DICKSTRYPE;OR,THEFORCEOFHABIT

dickstrype;or,theforceofhabit

atale—bytimothybramble

(1801)

habitsarestubbornthings:

andbythetimeamanisturn'dofforty,

hisrulingpassion'sgrownsohaughty

thereisnoclippingofitswings.

theamorousrootshavetakenearth,andfix

andnevershallp—ttleavehislingtricks,

tillh——yquitshismetrewithhispride,

tillw——mlearnstoflatterregicide,

tillhypocrite-enthusiastsceasetovant

andmisterw——eleavesofftocant.

thetruthwillbestbeshewn,

byafamiliarinstanceofourown.

dickstrype

wasadearfriendandloverofthepipe;

heus'dtosay,onepipeofkirkman'sbest

gavelifeazest.

tohim'twasmeat,anddrink,andphysic,

toseethefriendlyvapour

curlroundhismidnighttaper,

andtheblackfume

clothealltheroom,

incloudsasdarkassciencemetaphysic.

sostillhesmok'd,anddrank,andcrack'dhisjoke;

and,hadhesingletarried

hemighthavesmok'd,andstillgrownoldinsmoke:

butrichardmarried.

hiswifewasone,whocarried

thecleanlyvirtuesalmosttoavice,

shewassonice:

andthriceaweek,above,below,

thehousewasscour'dfromtoptotoe,

andallthefloorswererubb'dsobright,

youdar'dnotwalkupright

forfearofsliding:

butthatshetookapridein.

ofallthingselseastrype

couldleastendureapipe.

sherail'duponthefilthyherbo,

protestedthatthenoisomevapour

hadspoiltthebestchintzcurtainsandthepaper

andcosthermanyapoundino:

andthenshe"edourkingjames,whosaith

"oisthedevil'sbreath."

whenwiveswillgovern,husbandsmustobey;

formanyaday

dickmourn'dandmiss'dhisfavouriteo,

andcurs'da.