"We were young creatures,--I but twenty-four and seven months (for
it was written on the 14th of May), and she well-nigh upon a twelve-
month younger. My own verses, the first, are neither here nor
there; indeed, they were imbedded in solid prose, like lampreys and
ram's-horns {181a} in our limestone, and would be hard to get out
whole. What they are may be seen by her answer, all in verse:-
"'Faithful shepherd! dearest Tommy!
I have received the letter from ye,
And mightily delight therein.
But mother, SHE says, "Nanny! Nanny!
HOW, BEING STAID AND PRUDENT, CAN YE
THINK OF A MAN AND NOT OF SIN?"
"Sir shepherd! I held down my head,
And "MOTHER! FIE, FOR SHAME!" I said;
All I could say would not content her;
Mother she would for ever harp on't,
"A MAN'S NO BETTER THAN A SARPENT,
AND NOT A CRUMB MORE INNOCENTER."'
"I know not how it happeneth; but a poet doth open before a poet,
albeit of baser sort. It is not that I hold my poetry to be better
than some other in time past, it is because I would shew thee that I
was virtuous and wooed virtuously, that I repeat it. Furthermore, I
wished to leave a deep impression on the mother's mind that she was
exceedingly wrong in doubting my innocence.
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