"Lord! parson, you're a fool, one might suppose—
Was not the field just underneath your NOSE?
This is a very pretty losing job!"—
"Sir," quoth the curate, "know that Harry Cobb
Your brother warden joined, to have the prayer,"—
"Cobb! Cobb! why this for Cobb was only SPORT:
What doth Cobb own that any rain can HURT?"
Roared furious Jay as broad as he could stare.
"The fellow owns, as far as I can LARN,
A few old houses only, and a barn;
As that's the case, zounds! what are showers to HIM?
Not Noah's flood could make HIS trumpery SWIM.
"Besides—why could you not for drizzle pray?
Why force it down in BUCKETS on the hay?
Would I have played with YOUR hay such a freak?
No! I'd have stopped the weather for a week."
"Dear Mister Jay, I do protest,
I acted solely for the best;
I do affirm it, Mister Jay, indeed.
Your anger for this ONCE restrain,
I'll never bring a drop again
Till you and all the parish are AGREED."
APOLOGY FOR KINGS PETER PINDAR
As want of candor really is not right,
I own my satire too inclined to bite:
On kings behold it breakfast, dine, and sup—
Now shall she praise, and try to make it up.
Why will the simple world expect wise things
From lofty folk, particularly kings?
Look on their poverty of education!
Adored and flattered, taught that they are gods,
And by their awful frowns and nods,
Jove-like, to shake the pillars of creation!
They scorn that little useful imp called mind,
Who fits them for the circle of mankind!
Pride their companion, and the world their hate;
Immured, they doze in ignorance and state.
Sometimes, indeed, great kings will condescend
A little with their subjects to unbend!
An instance take:—A king of this great land,
In days of yore, we understand,
Did visit Salisbury's old church so fair:
An Earl of Pembroke was the Monarch's guide;
Incog. they traveled, shuffling side by side;
And into the cathedral stole the pair.
The verger met them in his blue silk gown,
And humbly bowed his neck with reverence down,
Low as an ass to lick a lock of hay:
Looking the frightened verger through and through,
And with his eye-glass—"Well, sir, who are you?
What, what, sir?—hey, sir?" deigned the king to say.