THB SWITCH OF KENDAL. 11 



A whizzing deaftiess stopp'd her ears ; 

 Yet, still, she struggled with her fears : 

 But, when a palsy seiz'd her tongue, 

 A weight upon her spirits hung. 

 For she was sure that fatal sign 

 Foretold a woman's last decline. 



Fearing to leave alone her daughter. 

 To wed, she earnestly besought her. 



Blithe as the Throstle on the spray, 

 And lovely as the fragrant flow*r. 



That blooms upon the lap of May, 

 Refresh'd by genial sun and show'r. 

 Fair Dora, though, in all things, still 

 Obedient to her mother's will. 

 When Fame's loud trump her beauty sounded. 

 And .Suitors in her train abounded. 

 No witchcraft needed to discover. 

 Or fancy, failings in each lover. 

 Instructed in Lavater's school. 

 To love, or hate, by settled rule. 



The Maiden boasted of her skill, 

 By signs and tokens, to foretell 



What youth would play the bridegroom ill. 

 Or act, for life, the husband well. 

 Her system taught her to detect 

 Hypocrisy in every sect. 

 And in the fleeting gestures, find 

 Each latent feature of the mind. 



By form of eye-brow, lip and chin, 

 She prov'd the owner void of grace. 



And pried into each secret sin. 

 By dint of his immoral face. 



Red hair a cruel soul betray'd. 

 And tyrants mortally she hated ; 



A flaxen hue a knave betray'd. 

 And with a knave she ne'er debated ; 



A thrifty suitor woo'd her pelf; 

 (Yet was she not averse to saving ;) 



The handsome only lov'd — ^himself. 

 Although of flames and Cupids raving ; 

 The vice of play, in this, she fear'd ; 

 Too light and fickle that appear'd ; 

 This short in person ; that too tall ; 

 An incomty or a nose too small ; 



In these, or crimes like these, detected. 

 One Lover fast pursu'd another. 



And each, in turn, with scorn rejected. 

 In sorrow found a luckless brother. 



The Matron, an experienc'd Dame, 

 Who knew the world and all its chances. 



Would seriously her Daughter blame. 

 And preach against her " silly fancies" 

 She quaver' d, oft, the ancient saying, 

 *' There's danger in a maid's delaying. 

 " A bird above us, in the bush, 

 ** Is dearly purchas'd at a rush ; 

 ** One caught — good sportsmen understand, 

 " Is worth an hundred out of hand." 



" Dorinda dear,"— one day, she said,— 

 " A whimsy flutters in my brain ; 



" Haste to the hedge in yonder mead,— ■ 

 " I long, and must not Jong in vain— 



