Curiosities of Street Literature. Various

have his due;

      Young men by this a warning take,

      Perform your vows whate’er ye do.

      For God does find out many ways,

      Such heinous sins to bring to light,

      For murder’s a most horrid sin,

      And hateful in his blessed sight.

      TRAGIC VERSES.

      Come all fair maids both far and near and listen unto me,

      While unto you I do relate a dreadful Tragedy,

      A deed of blood I will unfold which lately came to light,

      When ’tis made known, you’ll surely own you never heard the like.

      ’Tis of an honest farmer’s child, a damsel fair and young,

      Who was in tender years beguil’d all by a flattering tongue,

      The finest lady in the land could not with her compare,

      Her dimpled cheeks and rosy looks how charming sweet they were.

      Crowds of admirers flocking came, to gain fair Susan’s love;

      But none her favour could obtain, nor her affections move,

      Till by mischance a youth she met, as fate would have it so,

      Who caught her heart in Cupid’s net and prov’d her overthrow.

      A naval Captain of renown, beguil’d her tender youth,

      Deceit and lies he did disguise with air of seeming truth,

      He prais’d her looks, her shape, her air, vow’d she should be his wife,

      And thus did vilely her ensnare—then took her precious life.

      When he had thus her ruin prov’d by many a solemn vow,

      The very maid he vow’d to love was hateful in his view.

      With bitter tears she did implore that he’d his vows fulfil;

      But all in vain—she charm’d no more now he had had his will.

      She wrote a letter which she thought would grieve his heart full sore,

      And tenderly she him besought, to mind the vows he swore,

      T’was you that did my heart trepan, which now in tears I rue—

      Slighted many an honest man all for the love of you.

      I wish that my young babe was born and on the nurse’s knee,

      And I myself was dead and gone and the grass grown over me.

      When he this letter through had read, which expos’d his villainy,

      A deadly thought came in his head her butcher for to be.

      With seeming kindness in his face which made poor Susan gay,

      He did appoint a lonely place to meet with her next day.

      The hour arriv’d, she hasten’d there to the appointment true,

      Where the deceitful murderer the lovely damsel slew.

      When she beheld his deadly knife she rais’d her lovely face,

      Crying, Oh! spare, Oh! spare my life and leave me to disgrace,

      Have pity on your unborn babe tho’ you have none for me;

      Alas! a dark untimely grave, my bridal bed will be.

      Her lovely face, her beauteous eyes, for mercy plead in vain,

      Of no avail were tears or cries unmov’d he did remain,

      He rais’d his arm—a deadly plunge, and down she weltering lay,

      And while her heart’s-blood stain’d the ground, with dying breath did say.

      “Monster, the fearful crime you’ve done heaven’s Lord will bring to light,

      “No human eye is looking on—none sees the cruel sight.

      “Yet righteous King of heaven and earth my blood doth cry to thee,

      “To visit my untimely death that all mankind may see.”

      Now when this deed of blood was done he dug a hole so deep,

      And thrust her murdered body in, then homeward did retreat,

      But vengeance did his crime requite for to his great dismay,

      The horrid murder came to light all in a wond’rous way.

      He did confess—they dug the ground while hundreds came to view.

      And here the murder’d corpse they found, of her who lov’d so true,

      In irons now in Prison strong lamenting he does lie;

      And, by the laws condemn’d ere long, most justly he will die.

      J. Catnach, Printer, 2, Monmouth-court, 7 Dials.

THE NAKED TRUTH,

       OR

       DIAMOND CUT DIAMOND,

       Table of Contents

      BEING THE FULL ACCOUNT OF

       AN EXTRAORDINARY WAGER OF £5000,

       Laid between Lord—— and the Duke’s Son,

       TWO MEN OF FASHION.

      To Miss C——

      When—fiercest storms are gone to rest,

      Shall—mild and gentle calms succeed,

      I—‘m told, to ease the heart opprest,

      Sleep—is the only balm we need.

      With—these few lines, by nature taught,

      You—will a simple question find;

      My—meaning’s plain, so find it out,

      Love—will direct you, tho’ he’s blind.

      Miss C——‘s answer.

      To—bless you is my soul’s desire,

      Night—brings in dreams my flame,

      If—you can feel an equal fire,

      You—‘ll find me still the same.

      Will—you be still of tender mind;

      Bring—love not light, but constant kind,

      The—world would ne’er see such a couple;

      Parson—‘s can conquer every scruple,

      A few nights since, at a fashionable hell in the western part of this well policed metropolis, the following extraordinary wager was laid and decided. Lord———— bet £5000 with the eldest son of the Duke of———— who had frequently distinguished himself by his eccentricities, that he would carry him on his shoulders nine times round St. James’s