Ballad—in Will of the Wisp

I NEVER shall survive it, cried Lumkin in dispair, She's gone and I shall ever wail and cry, I've lost my charming Caelia, the fairest of the fair: Will no one comfort send me, Why then these hands shall end me, Hung by his garter on that tree I'll die; Let none my fame be mangling, While dangling, dangling, dangling, On yon tree I die.

Young Kitty of the cottage, and Jenny of the mill, And bonny Suke, and sprightly Peggy Sly, And Fan and Nan, and Poll and Doll, I know will try their skill, Tricked out in all their beauty, To lure me from my duty: But I can tell them they are deceived—I'll die! These girls will all be angling: 'Twont do for dangling, dangling, All for love I'll die.

I own that Kitty's eye brows some trait of Caelia's bear, Suke has her nose, and Peg her sparkling eye; Both Fan and Nan, her dimples, and Poll and Doll her hair; But these shall all be slighted, For Caelia's charms united, Not all her sex combined can boast—I'll die! Then let them all be wrangling, And pulling caps for dangling, They shall see me die.

And yet on recollection, Young Daelia formed to please, Her dimples has, her hair, and sparkling eye; Nay, Daelia is like Caelia as ever were two peas, Has all those charms that won me, Would she take pity on me! But lord she'd never think of me—I'll die! While hopes and fears are jangling, I'll dangling, dangling, dangling, All for Caelia die.

'Twixt hanging, and 'twixt marriage, still doubtful which to chuse, As Lumkin paused, came Daelia tripping by, Ads wounds, cried he, would'st thou consent I'd tye the other noose, She smiles, good bye poor Caelia, I go to marry Daelia, Not in a halter, but in her arms to die; Better in wedlock wrangling, Than dangling, dangling, dangling, On a tree to die.