The Works of Thomas Hood; Vol. 02 (of 11): Comic and Serious, in Prose and Verse, With All the Original IllustrationsHood, Thomas
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The Works of Thomas Hood; Vol. 02 (of 11): Comic and Serious, in Prose and Verse, With All the Original Illustrations
Hood, Thomas
English poetry -- 19th century; English wit and humor; Humorous poetry, English
Now birds by poison slain,
As venom’d dart from Indian’s hollow cane,
Are edible; and Mrs. W.’s thrift,--
She had a thrifty vein,--
Destined one pair for supper to make shift,--
Supper as usual at the hour of ten:
But ten o’clock arrived and quickly pass’d,
Eleven--twelve--and one o’clock at last,
Without a sign of supper even then!
At length, the speed of cookery to quicken,
Betty was called, and with reluctant feet,
Came up at a white heat--
“Well, never I see chicken like them chicken!
My saucepans, they have been a pretty while in ’em!
Enough to stew them, if it comes to that,
To flesh and bones, and perfect rags; but drat
Those Anti-biting Pills! there is no bile in ’em!”
A LAWYER’S LETTER.
_To Mr. Richard Walton, 32, Lincoln’s Inn._
DEAR DICK,
IN re Pedro--Pike, Row, Badgery, and Crump, Mr. Theodore Hook’s
attorneys, offered three years ago, and continued the allowance
up to last Easter Term, to give me, with unexampled liberality,
eighteen shillings per week as copying clerk, and to undertake the
management of the Common Law--attend to the Chancery Department--do the
out-door business--make out Bills of Costs--and make myself generally
useful--which I have been doing as long as my health permitted. Not
being strong, though with an attachment to the profession, I have been
compelled to withdraw my record, and to sue out a Writ of Certiorari to
carry my line of life into another court. Hearing that Don Pedro was
about to bring an action against Don Miguel and Company, and that lots
of John Does and Richard Roes were wanted, I took a retainer from an
agent of the great Portuguese professional gentleman, and have really
embarked in the cause. Being out here on the circuit, as one might call
it (Mr. Chief Justice Sartorius goes it), and knowing the interest you
take in my verdicts, I shall write at intervals the particulars of
plaintiff’s demand, and account of set-off on the part of the enemy’s
fleet, or Defendant. Pray call on Mr. Wilson, the Common Law Clerk at
Pike, Row, and Co., and tell him I have four hours to myself and a
chance of being paid, but do this if possible without the knowledge of
the Principals. White of the same office, when I enlisted, was to have
taken the benefit of the act, but on mustering at Gravesend, he did not
attend the roll call, and was struck off the Rolls. I can’t but say,
putting Truth on her oath in the Admiralty Court, that when the Blue
Peter gave legal notice to quit, I felt some regret at leaving a land
where I might have been, so to speak, a tenant at will. Nor was it much
better when I came to the Nore. I heartily wished, with Mr. Matthews,
that if Britannia does rule the waves, she would rule them evener! but
it was “rule refused.” The sea ran very rough, and you will understand
me when I say I took nothing by my motion. There was the thought of my
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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