“Drown’d! drown’d!”–Hamlet. One more Unfortunate, Weary of breath, Rashly importunate, Gone to her death! Take her up tenderly, Lift her with care; Fashion’d so slenderly, Young, and so fair! Look at her garments Clinging like cerements; Whilst the wave constantly Drips from her clothing; Take her up instantly, Loving, not loathing.– Touch her not scornfully; […]

There’s a murmur in the air, And noise in every street– The murmur of many tongues, The noise of numerous feet– While round the Workhouse door The Laboring Classes flock, For why? the Overseer of the Poor Is setting the Workhouse Clock. Who does not hear the tramp Of thousands speeding along Of either sex […]

“On the east coast, towards Tunis, the Moors still preserve the key of their ancestors’ houses in Spain; to which country they still express the hopes of one day returning and again planting the crescent on the ancient walls of the Alhambra.”–SCOTT’S Travels in Morocco and Algiers. “Is Spain cloven in such a manner as […]

A spade! a rake! a hoe! A pickaxe, or a bill! A hook to reap, or a scythe to mow, A flail, or what ye will– And here’s a ready hand To ply the needful tool, And skill’d enough, by lessons rough, In Labor’s rugged school. To hedge, or dig the ditch, To lop or […]

THE AERONAUT. “Up with me!–up with me into the sky!” WORDSWORTH–on a Lark. [Note: In Hood’s day Mr. Graham was one of a group of distinguished aeronauts which included Monck Mason, Hollond, Green, and others. Mr. Graham had made a memorable ascent in his Balloon in 1823.] I. Dear Graham, whilst the busy crowd, The […]

Farewell, Life! My senses swim, And the world is growing dim; Thronging shadows cloud the light, Like the advent of the night,– Colder, colder, colder still, Upward steals a vapor chill– Strong the earthy odor grows– I smell the mould above the rose! Welcome, Life! the Spirit strives! Strength returns, and hope revives; Cloudy fears […]

“O breathe not his name!”–Moore. [Note: After nearly eighty years it is almost pardonable to remind the reader that in the earlier days of the Waverley Novels their author was much talked of by the above title. The variety of Hood’s reading, and his resource in simile, are very noticeable in this Ode. The likening […]

M.P. FOR GALWAY. “Martin in this has proved himself a very good man!” —Boxiana. [Note: The well-known Humanitarian, M. P. for Galway, the author of “Martin’s Act” for the protection of animals from ill-treatment, and one of the founders of the noble society having the same object. He died in 1834.] I. How many sing […]

“Sermons in stones.”–As You Like It. “Out! out! damned spot!”–Macbeth. [Note 21: Elizabeth Fry had set up her school for the children in Newgate as early as 1817. Moll Brazen, Suky Tawdry, Jenny Diver, and the rest, are names borrowed from Gay’s Beggars’ Opera.] I. I like you, Mrs. Fry! I like your name! It […]

FROM BRIDGET JONES TO THE NOBLEMEN AND GENTLEMEN FORMING THE WASHING COMMITTEE. It’s a shame, so it is,–men can’t Let alone Jobs as is Woman’s right to do–and go about there Own– Theirs Reforms enuff Alreddy without your new schools For washing to sit Up,–and push the Old Tubs from their stools! But your just […]

“Archer. How many are there, Scrub?“ “Scrub. Five-and-forty, Sir.” Beaux’ Stratagem. “For shame–let the linen alone!” M. W. of Windsor. Mr. Scrub–Mr. Slop–or whoever you be! The Cock of Steam Laundries,–the head Patentee Of Associate Cleansers,–Chief founder and prime Of the firm for the wholesale distilling of grime– Co-partners and dealers, in linen’s propriety– That […]

“This fellow’s wise enough to play the fool, And to do that well craves a kind of wit.” Twelfth Night. I. Joseph! they say thou’st left the stage, To toddle down the hill of life, And taste the flannel’d ease of age, Apart from pantomimic strife– “Retir’d–(for Young would call it so)– The world shut […]

“By the North Pole, I do challenge thee!” Love’s Labour’s Lost. [Note: The famous Arctic explorer was engaged for many years, from 1818 onwards, in his various efforts to discover the North-West Passage. He died in 1855.] I. Parry, my man! has thy brave leg Yet struck its foot against the peg On which the […]

[Note: These famous verses were first published as from an anonymous correspondent in the London Magazine. When Hood reprinted them, under his own name, in the first series of Whims and Oddities, he prefaced them with the following words:– “I have never been vainer of any verses than of my part in the following Ballad. […]

I. ‘Twas in the year two thousand and one, A pleasant morning of May, I sat on the gallows-tree, all alone, A channting a merry lay,– To think how the pest had spared my life, To sing with the larks that day! II. When up the heath came a jolly knave, Like a scarecrow, all […]

Ode To W. Kitchener, M.D. AUTHOR OF “THE COOK’S ORACLE,” “OBSERVATIONS ON VOCAL MUSIC,” “THE ART OF INVIGORATING AND PROLONGING LIFE,” “PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS ON TELESCOPES, OPERA-GLASSES, AND SPECTACLES,” “THE HOUSEKEEPER’S LEDGER,” AND “THE PLEASURE OF MAKING A WILL.” “I rule the roast, as Milton says! “–Caleb Quotem. [Note: Hood, for obvious purposes, slightly departs from […]

Farewell, farewell, to my mother’s own daughter. The child that she wet-nursed is lapp’d in the wave; The Mussulman, coming to fish in this water, Adds a tear to the flood that weeps over her grave. This sack is her coffin, this water’s her bier, This grayish bath cloak is her funeral pall; And, stranger, […]

Scheherazade immediately began the following story. I. Ali Ben Ali (did you never read His wond’rous acts that chronicles relate,– How there was one in pity might exceed The Sack of Troy?) Magnificent he sate Upon the throne of greatness–great indeed! For those that he had under him were great– The horse he rode on, […]

Oh! what’s befallen Bessy Brown, She stands so squalling in the street; She’s let her pitcher tumble down, And all the water’s at her feet! The little school-boys stood about, And laugh’d to see her pumping, pumping; Now with a curtsey to the spout, And then upon her tiptoes jumping. Long time she waited for […]

I. Bianca!–fair Bianca!–who could dwell With safety on her dark and hazel gaze, Nor find there lurk’d in it a witching spell, Fatal to balmy nights and blessed days? The peaceful breath that made the bosom swell, She turn’d to gas, and set it in a blaze; Each eye of hers had Love’s Eupyrion in […]