Of serpent kind, and what at distance kills,
Poor mistress Dingley oft hath felt its bills.[11]

The dullest beast, and eggs unsound,
Without it I rather would walk on the ground.[12]

The dullest beast, and what covers a house,
Without it a writer is not worth a louse.[13]

The dullest beast, and scandalous vermin,
Of roast or boil’d, to the hungry is charming.[14]

The dullest beast, and what’s cover’d with crust,
There’s nobody but a fool that would trust.[15]

The dullest beast, and mending highways,
Is to a horse an evil disease.[16]

The dullest beast, and a hole in the ground,
Will dress a dinner worth five pound.[17]

The dullest beast, and what doctors pretend,
The cook-maid often has by the end.[18]

The dullest beast, and fish for lent,
May give you a blow you’ll for ever repent.[19]

The dullest beast, and a shameful jeer,
Without it a lady should never appear.[20]

Wednesday Night.

I writ all these before I went to bed.  Pray explain them for me, because
I cannot do it.

[Footnote 1:  A swine.] [Footnote 2:  A swallow.] [Footnote 3:  A stallion.] [Footnote 4:  A sail.] [Footnote 5:  A spaniel.] [Footnote 6:  A spur.] [Footnote 7:  A soul.] [Footnote 8:  A sloven.] [Footnote 9:  A sallad.] [Footnote 10:  A slip.] [Footnote 11:  A sparrow.] [Footnote 12:  A saddle.] [Footnote 13:  A style.] [Footnote 14:  A slice.] [Footnote 15:  A spy.] [Footnote 16:  A spavin.] [Footnote 17:  A spit.] [Footnote 18:  A skewer.] [Footnote 19:  Assault.] [Footnote 20:  A smock.]

PROBATUR ALITER

A long-ear’d beast, and a field-house for cattle,
Among the coals doth often rattle.[1]

A long-ear’d beast, a bird that prates,
The bridegrooms’ first gift to their mates,
Is by all pious Christians thought,
In clergymen the greatest fault.[2]

A long-ear’d beast, and woman of Endor,
If your wife be a scold, that will mend her.[3]

With a long-ear’d beast, and medicine’s use,
Cooks make their fowl look tight and spruce.[4]

A long-ear’d beast, and holy fable,
Strengthens the shoes of half the rabble.[5]

A long-ear’d beast, and Rhenish wine,
Lies in the lap of ladies fine.[6]

A long-ear’d beast, and Flanders College,
Is Dr. T——­l, to my knowledge.[7]

A long-ear’d beast, and building knight,
Censorious people do in spite.[8]

A long-ear’d beast, and bird of night,
We sinners art too apt to slight.[9]

A long-ear’d beast, and shameful vermin,
A judge will eat, though clad in ermine.[10]

A long-ear’d beast, and Irish cart,
Can leave a mark, and give a smart.[11]

A long-ear’d beast, in mud to lie,
No bird in air so swift can fly.[12]