And prophesied such vast exploits,
Men cried—"Another Nelson!"
"You'll see," quoth he, "I'll shortly be
"In Heav'n or Cronstadt reckon'd"—
But never meant to chance the first,
Or go too near the second.
And then I lost him in the crowd,
Nor could the question try on;
If I'd heard the voice of Balaam's ass
Or the roar of Britain's lion;