One fatal morning saw them parting:
While each the other's sorrow dried,
They by the tear that then was starting,
Vow'd to be constant till they died.

At distance from his Anna's beauty,
While howling winds the sky deform,
Ben sighs, and well performs his duty,
And braves for love the frightful storm:
Alas! in vain-the vessel batter'd,
On a rock splitting, open'd wide,
While lacerated, torn, and shatter'd,
Ben thought of Anna, sigh'd, and died.
The semblance of each charming feature,
That Ben had worn around his neck,
Where art stood substitute for nature,
A tar, his friend, sav'd from the wreck.
In fervent hope while Anna burning,
Blush'd as she wish'd to be a bride,

The portrait came-joy turned to mourning-
She saw, grew pale, sunk down, and died.

WE TARS HAVE A MAXIM!
[CHARLES DIBDIN.]

WE tars have a maxim, your honours, d'ye see,
To live in the same way we fight;
We never give in, and, when running lee,
We pipe hands the vessel to light.
It may do for the lubber to snivel and that,
If by chance on a shoal he be cast;

But a tar among breakers, or thrown on a flat,
Pull away, tug, and tug to the last,

With a yeo, yeo, yeo, tol de rol, &c.

This life as we're told is a bit of a cruise,

In which storms and calms take their turn; If it's storm, why we bustle, if calm, then we booze, All taut from the stem to the stern.

Our captain, who in our own lingo would speak,
Would say "To the cable stick fast;

And whether the anchor be cast or apeak,
Pull away, tug, and tug to the last!"

With a yeo, &c.

THE WATERY GRAVE.
[CHARLES DIBDIN.]

WOULD you hear a sad story of woe,
That tears from a stone might provoke ;
'Tis concerning a tar, you must know,
As honest as e'er biscuit broke :
His name was Ben Block, of all men

The most true, the most kind, the most brave:
But harsh treated by fortune, for Ben
In his prime found a watery grave.

His place no one ever knew more;
His heart was all kindness and love;
Though on duty an eagle he'd soar,

His nature had most of the dove.
He lov'd a fair maiden named Kate;
His father, to int'rest a slave,
Sent him far from his love, where hard fate
Plung'd him deep in a watery grave.

A curse on all slanderous tongues!

A false friend his mild nature abus'd,
And sweet Kate of the vilest of wrongs,
To poison Ben's pleasure, accus'd:
That she never had truly been kind;
That false were the tokens she gave;
That she scorn'd him, and wish'd he might find
In the ocean a watery grave.

Too sure from this cankerous elf
The venom accomplish'd its end:
Ben, all truth and honour himself,
Suspected no fraud in his friend.

On the yard while suspended in air,

A loose to his sorrows he gave;

"Take thy wish," he cried, "false, cruel fair," And plung'd in a watery grave.

WHILE UP THE SHROUDS.
[CHARLES DIBDIN.]

WHILE up the shrouds the sailor goes,
Or ventures on the yard,

The landsman, who no better knows,
Believes his lot is hard.

But Jack with smiles each danger meets,
Casts anchor, heaves the log,
Trims all the sails, belays the sheets,
And drinks his can of grog.

When mountains high the waves that swell,

The vessel rudely bear,

Now sinking in a hollow dell,

Now quiv'ring in the air-
Bold Jack, &c.

When waves 'gainst rocks and quicksands roar,
You ne'er hear him repine;
Freezing near Greenland's icy shore,
Or burning near the line-
Bold Jack, &c.

If to engage they give the word.

To quarters all repair,

While splinter'd masts go by the board,
And shot sing through the air-

Bold Jack, &c.

INDEX TO THE FIRST LINES.

Again the willing trump of fame
Ah! it is not the matin bell
All the fields were silent, sleeping
And have I lost thee

Arm, brothers, arm, the wolf is out
Around the face of blue-eyed Sue
As I walked forth one summer's-day
A spell is hanging o'er me

As fortune's billows heaved me

Begone, dull care, I prithee begone from me

Ben Backstay loved the gentle Anna

Bleak was the morn when William left his Nancy

A warrior came from the far-off fight

Be kind to each other

Beware the chain love's wreathing

Blue Peter to the mast-head flew

Come, listen to a seaman's ditty

Come, rest in this bosom, my own stricken deer

Come with me, love, I'm seeking

Cypress and yew, sorrowful trees

Daddy Neptune one day to freedom did say
Down in yon village I live so snug
Encompassed in an angel's frame
Fair Hebe I left with a cautious design
Fain would I love but that I fear
Fill the bumper fair

Follow, follow over mountain
Follow him, nor fearful deem

From aloft the sailor looks around

Gaily through the mountain glen
Gentle Zitella, whither away?

Good people, give attention, while I do sing in praise...
Has sorrow thy young days shaded
Ha leeps beneath the ocean shore
How can my poor heart be glad
How dashingly in sun and light
How happy could I be with either
How little do the landsmen know
How pleasant is the farmer's life
How pleasant a sailor's life passes

How sweet, how sweet 'tis to return

How sweet thy modest light to view...

How sweet in the woodlands

How sweet 'tis to listen when some one may tell

I cannot sing the old songs

I'd mourn the hopes that leave me

If all the world and love were young....

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If lubberly landsmen, to gratitude strangers
If doughty deeds my lady please

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If 'tis love to wish you near

I hear it, I hear it-the voice of the past

I know thou dost love me

I love to roam at night

In England I've seen the brave sons of roast beef

Merrily, merrily rang the bells

Merrily oh! merrily oh!

My boat is on the shore

Night closed around the conqueror's way
Now by the waving greenwood tree
Of all the torments, all the cares

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