OF A GULL. II.
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ft in my laughing rhymes I name a gull;But this new term will many questions breed;Therefore at first I will express at full,Who is a true and perfect gull indeed.A gull is he who fears a velvet gown,And, when a wench is brave, dares not speak to her;A gull is he which traverseth the town,And is for marriage known a common wooer;A gull is he which, while he proudly wearsA silver-hilted rapier by his side, 10Endures the lie[461] and knocks about the ears,Whilst in his sheath his sleeping sword doth bide;A gull is he which wears good handsome clothes,And stands in presence stroking up his hair,And fills up his unperfect speech with oaths,But speaks not one wise word throughout the year:But, to define a gull in terms precise,--A gull is he which seems and is not wise.[462] FOOTNOTES: [461] So MS.--Old eds. "lies." [462] "To this epigram there is an evident allusion in the following one 'TO CANDIDUS.Friend Candidus, thou often doost demaundWhat humours men by gulling understand.Our English Martiall hath full pleasantlyIn his close nips describde a gull to thee:I'le follow him, and set downe my conceitWhat a gull is--oh, word of much receit!He is a gull whose indiscretionCracks his purse-strings to be in fashion;He is a gull who is long in taking rooteIn barraine soyle where can be but small fruite;He is a gull who runnes himselfe in debtFor twelue dayes' wonder, hoping so to get;He is a gull whose conscience is a block,Not to take interest, but wastes his stock;He is a gull who cannot haue a whore,But brags how much he spends upon her score;He is a gull that for commoditiePayes tenne times ten, and sells the same for three;He is a gull who, passing finicall,Peiseth each word to be rhetoricall;And, to conclude, who selfe-conceitedlyThinks al men guls, ther's none more gull then he.' Guilpin's _Skialetheia, &c._ 1598, _Epig._ 20."--_Dyce._
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