And as she went from part to part,
A deeper red each cheek became,
Her very eyes lit up in flame,
That made each looker-on exclaim,
“Really an ardent love of art!”
Alas! amidst her inquisition,
Fate brought her to a sad condition;
She might have run against Lord Milton,
And still have stared at deeds in oil. 
But ah! her picture-joy to spoil,
She came full butt on Mr. Hilton.

The Keeper mute, with staring eyes,
Like a lay-figure for surprise,
At last this stammered out, “How now? 
Woman—­where, woman, is your ticket,
That ought to have let you through our wicket?”
Says woman, “Where is David’s Cow?”
  Said Mr. H——­ with expedition,
  “There’s no Cow in the Exhibition.” 
  “No Cow!”—­but here her tongue in verity,
  Set off with steam and rail celerity—­

“No Cow! there ain’t no Cow, then the more’s the shame and pity,
Hang you, and the R.A.’s, and all the Hanging Committee! 
No Cow—­but hold your tongue—­for you needn’t talk to me—­
You can’t talk up the Cow, you can’t, to where it ought to be—­
I haven’t seen a picture high or low, or anyhow,
Or in any of the rooms, to be compared with David’s Cow! 
You may talk of your Landseers, and of your Coopers and your Wards,
Why, hanging is too good for them, and yet here they are on cords! 
They’re only fit for window frames, and shutters and street doors,
David will paint ’em any day at Red Lions or Blue Boars,—­
Why, Morland was a fool to him,—­at a little pig or sow—­
It’s really hard it ain’t hung up,—­I could cry about the Cow! 
But I know well what it is, and why—­they’re jealous of David’s fame,
But to vent it on the Cow, poor thing, is a cruelty and a shame,—­
Do you think it might hang by and by, if you cannot hang it now? 
David has made a party up, to come and see his Cow
If it only hung three days a week, for an example to the learners—­
Why can’t it hang up, turn about, with that picture of Mr. Turner’s? 
Or do you think from Mr. Etty you need apprehend a row,
If now and then you cut him down to hang up David’s Cow! 
I can’t think where their tastes have been, to not have such a creature,
Although I say, that should not say, it was prettier than nature! 
It must be hung—­and shall be hung—­for, Mr. H——­, I vow
I daren’t take home the catalogue, unless it’s got the Cow! 
As we only want it to be seen, I should not so much care,
If it was only round the stone man’s neck, a coming up the stair. 
Or down there in the marble room where all the figures stand,
Where one of them three Graces might just hold it in her hand—­
Or maybe Baily’s Charity the favor would allow,
It would really be a charity to hang up David’s Cow. 
We haven’t nowhere else to go if you don’t hang it here,
The Water Color place allows no oilman to appear—­
And the British Gallery sticks to Dutch, Teniers and