THE AUTHOR'S REPLY. 93 



Now that advice which in your note you kindly sent to me, 

 You bid me look before 1 leap, to keep from danger free, 

 And that I must be slow, tho' sure, to save myself a ducking ; 

 I must stand, I suppose, whilst fish at my flies are plucking ; 

 But that would neverdo for me, I am too old a hand, 

 I say we must be quick and sure to bring them to the land. 



And as to " look before we leap," there must be some mistake, 



For if we did we should be like poor Sannock on the stake. 



Oft have I seen those sober souls every caution use, 



As they have stepped from stone to stone, that they might safely choose, 



Which next to set their foot upon, to keep their stockings dry, 



And yet they've floundered in the pool and made the waters fly. 



When next to the Dane you go, take your landing net and reel, 



Your rod, your line, your pocket-book, likewise your wicker creel; 



If some of these you should forget, when you've been there a while, 



You probably may have cause again to use your tile. 



All that I now have got to say think of your former plight 



"Tis late, and 1 have boozy got, so now I bid good night. 



