Kind Relations.We all have our share of the ups and the downs,Whatever our rank or station;And he’s sure to get the most scoffs and frowns,Who depends on his kind relations;For it’s all very well once or twice to drop in,To ask for a trifling favor,But on the third time they are sure to begin,To construe it to bad behaviour.There’s your relations! kind relations!There’s your kind relations!I speak from experience, and you’ll find,Though often they invite you,When poverty comes close behind,How quick then they’ll slight you.For it’s—“Clear the way—there’s a knock at the door—Say we’re gone out for a ride, John—I know who it is—it’s that hungry bore;Don’t open the door too wide, John.”My goods were one day seized for rent—The broker took his station;Pale and trembling, off I wentTo try each kind relation.Some hemm’d, some ha’d, and some looked cool,With faces of grief and sorrow;My twin-brother said he had made it a ruleNever to lend or borrow.I thought in my sister to find a friend,But soon she undeceived me,By saying—“These are not times too lend,I would, if I could, relieve thee.”“A trifle, dear sister, would keep me afloat,I shall sink if you do not arrange it.”She said she’d not less than a twenty-pound note,And she couldn’t find time to change it.I lost my goods, but found that day—(Though ’gainst me they had sinned all)—Death summoned a rich old friend away,Who left me a tidy windfall.And then how they altered from what they’d just said,Their cant, it was really provoking,To hear them exclaim, as each hung down his head,“Lord! Tom, we were only a joking.”Now, who in the world so blest as me,With so many kind relations?I am asked to dinner, to supper, to tea,I’ve a hundred invitations!But their crawling presents I daily return,Their kindness to me they may scant it,For I hate those cold hearts that would poverty scorn,And give to those who don’t want it.
We all have our share of the ups and the downs,Whatever our rank or station;And he’s sure to get the most scoffs and frowns,Who depends on his kind relations;For it’s all very well once or twice to drop in,To ask for a trifling favor,But on the third time they are sure to begin,To construe it to bad behaviour.There’s your relations! kind relations!There’s your kind relations!I speak from experience, and you’ll find,Though often they invite you,When poverty comes close behind,How quick then they’ll slight you.For it’s—“Clear the way—there’s a knock at the door—Say we’re gone out for a ride, John—I know who it is—it’s that hungry bore;Don’t open the door too wide, John.”My goods were one day seized for rent—The broker took his station;Pale and trembling, off I wentTo try each kind relation.Some hemm’d, some ha’d, and some looked cool,With faces of grief and sorrow;My twin-brother said he had made it a ruleNever to lend or borrow.I thought in my sister to find a friend,But soon she undeceived me,By saying—“These are not times too lend,I would, if I could, relieve thee.”“A trifle, dear sister, would keep me afloat,I shall sink if you do not arrange it.”She said she’d not less than a twenty-pound note,And she couldn’t find time to change it.I lost my goods, but found that day—(Though ’gainst me they had sinned all)—Death summoned a rich old friend away,Who left me a tidy windfall.And then how they altered from what they’d just said,Their cant, it was really provoking,To hear them exclaim, as each hung down his head,“Lord! Tom, we were only a joking.”Now, who in the world so blest as me,With so many kind relations?I am asked to dinner, to supper, to tea,I’ve a hundred invitations!But their crawling presents I daily return,Their kindness to me they may scant it,For I hate those cold hearts that would poverty scorn,And give to those who don’t want it.
We all have our share of the ups and the downs,Whatever our rank or station;And he’s sure to get the most scoffs and frowns,Who depends on his kind relations;For it’s all very well once or twice to drop in,To ask for a trifling favor,But on the third time they are sure to begin,To construe it to bad behaviour.There’s your relations! kind relations!There’s your kind relations!I speak from experience, and you’ll find,Though often they invite you,When poverty comes close behind,How quick then they’ll slight you.For it’s—“Clear the way—there’s a knock at the door—Say we’re gone out for a ride, John—I know who it is—it’s that hungry bore;Don’t open the door too wide, John.”My goods were one day seized for rent—The broker took his station;Pale and trembling, off I wentTo try each kind relation.Some hemm’d, some ha’d, and some looked cool,With faces of grief and sorrow;My twin-brother said he had made it a ruleNever to lend or borrow.I thought in my sister to find a friend,But soon she undeceived me,By saying—“These are not times too lend,I would, if I could, relieve thee.”“A trifle, dear sister, would keep me afloat,I shall sink if you do not arrange it.”She said she’d not less than a twenty-pound note,And she couldn’t find time to change it.I lost my goods, but found that day—(Though ’gainst me they had sinned all)—Death summoned a rich old friend away,Who left me a tidy windfall.And then how they altered from what they’d just said,Their cant, it was really provoking,To hear them exclaim, as each hung down his head,“Lord! Tom, we were only a joking.”Now, who in the world so blest as me,With so many kind relations?I am asked to dinner, to supper, to tea,I’ve a hundred invitations!But their crawling presents I daily return,Their kindness to me they may scant it,For I hate those cold hearts that would poverty scorn,And give to those who don’t want it.
