Since—since—in youth, I had the sad mishap—
But luckily I have paid few parish fees since):[795]
That scarlet cloak, alas! unclosed with rigour,
Presents the problem of a double figure.
LXII.
A reel within a bottle is a mystery,
One can't tell how it e'er got in or out;
Therefore the present piece of natural history
I leave to those who are fond of solving doubt;
And merely state, though not for the Consistory,