W. really stands for W.G., as it was
a common practice among anonymous writers to reverse their
initials.
The history, then, of the poem seems to be this: that the
First Part, as it is now printed, originally constituted the
whole production, being complete in itself; that the Second
Part was afterwards added by the Rev. Ralph Erskine, and that
both parts came subsequently to be ascribed to him, as his
was the only name published in connection with the song. See
"Ballads of the Peasantry," Bell's edition. Variants of
this song will be found on pages 86 and 150 of the present
collection; the first is ascribed to George Wither, and
the other is taken from the first volume of "Pills to purge
Melancholy."
PART I.
This Indian weed, now withered quite.
Tho' green at noon, cut down at night,
Shows thy decay,
All flesh is hay:
Thus think, and smoke tobacco.
The pipe, so lily-like and weak,
Does thus thy mortal state bespeak;
Thou art e'en such--
Gone with a touch:
Thus think, and smoke tobacco.
And when the smoke ascends on high,
Then thou behold'st the vanity
Of worldly stuff--
Gone with a puff:
Thus think, and smoke tobacco.
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