Fairly close to the version on The Tale of Ale (this track performed by Willie Rushton). The last four lines were omitted on the album:

Drunkard's Looking Glass

LFF

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THE DRUNKARD'S LOOKING GLASS

What will a drunkard do for ale?
Shall I unfold this dreadful tale?
Yes, I'll unfold it, if I can,
To benefit the drunken man.

What will a drunkard. do for ale?
’Twill make a. sober man turn pale.
He'll sell his hat, and pawn his coat,
To satisfy his greedy throat.
He'll sell his stockings and his shirt,
And strut about in rags and dirt
He'll sell his shoes from off his feet,
And barefoot go along the street.

What will he do to gain his ends?
He will deceive his dearest friends.
His crafty plans he will devise,
And tell the most atrocious lies.

What will a drunkard do for ale?
Dark and dismal grows my tale!
He'll sell his bedsteads and his bed,
Nor leave a place to lay his head.
He'll sell his blankets and his sheets,
And lie in barns or walk in streets.
His thirsty throat will cry for more—
He's starved and miserably poor.
He'll beg for halfpence when he can,
And tell you he'a a dying man;
And when three halfpence he has got,
He'll go and find another sot,
As mean and shabby as himself-
A dirty, ragged. drunken elf.
Then in some alehouse corner,
Lounging, watching every one,
They'll freely enter into chat,
If so they can but catch a flat.
With every man they will be friends,
If they can only gain their ends.
Then, with their bosoms full of strife,
Each man goes home and beats his wife.
The children are beat, and sent to bed,
Because the creatures have no bread.
Nor meat nor butter have they got-
Such is the dwelling of the sot.
His wife in tears, arid ragged too,.
Say, drunkard, is this statement true?

What! do you own my statement right?
Then give up drinking from to-night.
Away with liquors, ale and wine,
And with teetotalers go and join.


LFF