New song of old sayings/A Touch of the Terrific

A TOUCH of the TERRIFIC:

IT is ſaid that a Cottager once paſt his life
In the ſhade of a foreſt profound;
And content might have been, had me not had a Wife
Who kept up the clamours of conjugal ſtrife,
Till death laid her low in the ground.

'Twas midnight! tho' loudly the tempeſt did rave,
Neither rain, wind, nor lightning he fear'd;
Every ſtorm from without he could eaſily brave,
Since his Wife as he thought, was at peace in her grave,
When, lo! at his ſide ſhe appear'd!

Her green ſaucer eyes, with terrific grimace,
She on him moſt tremendouſly glanc'd;
She hugg'd him cloſe round in a thrilling embrace,
While her cold livid lips flabber'd over his face:
She then round him maliciouſy danc'd.

Then ſilence thus broke—"How are you, my dear
"Why are you thus fill'd with a fright?
"As I thought you'd be dull in this ev'ning, ſo dress,
"A viſit I've paid, and, your ſpirits to cheer,
"Beſide you will ſit all the night."

Now the trembled all over with terror and rage,
And he tore off the hair from his head: (aſſuage;
'Nought,' ſaid he 'while you liv'd could your clamour
'But why muſt I for ever your d—'d tongue engage?
'Z——ds! why can't you reſt now you're dead?'

Thus teaz'd, thus he plung'd, hurry'd on by deſpair,
In a ſtreamlet which willows o'erhung;
And 'tis ſaid dreadful ſcoldings are heard in the air;
For he's doom'd, for his crime, never ceaſing to hear
The noiſe of the Termagant's tongue.

When hoots the ſcreech owl on the old cottage walls,
When day's golden glories are fled,
Still Knave! Thief! & Cuckold her Huſband ſhe calls;
When, if the takes breath, he impatiently bawls,
Z——ds! hy can't you reſt now you're dead!'