COMIC PIECES. 255 



The mastiff turn'd round and loek'd grave at the puppy, 

 And I thought this reproof from his face I could copy : 

 " You saucy* young cur, had you ONE grain of true sense, 

 You'd scorn to be thus to your neighbours a nuisance. 



"Your pranks, let me tell you, are foolish and vicious, 

 And brine: a disgrace on the whole of the species ; 

 But come, sir! I'm going to teach you the danger 

 To which you'reexpos'd in insulting a stranger." 



Thus wisely resolv'd such ill manners to cheek, 

 He laid hold of the cur by the crag of the neck ; 

 While the latter, half dead with confusion and terror, 

 Sincerely repented his puppyish error. 



Then trotting away to the river in haste, 



The mastiff plung'd in it, but held the cur fast; 



There* duck'd him, and sous' 'd him, and shook him about, 



Till at last he thought proper to carry him out. 



By this mode of proceeding the puppy he taught 

 The duty of holding his tongue when he ought ; 

 For he carried him back to the place of his dwelling 

 Quite cured of his passion for Larking and yelling. 



THE PASHA AND THE DERVISE.f 



When a sage leaves his shop, and on politics doting, 



Exchanges CLOTH PATTERNS for plans of REFORM , 

 When preachers hold forth on the pleasures of voting, 



And roar, how delightfully calm is a storm ! 

 Are they MAD? mad enough see their frothy condition, 

 E'en the simple go mad when they're bit by AMBITION, 

 A Turkish Pasha in a whimsical mood, 



Took a casket of gold full of jewelry fair, 

 And addressing a Dervise thrice solemnly good, 



And wishing to make the grim animal stare, 



* This line also requires a slow utterance, with considerable em- 

 phasis. 



t This piece requires but little more than an easy, lively mode of 

 delivery. Care must, however, be taken that the tones of the several 

 speakers differ from each other, as also from that of the narrator. 



