Their loves they will present
With many a gift both fine and gay,
Which gives them true content:
And though the gift be great or small,
Yet this is the custom still,
Expressing their loves in ribbons and gloves,
It being their kind good-will.
But thus their love is shown;
Young Richard will buy a bodkin fine
And give it honest Joan.
There's Nancy and Sue with honest Prue,
Young damsels both fair and gay,
Will give to the men choice presents again
For the honor of New-Year's day.
Maids give them fine and neat;
For this the young men will them embrace
With tender kisses sweet:
And give them many pleasant toys
To deck them fine and gay,
As bodkins and rings with other fine things
For the honor of New-Year's day.
A Cabinet of Choice Jewels, A.D. 1688.
THE END OF THE PLAY.
Slow falling to the prompter's bell;
A moment yet the actor stops
And looks around to say farewell.
It is an irksome word and task;
And, when he's laughed and said his say,
He shows, as he removes the mask,
A face that's anything but gay.
Let's close it with a parting rhyme,
And pledge a hand to all young friends,
As fits the merry Christmas-time.
On life's wide scene you, too, have parts,
That fate erelong shall bid you play;
Good-night! with honest, gentle hearts
A kindly greeting go alway.
Let young and old accept their part,
And bow before the Awful Will,
And bear it with an honest heart.
Who misses or who wins the prize,
Go, lose or conquer as you can;
But if you fail, or if you rise,
Be each, pray God, a gentleman.
(Bear kindly with my humble lays);
The sacred chorus first was sung
Upon the first of Christmas days;
The shepherds heard it overhead,
The joyful angels raised it then;
Glory to heaven on high, it said,
And peace on earth to gentle men.
I lay the weary pen aside,
And wish you health, and love, and mirth,
As fits the solemn Christmas-tide.
As fits the holy Christmas birth,
Be this, good friends, our carol still—
Be peace on earth, be peace on earth,
To men of gentle will.
William Makepeace Thackeray.
FINIS.
And we have feasted weel;
Sae Jock mun to his flail again.
And Jenny to her wheel.
Transcriber's Notes:
A number of the poems contain archaic and varied spelling. This has been left as printed, with the exception of the following few printer errors:
Page 84—plater'd amended to plaster'd—"And plaster'd round with amber."
Page 86—tyran's amended to tyrant's—"The tyrant's sword with blood is all defiled,"
Page 89—wind-winter amended to mid-winter—"In the bleak mid-winter Long ago."
Page 204—Iæan amended to Idæan—"They say, was nourisht by th' Idæan Mayd;"
Page 207—ore clamMorous amended to More clamorous—"More clamorous; and through the frosted air,"
The frontispiece illustrations has been moved to follow the title page. Captions have been added from the List of Illustrations.