Billy,— where are you, Billy, I say? Come, Billy,

come home, to your best of mothers!

I'm scared when I think of them Cabroleys, they

drive so, they 'd run over their own sisters and brothers.

O, I'd give the whole wide world, if the world was mine, to clap my two longin' eyes on his face, For he 's my darlin' of darlin's, and if he don't soon come back, you'll see me drop stone dead on the place.

I only wish I'd got him safe in these two motherly arms, and would n't I hug him and kiss him? Lord! I never knew what a precious he was, but

a child don't feel like a child till you miss him. Punch-and-Judy hunting, the

Why there he is!

young wretch, it's that Billy as sartin as sin! But let me get him home, with a good grip of his

hair, and I'm blest if he shall have a whole bone in his skin!

WISHES.

BY WILLIAM HOWARD, EARL OF SURREY.

1557.

How no age is content with his owne estate, and how the age of children is the happiest, if they had skill to understand it.

LAID in my quiet bed, in study as I were,

I saw within my troubled head a heap of thoughts

appear;

And every thought did shew so lyvely in myne eyes, That now I sighed, and then I smilde, as cause of thoughts did ryse.

I sawe the little boy, in thought how oft that he
Did wish of God, to scape the rod, a tall yonge man

to be;

The yonge man eake that feles his bones with pains

opprest,

How he would be a riche old man, to live and lye at

rest;

The riche old man, that sees his end draw on so sore, How he would be a boy againe, to live so much the

more.

Whereat full oft I smylde, to see how all those

three,

From boy to man, from man to boy, would chop and change degree.

Whereat I sighed again, and sayde, Farewell my wonted toye;

Trusse up thy packe, and trudge from me to every little boy,

And tell them thus from me, theyr time most happy is,

If to theyr time they reason had, to know the truth of this.

TO MY LITTLE COUSIN WITH HER FIRST BONNET.

FAIRIES! guard the baby's bonnet, –

Set a special watch upon it;
Elfin people! to your care

I commit it, fresh and fair;

Neat as neatness, white as snow,

--

Watch and ward set all about,
Some within and some without;
Over it with dainty hand,
One her kirtle green expand;
One take post at every ring;
One at each unwrinkled string;

Two or three about the bow
Vigilant concern bestow;

A score, at least, on either side,
'Gainst evil accident provide, -
(Jolt or jar or overlay ;)

And so the precious charge convey
Through all the dangers of the way.
But when those are battled through,
Fairies, more remains to do;
Ye must gift, before ye go,

The bonnet, and the babe also, –
Gift it to protect her well,
Fays! from all malignant spell,
Charms and seasons to defy,
Blighting winds and evil eye;
And the bonny babe! on her
All your choicest gifts confer;-

Just as much of wit and sense
As may be hers without pretence,
Just as much of grace and beauty,
As shall not interfere with duty, -
Just as much of sprightliness,
As may companion gentleness, -
Just as much of firmness, too,
As with self-will hath naught to do,

Just as much light-hearted cheer,

be melted to a tear,

As may

Pity's touch, or Love's rebuke,—
As much of frankness, sweetly free,
As may consort with modesty,—

As much of feeling as will bear
Of after life the wear and tear,

Ye vanish into thinnest air;

And with ye parts the playful vein
That loved a light and trivial strain.

Befits me better, babe, for thee
T' invoke Almighty agency,-
Almighty love, Almighty power,
To nurture up the human flower;