And spread depression far and wide,
And when the need of strenuous thrift
Is loudly preached on every side,
What boundless gratitude one feels
To Desborough, inspiring chief,
For telling us: “One pound of eels
Is better than a loin of beef”!
Of old, Popes made eel-breeding pay
(At least Lord Desborough says they did),
And cleared per annum in this way