His stride majestic, and his frown severe;

A noble pillar of the church he stood,

Adorn’d with college-gown and parish hood:

Then as he paced the hallow’d aisles about,

He fill’d the seven-fold surplice fairly out!

But in his pulpit wearied down with prayer,

He sat and seem’d as in his study’s chair;

For while the anthem swell’d, and when it ceased,

Th’expecting people view’d their slumbering priest;

Who, dozing, died. - Our Parson