The Father's wholsome Admonition:
OR,
A Lumping Pennyworth of Good Counsel for Bad Husbands.
To the Tune of Grim King of the Ghosts.
Licensed according to Order.
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MY Son if you reckon to Wed,
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and take your self to a kind Wife,
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Then then, let it never be said,
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but that you'll reform your old Life:
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There's many good pounds you have spent,
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the which you had reason to prize,
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But labour in time to repent,
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good to be merry and wise.
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Be sure keep a penny in store,
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twill help you when Friends they may fail;
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For should you spend all, and grow poor,
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your Case you'll have cause to bewail:
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In Troubles you'll strangely be hurl'd,
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the which will your Senses surprize:
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But he that will thrive in this World
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must learn to be merry and wise.
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Perchance you may meet with a Friend,
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which doth to your Dealings belong,
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If with him a Tester you spend,
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this can do you no great wrong,
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And then to your Labour again,
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it being enough to suffice;
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This care will your Household maintain,
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good to be merry and wise.
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There's many a Woman well bred,
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has Marry'd a prodigal Knave,
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So that the same day she was Wed
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twere better she had gone to her Grave,
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Her Lands and her Livings all sold,
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which caus'd Tears to flow from her Eyes,
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And likewise true Friendship grew cold,
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then 'tis good to be merry and wise
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Son, if a Rich Wife be thy Lot,
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be carefull and thrifty I pray,
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For Means is not so easily got,
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as it may be squander'd away:
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Be carefull and always contrive
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those temporal Blessings to prize;
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For he that is willing to thrive
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must learn to be merry and wise.
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There's some that are absolute poor,
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as well I can make it appear,
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Who will in strong Liquor spend more
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than some that has hundreds a year,
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And bring their poor Families low,
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and can't get wherewith to suffice;
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But that Man would never do so,
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who learns to be merry and wise.
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The Work-man that is a boon Lad,
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you'll find his Condition is thus,
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If Trading shou'd chance to grow bad,
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he scarce has a Groat in his Purse,
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While he that doth get, spend, and save,
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has always enough to suffice:
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Then Son if this Blessing you'd have,
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then learn to be merry and wise.
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This Counsel which to you I give,
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oh prize it more dearer than Gold,
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And then you in Credit may live,
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and save something while you grow old.
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There's many has dearly bought Wit,
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when Father's good Words they despise
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My Son ne'er spend all that you get,
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but learn to be merry and wise.
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Great Getters that spend all are like
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the Cow that gives much at a Meal,
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Who having done, straightways doth strike,
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and kick it all down with her Heel:
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Act like the industrious Bee,
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and then you to Riches may rise,
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And flourishing days you will see,
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if you'll but be merry and wise.
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