152 AET OF ANGLING. 



SIGNS OF RAIN. 



Forty reasons for not accepting the invitation of 



a friend to make an excursion with him. 



BY THE LATE DE. JENNEB. 



1. The hollow winds begin to blow, 



2. The clouds look black, the glass is low ; 



3. The soot falls down, the spaniels sleep, 



4. And spiders from their cobwebs peep. 



5. Last night the sun went pale to bed, 



6. The moon in haloes hid her head ; 



7. The boding shepherd heaves a sigh, 



8. For see a rainbow spans the sky : 



9. The walls are damp, the ditches smell, 



10. Closed is the pink-eyed pimpernel. 



11. Hark how the chairs and tables crack, 



12. Old Betty's joints are on the rack ; 



13. Loud quack the ducks, the peacocks cry ; 



14. The distant hills are seeming nigh. 



15. How restless are the snorting swine, 



16. The busy flies disturb the kine ; 



17. Low o'er the grass the swallow wings ; 



18. The cricket, too, how sharp he sings ; 



19. Puss on the hearth, with velvet paws, 



20. Sits wiping o'er her whisker* d jaws. 



21. Thro' the clear stream the fishes rise, 



22. And nimbly catch th' incautious flies. 



23. The glow-worms, numerous and bright, 



24. Ill um' d the dewy dell last night. 



25. At dusk the squalid toad was seen, 



26. Hopping and crawling o'er the green ; 



27. The whirling wind the dust obeys, 



28. And in the rapid eddy plays ; 



29. The frog has changed his yellow vest, 



30. And in a russet coat is drest. 



31. Though June, the air is cold and chill, 



32 . 4 he mellow blackbird's voice is shrill. 



33. My dog, so alter' d in his taste, 



34. Quits mutton bones on grass to feast ; 



35. And see yon rooks, how odd their flight, 



36. They imitate the gliding kite, 



