Two Spaniels Poem by Richard Cobbold

Two spaniels met upon the pier,
With each a word for other’s ear;
Flirt, began with sprightly whine,
'Ah! how d’ye do! the day is fine,
'But very hot; prodigious dry;
'The air is sultry, and the sky
'So clear, so bright, without a cloud. -
'What spaniel’s that in yonder crowd,
'Hast ever seen him? look again,
'Let us attack with coup de main.
'Come let us see, - haste, let us run! -
'We soon shall meet him, O what fun!
'I love to see the stranger’s eye
'Attracted, as we pass him by,
'And hear him follow, see him gaze,
'At once suspended in amaze,
'At our approach; and then perchance,
'To see the fellows ready dance,
'How, here and there, he flits among
'The busy intermingled throng;
'Still peeping round, with anxious eye
'To see if haply, he descry
'Our forms again; and, how he wou’d
'Endeavour to be understood.
'O this is fun! to see and smile,
'And merrily the time beguile,
'Till, fairly sated with the play,
'We leave the rogue, and run away.'

Fidele replied: - 'And this is fun,
'Pray Flirt be off, go, quickly run,
'But run alone; for, on my word,
'I cannot foolishly afford
'To take such pains, to be so vain,
'And make it pleasure to give pain.
'If yonder spaniel hither move,
'Attracted, by the force of Love,
'And worthy be, I’d be his bride,
'And never never leave his side,
'Till life should leave me. Go your way,
'And bear in memory I pray,
'The words of one who wishes well,
'The motto of your poor Fidele.'

'To win the worthy, let him see
'You do not court in levity;
'But, being courted, try to prove
'Yourself deserving of his Love.'