12 THE SWITCH OF KENDAL. 



" The Straightbst Switch Td haveyau choose ; 

 " And all your maiden wisdom use ; 

 ** The issue will my thouj^ht explain ; — 

 ** Waste not your time in hesitation ; 

 " For much it will my heart rejoice, 



" If acting with discrimination, 

 ** You make a quick and cunning choice. 

 *' The search at yonder elm commence, 

 *' Pray Heaven you may appi-ave your sense ! 



*' For, mark me, when you once refuse, 

 " And pass a growing sapling by, 



" You must mor turn again to chooss, 

 " But, further on, your fortune try/* 

 The Maid replied : — ^" By yonder stile, 

 " I'll haste — and stay so short a while, 

 " You may fill out my tea to cool. — 



" Thank Heav'n ! Pm not so very blind, 

 " Nor — dear Mamma — so great a fool, 



** But what you want I'll quickly find."— 

 Then breathing sweets — with spirits gay. 

 Light o'er the turf, she tripp'd away ; 

 Soon pass'd the stile — the elm beside, 

 A TALL STRAIGHT SWITCH, at once, shc Spied. 

 She stretch'd her hand — but hesitating — 



Though settled not to loiter long. 

 And inwardly deliberating, — 



" To choose so quickly might be wrong. — 

 " Mamma was good — ^her stay might fret her, 

 " But further on she saw a better." 

 To that she flew — but found, when near. 

 It did not quite so straight appear. 

 One further still, she saw, and then. 

 She found herself deceiv'd again. 

 *Twas odd, but, with more crooked bent. 

 They grew, the further on she went. 

 At every step, now more perplex'd. 

 She oft look'd back, asham'd, and vext ; 

 Through apprehension of the worst. 

 Regretting that she left the first ; 

 And choosing none, when all were pass*d. 

 Returned without a switch, at last. 



Ye maids, alas ! her tea was cold ; 

 For dear Mamma the cup had fill'd \-— 



The prudent lady still could scold. 

 And was in many points self-will'd : 

 But, having fully gain'd her view. 

 This moral from her failure drew : 

 *' There is a tide — I hate delays, — 

 *' In man's afiairs — as Milton* says^ 

 ** He might have said in woman's too— 

 *• And, if he had, 'twere full as true — 

 " That should be taken at the flood, 

 " Or neither ever come to good. 

 *' Dear Dora, as you could not find, 

 " In yon, a switch to please your mind, 

 " I greatly fear your curious eye 

 ** Will pass the crowd of lovers by. 

 *' Remember, youth not long will tarry ; 

 " And years bring on most wofiil changes ;— 



* Milton for Shakspeare, a proof that the good Lady's memory had partaken in the 

 decay of her other powers. 



