Thomas Hood （b. 1798,d. 1845） was the son of a London bookseller. After leaving school he undertook tlearn the art of an engraver,but soon turned his attention tliterature. In 1821 he became sub-editor of the "London Magazine." Hood is best known as a humorist;but some of his poems are full of the tenderest pathos;and a gentle,humane spirit pervades even his lighter productions. He was poor,and during the last years of his life suffered much from ill health. Some of his most humorous pieces were written on a sick bed.
1.Ben Battle was a soldier bold,And used twar‘s alarms;But a cannon ball took off his legs,She laid down his arms!
2.Now,as they bore him off the field,Said he,"Let others shoot,For here I leave my second leg,And the Forty-second Foot!"
3.The army surgeons made him limbs;Said he,"They’re only pegs:
But there‘s as wooden members quite,As represent my legs!"
4.Now Ben,he loved a pretty maid,Her Name was Nelly Gray;She went tpay her his devoirs1,When he’d devoured his pay.
5.But when he called on Nelly Gray,She made him quite a scoff2;And when she saw his wooden legs,Began ttake them off !
6."Nelly Gray! Nelly Gray!
Is this your love swarm ‘? The love that loves a scarlet coatShould be more uniform3!"
7.Said she,"I loved a soldier once,For he was blithe4 and brave;But I will never have a man With both legs in the grave!
8."Before you had these timber toes,Your love I did allow,But then,you know,you stand upon Another footing now!"9."false and fickle Nelly Gray!I know why you refuse:Though I’ve nfeet-some other man Is standing in my shoes!
9."I wish I ne‘er had seen your face;1Devoirs,respects: compliments. 2Scoff,an object of ridicule.3 Uniform （adj.）,consistent,（noun） military dress. 4 Blithe,merry,gay.But,now,a long farewell! For you will be my death;-alas!You will not be my NELL!"
10.Now when he went from Nelly Gray,His heart sheavy got,And life was such a burden grown,It made him take a knot!
11.Sround his melancholy neck,A rope he did entwine,And for the second time in life.Enlisted in the Line!
12.One end he tied around a beam,And then removed his pegs,And,as his legs were off,of course He soon was off his legs.
13.And there he hung till he was dead As any nail in town:For,though distress had cut him up,It could not cut him down!