The birds to their nestes is gone,
I can’t see no woodcock, nor snipe;
My dog he looks dogged and dull,
My leggins is flabby as tripe!

The moors is all slipp’ry slush,
I’m up to the neck in the mire;
I don’t see no chance of a shot,
And I long-how I long for a fire!

For my clothes is all soak’d, and they stick
As close as a bailiff to me
Oh!  I wish I was out o’ this here,
And at home with my mother at tea!

This is the fust, as I’ve got
Permission from uncle to shoot;
He hadn’t no peace till he give
This piece, and the powder to boot!

And vat’s it all come to at last?—­
There isn’t no chance of a hit,
I feel the rain’s all down my back,
In my mouth though I hav’n’t a bit!

O! it’s werry wezaatious indeed! 
For I shan’t have another day soon;
But I’m blow’d, if I don’t have a pop—­
My eye!  I’ve shot Dash! vot a spoon!

O! here’s a partic’lar mess,
Vot vill mother say to me now? 
For he vas her lap-dog and pet,
Oh!  I’ve slaughtered her darling bow-wow!

SCENE XI.

“Mother says fishes comes from hard roes, so I chuck’d in the roe of a red-herring last week, but I doesn’t catch any fish yet.”

How beautiful is the simplicity of unsophisticated youth!  Behold with what patience this innocent awaits a bite, trusting with perfect faith in the truth of his affectionate mother’s ichthyological knowledge.  Wishing to behold a live fish dangling at the end of his line, he has, with admirable foresight, drawn up the bucket, that in the ascent the finny prey may not kick it!  It must be a hard roe indeed, that is not softened by his attentions; but, alas! he is doomed never to draw up a vulgar herring, or a well-bred fish!

Folks who are a little deeper read than the boy—­(or the herring!)—­may smile at his fruitless attempt, but how many are there that act through life upon the same principle, casting their lines and fishing for—­compliments, who never obtain even a nibble—­for why? their attempts at applause, like his red-herring, are smoked.  He does not know that herrings are salt-water fish—­and, in fact, that the well-water is not the roes—­water!

But after all, is not such ignorance bliss?—­for he enjoys the anticipated pleasure; and if anticipation be really greater than reality —­what an interminable length will that pleasure be to him!  Ever and anon he draws up his line, like a militia captain for a review;—­puts fresh bait on the crooked pin, and lets it slowly down, and peeps in, wondering what the fish can be at!—­and is quite as much in the dark as his float.  But he may at last, perhaps, discover that he is not so deep as a well—­and wisely resolve to let well—­alone; two points which may probably be of infinite importance to him through life, and enable him to turn the laugh against those who now mock his ignorance and simplicity.