The lawyer wiped his spectacles,

And drew the parchment out; And all the Brentford family

Sat eager round about:

Poor Ned was somewhat anxious,
But Tom had ne'er a doubt.

"Ned hath a brilliant genius,
And thou a plodding brain;
On thee I think with pleasure,
On him with doubt and pain."

("You see, good Ned," says Thomas,
“What he thought about us twain.”)

"Though small was your allowance, You saved a little store;

And those who save a little

Shall get a plenty more."
As the lawyer read this compliment,
Tom's eyes were running o'er.

"The tortoise and the hare, Tom,

Set out, at each his pace;

The hare it was the fleeter,

The tortoise won the race;

And since the world's beginning,

This ever was the case.

"Ned's genius, blithe and singing, Steps gayly o'er the ground;

As steadily you trudge it,

He clears it with a bound;

But dullness has stout legs, Tom,

And wind that's wondrous sound.

"O'er fruits and flowers alike, Tom,
You pass with plodding feet;
You heed not one nor t'other,
But onwards go your beat,
While genius stops to loiter
With all that he may meet;

"And ever, as he wanders,
Will have a pretext fine

For sleeping in the morning,
Or loitering to dine,
Or dozing in the shade,

Or basking in the shine.

"Your little steady eyes, Tom, Though not so bright as those That restless round about him

Your flashing genius throws, Are excellently suited

To look before your nose.

"Thank heaven, then, for the blinkers It placed before your eyes;

The stupidest are weakest,
The witty are not wise;
O, bless your good stupidity,
It is your dearest prize!

"And though my lands are wide,
And plenty is my gold,
Still better gifts from Nature,
My Thomas, do you hold
A brain that's thick and heavy,
A heart that's dull and cold;

"Too dull to feel depression, Too hard to heed distress, Too cold to yield to passion,

Or silly tenderness.

March on- - your road is open

To wealth, Tom, and success.

C

“Ned sinneth in extravagance,

And you in greedy lust."

("I' faith," says Ned, "our father

66

Is less polite than just.")

'In you, son Tom, I've confidence,

But Ned I cannot trust.

"Wherefore my lease and copyholds,

My lands and tenements,

My parks, my farms, and orchards,
My houses and my rents,

My Dutch stock, and my Spanish stock,

My five and three per cents;

("What, all?" poor Edward said;

"Well, well, I should have spent them,

66

And Tom's a prudent head.")

I leave to you, my Thomas,

To you, IN TRUST for Ned."

The wrath and consternation

What poet e'er could trace That at this fatal passage

Came o'er Prince Tom his face;

The wonder of the company,

And honest Ned's amaze!

"'Tis surely some mistake,"

Good-naturedly cries Ned; The lawyer answered gravely, "'Tis even as I said;

"Twas thus his gracious majesty Ordained on his death bed.

"See, here the will is witnessed,
And here's his autograph."
"In truth, our father's writing,"

Says Edward, with a laugh; "But thou shalt not be loser, Tom, We'll share it half and half."

"Alas! my kind young gentleman, This sharing cannot be;

'Tis written in the testament

That Brentford spoke to me, 'I do forbid Prince Ned to give Prince Tom a halfpenny.

"He hath a store of money,

But ne'er was known to lend it;

He never helped his brother;

The poor he ne'er befriended;