Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, AUNT DOROTHY'S LECTURE, by ADA CAMBRIDGE


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

AUNT DOROTHY'S LECTURE, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Come, go and practise - get your work
Last Line: If he'll come in to tea.
Alternate Author Name(s): Cross, George, Mrs.
Subject(s): Conduct Of Life; Advice


COME, go and practise -- get your work --
Do something, Nelly, pray.
I hate to see you moon about
In this uncertain way!
Why do you look so vacant, child?
I fear you must be ill.
Surely you are not thinking of
That Captain Cameron still?

Ah, yes -- I fear'd so! You may blush;
I blush for you, my dear;
And it is scarce a week ago
Since Gerald brought him here --

The day he fell in the hunting-field,
And his pretty horse was lamed.
O child -- and with your bringing up!
You ought to be ashamed.

Last night I saw you watching him,
And you danced with him thrice;
You turn'd quite red when he spoke to you --
Such manners are not nice.
You, Nelly Gray, should not be seen
(I don't wish to be harsh)
Running wild, like the servant-girls,
For a red coat and moustache.

Not that he isn't a gentleman
From spur to shako-brim --
I know good blood when I see it -- yes,
I will say that for him.
He does not swagger, nor lisp, nor flirt --
Has none of those vulgar ways;
And he does not talk like a stable-boy,
As the fashion is nowadays.

In fact, I admire him very much --
My dear, you need not fret --
I do; he's very different from
The rest of Gerald's set.
He's very handsome, certainly --
I don't mind saying so.
He reminds me a bit of your uncle, when
I met him long ago.

He had a silky, long moustache
Of just that golden shade;
And broad Greek brows, with a tint of bronze,
That Indian suns had made.
He was a soldier, too, you know --
As big and strong and tall:
He'd just come home when I saw him first
At Lady Talbot's ball.

I remember when we were introduced;
By stealth I look'd him o'er --
Such haughty, indolent, gentle eyes,
I never saw before!
I felt so strange when he look'd at me;
I cannot tell you why --
But I seem'd to feel he was mine, to keep
And love, till I should die.

'Twas very odd -- in a moment, too,
Before I knew his name!
But, Nelly -- O how the world was changed
And brighten'd, when he came!
I was so restless all that night; --
I did not want to see,
I felt where he moved about the room
While he was away from me.

I was jealous -- I could not help it,
Although I struggled hard --
Of the other girls, whose favour'd names
Were written on his card;
They were so rich, and I was poor;
They were so grandly dress'd,
And I so dowdy; and yet, and yet,
I thought he liked me best.

The last long hour he danced with them,
And oh I miss'd him so!
And then I heard our carriage call'd,
And I knew that I must go.
A big lump rose up in my throat
That I could hardly bear;
But, passing through the vestibule,
I saw him standing there.

I knew not where he came from,
But I felt no surprise
When he look'd down from his stately height
With his grave and quiet eyes,
And held his hand for a mute good-night
That said all words could say; --
Ah, love! he made me happy then
For ever and for aye.

Well, well, -- but this is nonsense;
How I am running on! --
His golden hair grew thin and grey,
And now he's dead and gone.
There, go and dress for dinner, child;
It's getting late, you see;
And -- perhaps I'll ask young Cameron
If he'll come in to tea.





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