The Sailor's Consolation

Spanring Jack was so comely, so pleasant, so jolly, Tho' winds blew great guns he would whistle and sing; Jack lov'd his friend, and was true to his Molly, And if honor bro't titles was as great as a king; One night as we drove with two reefs in our mainsail, And the soud came on louring upon a lee shore, Jack went up aloft for to hand the top-gallant fail, A spray wash'd him off, and we ne'er saw him more.

But grieving's a folly, come let us be jolly, If we've troubles at sea, boys, we've pleasures on shore.

Whistling Tom, still of mischief and fun in the middle, Thro life in all weathers at random we jog, He'd dance and he'd sing, and he'd play on the fiddle, And swig with an air his allowance of grog;

Long side of a Don, in the Terrible frigate, As yard arm and yard arm we lay off the shore, In and out whistling Tom did so caper and jig it, That his head was shot off and we ne'er saw him more.

Bonny Ben was to each jolly messmate a brother, He was manly and honest, good natur'd and free; If ever one tar was more free than another, To his friend and his duty that sailor was he,

One day with the david to heave the cadge anchor, Ben went in a boat on a bold craggy shore, He overboard tipt, when a shark and a spanker, Soon nipt him in two, and we ne'er saw him more.

But what of it all, lads, shall we be down hearted Because that may hap we may take the last sup, Life's cable must one day or other be parted, And death in safe mooring will bring us all up.

But 'tis always the way on't one scarce sinds a brother, Found a pitch honest hearty, and true to the core, But by battle or storm or some d—thing or other, He's popp'd off the hooks, and we ne'er saw him more.