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Launce in London.

(SHAKSPEARE ADAPTED TO THE SITUATION.)

[Illustration:  “A poor man feels an amount like this, and has to deny himself some necessary to preserve his affectionate companion, the dog.”]

    Enter LAUNCE with his dog.

Launce.  When a poor man’s cur shall cost him some thirteen shillings and sixpence within the year, look you, it goes hard; one that I brought up as a puppy; one of a mongrel litter that I saved from drowning, when three or four of his blind, breedless brothers and sisters went to it.  Verily I will write to the Standard thereanent.  Item—­muzzle, two shillings; item—­collar, under new order, two shillings and sixpence; item—­engraving collar, under new order, one shilling and sixpence; item—­licence, seven shillings and sixpence; total, thirteen shillings and sixpence, as aforesaid.  Truly a poor man feeleth an amount like this, and hath to deny himself some necessary to preserve his affectionate companion, to wit, his dog.  I have taught him, even as one would say, precisely, “thus would I teach a dog.”  O ’tis a foul thing when a dog cannot keep himself in all companies, but must grub for garbage in the gutter, and yap at constables’ kibes!  I would have, as one should say, one that takes upon himself to be a dog indeed, to be, as it were, a dog at all things.  And art thou so, Crab?  But verily ’tis I who have taught thee, that have also to pay for thee; and, whether the art wholly worth the cost, concerns not thee, but thy master.  Thou hast of late many enemies in seats of office, and elsewhere; ministers, and scribes, and feeble folk in fidgety fear of hypothetical hydrophoby.  “Out with the dog!” says one.  “That cur looks mad!” says another; “Muzzle him!” says the third.  “Knock me him on the head with a constable’s staff!” cries the fourth; “Give him euthanasia at the Dog’s Home!” suggests a fifth, with more sensibility; “Tax him, collar him, badge him, make his owner pay roundly for him!” saith the Minister of Agriculture.  And they, between them, make me no more ado than whip me thirteen and six out of my pinched pocket to pay thee out of danger.  How many masters would do this for their servant?  Nay, I’ll be sworn I have paid the fines inflicted by austere Magistrates, when thou, Crab, hast surreptitiously slipped thy muzzle, otherwise thou hadst been executed; I have “tipped” angry constables when thou hast stolen out not “under control,” otherwise thou hadst suffered for’t:  thou thinkest not of this now!  Nay, I remember the trick thou servedst me anigh the end of the year, when I had so far successfully dodged the Dog Tax for that season:  did I not bid thee still mark me, and keep out of sight when the rate-collector called?  When didst thou see me rush headlong upstairs and make madly for the collector’s calves?  Didst thou ever see me do such a fool’s trick?