SONG-THE GONNOR. (15) A GONNOR dwells o'th' Barrowfells, To banish ducks, fro' dams an' brucks, As looks 66 'a gentleman o'th' teawn," A hungry, wand'rin sinner; He chanc't to look into a nook, Just tipplin' at their leisure; Then swell'd his breast, an' he his crest Tow'rd heaven he distended; An' deep he swore, by flood an' shore, Neaw ducks, yo' known, cry quack, quack, quack, An' this, a tawkin' is their mack, Beneath his wing he had a thing, An' to these ducks he show'd it ; To banish ducks fro' dams an' brucks, The ducks did pray 'at they mut stay Who gaily had been fuddlin', 'At they'dn' stop, while the're a drop O' weatur fit to puddle in. The goose did sail, an' tow'd his tale But wisperin' foke at th' back dun tawk, 'At th' drake fro' wom mun wander, An' the goose wi' th' bell, has provet itsel, An addle-yeded gonthur. REFLECTION. IN midst of life we are in death; And our enjoying ends in dying. WHO, OF ALL THE ENGLISH BARDS, HAS PLEADED MOST ELOQUENTLY AND PERSEVERINGLY THE CAUSE OF THE LABOURING MILLIONS. THIS Poem was first published in April, 1839; it was inscribed, as at present to the before-mentioned bard, and was addressed to "The Hand-loom Weavers of Lancashire, and the Persons styled Chartists," in the hope that the reading of the piece, with the accompanying introductory remarks, and the post-scriptum (for which see note 16), might have some effect in counteracting the baneful influence of the Chartist demagogues, who, having wickedly devised the plan of "a National Holiday," or "Sacred Month," as they called it, were then urging their followers to attempt carrying it into effect. Whatever of an exciting tendency was to be found in the Poem, brought with it, in the same pages, a counteracting admonition; and the author hopes it was not then, nor has been since, altogether forgotten, either by the employers or the employed. |