FRAGMENTS. 



FRAGMENT OF AX ECCENTRIC DRAMA. 



Written at a very early age. 



"In a little volume wliicli the author had copied out, apparently for 

 the press, before ihe publication of " Clifton Grove," the song wiih 

 which this fragment commences was inserted, under the title of 

 " The Dance of the Consumptives, in imitation of Shakspeave, taken 

 from an Eccentric Drama, written by H. K. W. when very young." 

 The rest was discovered among his loose papers, in the first rude 

 draught, having, to all appearance, never been transcribed. The 

 song was extracted when he was sixteen, and must have been written 

 at least a year before— probably more, by the handwriting. There is 

 something strikingly wild and original in the fragment.] 



THE DAXCE OF THE COXvSUMPTIVES. 



I. 



Ding-dong! ding-dong; 

 Merrj, merrv, go the bells, 



Ding-dong ! ding-dong ! 

 Over the heath, over the moor, and over the dale 



" Swinging slow with sullen roar," 

 Dance, dance away, the jocund roundelay ! 

 Ding-dong, ding-dong, calls us away. 



II. 



Eound the oat, and round the elm, 

 Zvlerrily foot it o'er the ground ! 

 The sentry ghost it stands aloof, 

 So merrily, merrily, foot it round. 

 Ding-dong ! ding-dong 

 Merry, merry, go the bells, 



