Fugitive Poetry. 1600–1878/The Shavers
The Shavers.
An old rhymster says:—
The barber shaves with polished blade,
The mercer shaves with ladies' trade,
The broker shaves at twelve per cent.,
The landlord shaves by raising rent,
The doctor shaves in draughts and pills,
The tapster shaves in pints and gills,
The farmer shaves in hay and oats,
The banker shaves in his own notes,
The lawyer shaves both friends and foes,
The pedlar shaves where'er he goes,
The wily merchant shaves his brother,
The people all shave one another.
The mercer shaves with ladies' trade,
The broker shaves at twelve per cent.,
The landlord shaves by raising rent,
The doctor shaves in draughts and pills,
The tapster shaves in pints and gills,
The farmer shaves in hay and oats,
The banker shaves in his own notes,
The lawyer shaves both friends and foes,
The pedlar shaves where'er he goes,
The wily merchant shaves his brother,
The people all shave one another.