1062 ANNUAL REGISTER. 1806. 
The taller follow’d with his hat in hand, 
Wreath’d round with yellow flow’rs, the gayest of the land- 
The other wore a rimless crown, 
With leaves of laurel stack about : 
And they both follow’d up and down, 
Each whooping witha merry shout ; 
Two brothers seem’d they, eight and ten years old ; 
And like that woman’s face as gold is like to gold, 
They bolted on me thus, and lo! 
Each ready with plaintive whine ; 
Said I, ** Not half an hour ago 
Your mother has had alms of mine.”’ : 
‘¢ That cannot be,”? one answer’d, ** She is dead.” 
‘¢ Nay but I gave her pence, and she will buy you bread.” 
“¢ She has been dead, Sir, many a day.” 
‘¢ Sweet boys, you're telling me a lie ; 
‘¢ It was your mother, as I say—” 
And in the twinkling of an eye, 
“¢ Come, come!” cried one ; and, without more ade. 
Off to some other play they both together flew. 
LITTLE THINGS ARE BEST. 
A JEU D’ESPRIT. 
Addressed to Miss Cresswell, a little, short Lady. By Old Nick. 
Satis parva res est. Amphitruo. Act 2, sc. 2. 
5 HEN any thing abounds, we find 
That nobody will have it, 
But when there’s /ittle of the kind, 
Don’t all the people crave it ? 
If wives are evils, as ’tis known 
And woefully confess’d, 
The man who’s wise will surely own 
A little one is best*. 
The god of Love’sa Jittle wight, 
But beautiful as thought ; 
Thou too art /ittle, fair as light, 
And ev’ry thing—in short +! 
_* See Josephus de Uxoribus—a very ancient and serious jest. ; 
+ Nulla voluptas longaest. Seneca, 
O, happy 
