celebrated poem of the Nut-brown Maid first appeared in 

 this Chronicle. Sir E. Brydges, in vol. 6 of his Censura 

 Literaria, has transcribed the whole poem as it appears in 

 Arnolde. 



THOMAS TUSSER, whose memory has had the felicity to 

 merit the notice of Mr. Warton, in his History of English 

 Poetry, from his having published his poem of " A Hundreth 

 good Pointes of Husbandrie, imprinted at London, in Flete 

 strete, within Temple barre, at the syne of the Hand and 

 Starre, by Richard Totell, An. 1577." A copy of this first 

 edition (probably unique) is preserved in the British Museum. 

 A re-print of this singular literary rarity is given in Mr. Ha- 

 zlewood's British Bibliographer. The subsequent editions 

 of this curious book are interestingly enumerated by Mr. 

 Mavor, in his edition of Tusser. No portrait I believe has 

 been discovered of this benevolent man, whose good sense, 

 impressive maxims, enlightened and philosophic turn of 

 mind and feeling for the poor, shine through most pages of 

 his poem: 



What better bed than conscience good, to pass the night with sleep, 

 What better work, than daily care, from sin thyself to keep? 

 What better thought, than think on God, and daily him to serve, 

 What better gift than to the poor, that ready be to sterve? 



His estimate of life is concise: 



To death we must stoop, be we high, be we low, 

 But how and how suddenly few be that know ; 

 What carry we then but a sheet to the grave, 

 (To cover this carcass) of all that we have? 



His hospitable heart thus pleads for the desolate, during 

 the festivities of Christmas, and his love of " mirth and good 

 cheer" makes him not forget Harvests home: 