We all have our share of the ups and the downs,Whatever our rank or station;And he’s sure to get the most scoffs and frowns,Who depends on his kind relations;For it’s all very well once or twice to drop in,To ask for a trifling favor,But on the third time they are sure to begin,To construe it to bad behaviour.There’s your relations! kind relations!There’s your kind relations!
We all have our share of the ups and the downs,
Whatever our rank or station;
And he’s sure to get the most scoffs and frowns,
Who depends on his kind relations;
For it’s all very well once or twice to drop in,
To ask for a trifling favor,
But on the third time they are sure to begin,
To construe it to bad behaviour.
There’s your relations! kind relations!
There’s your kind relations!
I speak from experience, and you’ll find,Though often they invite you,When poverty comes close behind,How quick then they’ll slight you.For it’s—“Clear the way—there’s a knock at the door—Say we’re gone out for a ride, John—I know who it is—it’s that hungry bore;Don’t open the door too wide, John.”
I speak from experience, and you’ll find,
Though often they invite you,
When poverty comes close behind,
How quick then they’ll slight you.
For it’s—“Clear the way—there’s a knock at the door—
Say we’re gone out for a ride, John—
I know who it is—it’s that hungry bore;
Don’t open the door too wide, John.”
My goods were one day seized for rent—The broker took his station;Pale and trembling, off I wentTo try each kind relation.Some hemm’d, some ha’d, and some looked cool,With faces of grief and sorrow;My twin-brother said he had made it a ruleNever to lend or borrow.
My goods were one day seized for rent—
The broker took his station;
Pale and trembling, off I went
To try each kind relation.
Some hemm’d, some ha’d, and some looked cool,
With faces of grief and sorrow;
My twin-brother said he had made it a rule
Never to lend or borrow.
I thought in my sister to find a friend,But soon she undeceived me,By saying—“These are not times too lend,I would, if I could, relieve thee.”“A trifle, dear sister, would keep me afloat,I shall sink if you do not arrange it.”She said she’d not less than a twenty-pound note,And she couldn’t find time to change it.
I thought in my sister to find a friend,
But soon she undeceived me,
By saying—“These are not times too lend,
I would, if I could, relieve thee.”
“A trifle, dear sister, would keep me afloat,
I shall sink if you do not arrange it.”
She said she’d not less than a twenty-pound note,
And she couldn’t find time to change it.
I lost my goods, but found that day—(Though ’gainst me they had sinned all)—Death summoned a rich old friend away,Who left me a tidy windfall.And then how they altered from what they’d just said,Their cant, it was really provoking,To hear them exclaim, as each hung down his head,“Lord! Tom, we were only a joking.”
I lost my goods, but found that day—
(Though ’gainst me they had sinned all)—
Death summoned a rich old friend away,
Who left me a tidy windfall.
And then how they altered from what they’d just said,
Their cant, it was really provoking,
To hear them exclaim, as each hung down his head,
“Lord! Tom, we were only a joking.”
Now, who in the world so blest as me,With so many kind relations?I am asked to dinner, to supper, to tea,I’ve a hundred invitations!But their crawling presents I daily return,Their kindness to me they may scant it,For I hate those cold hearts that would poverty scorn,And give to those who don’t want it.
Now, who in the world so blest as me,
With so many kind relations?
I am asked to dinner, to supper, to tea,
I’ve a hundred invitations!
But their crawling presents I daily return,
Their kindness to me they may scant it,
For I hate those cold hearts that would poverty scorn,
And give to those who don’t want it.