care With which _your_ mind has hitherto been laden. I've prophesied correctly, never doubt it; Now tell me mine--and please be quick about it! You--only you--can tell me, an you will, To whom I'm destined shortly to be mated, Will she run up a heavy _modiste's_ bill? If so, I want to hear her income stated. (This is a point which interests me greatly), To quote the bard, "Oh! have I seen her lately?" Say, must I wait till husband number one Is comfortably stowed away at Woking? How is her hair most usually done? And tell me, please, will she object to smoking? The colour of her eyes, too, you may mention: Come, Sibyl, prophesy--I'm all attention. [Illustration] THE DUKE AND THE DUCHESS