t

SIR HORNBOOK,

OR

CHILDE LAUNCELOT'S EXPEDITION.

A GRAMMATICO-ALLEGORICAL BALLAD.

I.

O'er bush and briar Childe LAUNCELOT sprung*

With ardent hopes elate,

And loudly blew the horn that hung

Before Sir HORN BOOK's gate.

* Childe in our old ballads often signifies a Knight,
B

The inner portals opened wide

And forward strode the chief, Arrayed in paper helmets's pride And arms of golden leaf.

"What means" he cried,-" this daring noise, That wakes the summer day?

I hate all idle truant boys:

Away, Sir Childe, away!"

"No idle truant boy am I,"
Childe Launcelot answered straight;
"Resolved to climb this hill so high,
I seek thy castle gate.

"Behold the talisman I bear,

And aid my bold design :”

Sir Hornbook gazed, and written there,

Knew Emulation's sign.

7

66

If Emulation sent thee here,"
Sir Hornbook quick replied,

My merry-men all shall soon appear, To aid thy cause with shield and spear, And I will head thy bold career,

And prove thy faithful guide.”

Loud rung the chains, the draw-bridge fell; The gates asunder flew :

The knight thrice beat the portal bell,

And thrice he called " Halloo."

And out and out, in hasty rout,
By ones, twos, threes and fours :
His merry-men rush'd the walls without
And stood before the doors.

II.

Full six and twenty men were they,*
In line of battle spread.

The first that came was mighty A,

The last was little Z.

Six VOCAL men, Sir Hornbook had,1
Four DOUBLE men to boot,2

And four were LIQUIDS Soft and sad3

And all the rest were MUTE.4

* There are twenty-six letters, A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z.

1 Of these are vowels, a. e. i. o. u. y.

2 Four are double letters, j, w. x. y.

3 Four are liquids, 1. m. n. r.

4

And twelve are mutes, b. c. d. f. g. h. k. p. q. s, t. v.