Dora Versus Rose.

"The Case is proceeding."     From the tragic-est novels at Mudie's--     At least, on a practical plan--     To the tales of mere Hodges and Judys,     One love is enough for a man.     But no case that I ever yet met is     Like mine: I am equally fond     Of Rose, who a charming brunette is,     And Dora, a blonde.     Each rivals the other in powers--     Each waltzes, each warbles, each paints--     Miss Rose, chiefly tumble-down towers;     Miss Do., perpendicular saints.     In short, to distinguish is folly;     'Twixt the pair I am come to the pass     Of Macheath, between Lucy and Polly,--     Or Buridan's ass.     If it happens that Rosa I've singled     For a soft celebration in rhyme,     Then the ringlets of Dora get mingled     Somehow with the tune and the time;     Or I painfully pen me a sonnet     To an eyebrow intended for Do.'s,     And behold I am writing upon it     The legend "To Rose."     Or I try to draw Dora (my blotter     Is all overscrawled with her head),     If I fancy at last that I've got her,     It turns to her rival instead;     Or I find myself placidly adding     To the rapturous tresses of Rose     Miss Dora's bud-mouth, and her madding,     Ineffable nose.     Was there ever so sad a dilemma?     For Rose I would perish (pro tem.);     For Dora I'd willingly stem a--     (Whatever might offer to stem);     But to make the invidious election,--     To declare that on either one's side     I've a scruple,--a grain, more affection,     I cannot decide.     And, as either so hopelessly nice is,     My sole and my final resource     Is to wait some indefinite crisis,--     Some feat of molecular force,     To solve me this riddle conducive     By no means to peace or repose,     Since the issue can scarce be inclusive     Of Dora and Rose.     (Afterthought.)     But, perhaps, if a third (say a Norah),     Not quite so delightful as Rose,--     Not wholly so charming as Dora,--     Should appear, is it wrong to suppose,--     As the claims of the others are equal,--     And flight--in the main--is the best,--     That I might ... But no matter,--the sequel     Is easily guessed.