[Page 113]

On an UNSOCIABLE FAMILY.

1 O What a strange parcel of creatures are we,
2 Scarce ever to quarrel, or ever agree;
3 We all are alone, though at home altogether,
4 Except to the fire constrain'd by the weather;
5 Then one says, 'tis cold, which we all of us know,
6 And with unanimity answer, 'tis so:
7 With shrugs and with shivers all look at the fire,
8 And shuffle ourselves and our chairs a bit nigher;
9 Then quickly, preceded by silence profound,
10 A yawn epidemical catches around:
11 Like social companions we never fall out,
12 Nor ever care what one another's about;
13 To comfort each other is never our plan,
14 For to please ourselves, truly, is more than we can.

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Title (in Source Edition): On an UNSOCIABLE FAMILY.
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Genres: occasional poem

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Hands, Elizabeth, 1746-1815. The death of Amnon. A poem. With an appendix: containing pastorals, and other poetical pieces. By Elizabeth Hands. [Coventry]: Printed for the author, by N. Rollason, Coventry, M,DCCLXXXIX., 1789, p. 113. [40],127,[1]p.; 8⁰. (ESTC T141063) (Page images digitized from a copy in the Bodleian Library [Dunston B 961 (1)].)

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Other works by Elizabeth Hands (née Herbert)