Now surely this is better far
Than all the new parade
Of theatres and fancy balls,
"At home," and masquerade:
And much more economical,
For all his bills were paid.
Then leave your new vagaries quite,
And take up the old trade

Of a fine old English gentleman, &c.

"The excellent song of the Old and Young Courtier," on which this is closely modelled, is, says Percy, in his Relics of Ancient English Poetry," from an ancient black-letter copy in the Pepy's Collection, compared with another printed among some miscellaneous poems and songs, in a book entitled 'The Prince d'Amour, 1660.'"

FAIR ROSALIND.

From "The Convivial Songster," 1782.

FAIR Rosalind in woful wise
Six hearts has bound in thrall;
As yet she undetermined lies
Which she her spouse shall call.
Wretched, and only wretched he
To whom that lot shall fall;
For if her heart aright I see,
She means to please them all.

SIR MARMADUKE.

GEORGE COLMAN "the younger," born 1762, died 1836. The music by STEPHEN STORACE.

SIR MARMADUKE was a hearty knight;

Good man! old man!

He's painted standing bolt upright,

With his hose roll'd over his knee;

His perriwig's as white as chalk,

And on his fist he holds a hawk,
And he looks like the head

Of an ancient family.

His dining-room was long and wide
Good man! old man!

His spaniels lay by the fire-side;—
And in other parts, d'ye see
Cross-bows, tobacco-pipes, old hats,
A saddle, his wife, and a litter of cats!
And he looked like the head

Of an ancient family.

He never turned the poor from the gate;
Good man! old man!

But was always ready to break the pate

Of his country's enemy.

What knight could do a better thing
Than serve the poor and fight for his king?
And so may every head

Of an ancient family.

From the play of the "Iron Chest," founded upon Goodwin's novel of " Caleb Williams,"

WHAT IS'T TO US WHO GUIDES THE STATE?

From "The Convivial Songster," 1782.

WHAT is't to us who guides the state?
Who's out of favour or who's great?
Who are the ministers or spies?

Who vote for places or who buys?

The world will still be ruled by knaves,
And fools contending to be slaves.
Small things, my friend, serve to support
Life-troublesome at best, and short.

Our youth runs out, occasion flies
Grey hairs come on, and pleasure dies;
Who would the present blessing lose
For empire which he cannot use?

Kind Providence has us supplied
With what to others is denied,-
Virtue, which teaches to condemn
And scorn ill actions and ill men.

Beneath this lime-tree's fragrant shade,
On beds of flowers supinely laid,
Let's then all other cares remove,
And drink and sing to those we love.

ABRAHAM NEWLAND.

Words by UPTON. The music adapted by W. REEVE, from the old English Melody popularly known as "The Rogue's March," usually played by military bands when a soldier is drummed out of a regiment. Published in the "Whim of the Day," a Collection of Songs for 1800. Mr. Abraham Newland was cashier at the Bank of England towards the close of the last century.

THERE ne'er was a name so handed by fame
Through air, through ocean, and through land,
As one that is wrote upon every bank-note,
And you all must know Abraham Newland.
O Abraham Newland!

Notified Abraham Newland!

I have heard people say, sham Abraham you may,
But you must not sham Abraham Newland.

For fashion or arts should you seek foreign parts,
It matters not wherever you land,

Jew, Christian, or Greek, the same language they speak,
That's the language of Abraham Newland.

O Abraham Newland!

Wonderful Abraham Newland!

Though with compliments cramm'd, you may die and be d―d, If you hav'n't an Abraham Newland.

The world is inclin'd to think Justice is blind,
Lawyers know very well they can view land;
But, lord, what of that! she'll blink like a bat
At the sight of an Abraham Newland.

O Abraham Newland!

Magical Abraham Newland!

Though Justice 'tis known can see through a millstone,
She can't see through Abraham Newland.

Your patriots who bawl for the good of us all,-
Kind souls! here like mushrooms they strew land,
Though loud as a drum, each proves orator mum,
If attack'd by stout Abraham Newland.

O Abraham Newland!

Invincible Abraham Newland!

No argument's found in the world half so sound
As the logic of Abraham Newland.

The French say they're coming, but sure they are humming; I know what they want if they do land;

We'll make their ears ring in defence of our king,

Our country, and Abraham Newland.

O Abraham Newland!

Darling Abraham Newland!

No tri-colour'd elf, nor the devil himself,
Shall e'er rob us of Abraham Newland.

THE GUINEA.

From the "Whim of the Day," for 1801.

MASTER Abraham Newland's a monstrous good man,
But when you've said of him whatever you can,
Why all his soft paper would look very blue,
If it warn't for the yellow boys-pray, what think you?

With Newland's own letters of credit proceed,
Pray, what would you do where the people can't read?
But the worst of all dunces, we know very well,
Only shew them a guinea, I warrant they'll spell.

Then you lawyers, and doctors, and such sort of folks,
Who with fees and such fun, you know, never stand-jokes;
In defence of my argument try the whole rote,
Sure they'll all take a guinea before a pound-note.

The French would destroy all our credit and trade,
If they were not unable, ashamed, or afraid :
They may talk of our king, but let who will be victor,
They'd be devilish glad to get hold of his picture.

From a picture like this we true Britons can't part,
While the glorious original reigns in our heart;
Besides, with such tars as our navy can boast,

And our king and his picture, we must rule the roast.

The music to which this song is generally sung, is known as "The Russian Dance tune.

On beds of down our dandies lay,
And waste the cheerful morn,

While our squires of old would raise the day
With the sound of the bugle horn;

And their wives took care

The feast to prepare,

*In the second part of Henry IV., act v. sc. 3, occur these lines :

Mr. Warton, in his "History of English Poetry," observes that this rhyme is found in a poem by Adam Davie, called the "Life of Alexander: "

"Merry swithe it is in halle,

When the beards waveth alle."

In the "Briefe Conceipts of English Policye," by William Stafford, 1581, it is asserted that it is a common proverb, " "Tis merry in hall when beards wag all." In the "Serving Man's Comfort," 1598,,occurs the passage, "which done, grace said, and the table taken up, a song is sung, the under-song or holding whereof is, 'It is merry in haull, where beards wag all."" The song as now given is modern, and was introduced to the public by Mr. Murray, of the Edinburgh Theatre, who sang it in the character of Sir Mark Chase, in "A Roland for an Oliver."

L