But that which on the raw more sorely touches is
The swear that’s used by dowagers and duchesses.
When in the case of nobly-bred adults
Age and experience yield these sad results,
What wonder if their daughters (pretty lambs!)
Indulge at times in copying their dams?
(A “play ’po’ words” which serves to render printable
That which, writ otherwise, would be but hintable.)
Is this profanity a passing phase
Like Pigs-in-clover, or the Ping-pong craze?