From Salisbury church to Wilton House, so grand,
Returned the mighty ruler of the land—
"My lord, you've got fine statues," said the king.
"A few! beneath your royal notice, sir,"
Replied Lord Pembroke—"Sir, my lord, stir, stir;
Let's see them all, all, all, all, every thing,
"Who's this? who's this?—who's this fine fellow here?
"Sesostris," bowing low, replied the peer.
"Sir Sostris, hey?—Sir Sostris?—'pon my word!
Knight or a baronet, my lord?
One of my making?—what, my lord, my making?"
This, with a vengeance, was mistaking?
"SE-sostris, sire," so soft, the peer replied—
"A famous king of Egypt, sir, of old."
"Oh, poh!" th' instructed monarch snappish cried,
"I need not that—I need not that be told."
"Pray, pray, my lord, who's that big fellow there?"
"'Tis Hercules," replies the shrinking peer;
"Strong fellow, hey, my lord? strong fellow, hey?
Cleaned stables!—cracked a lion like a flea;
Killed snakes, great snakes, that in a cradle found him—
The queen, queen's coming! wrap an apron around him."
Our moral is not merely water-gruel—
It shows that curiosity's a jewel!
It shows with kings that ignorance may dwell:
It shows that subjects must not give opinions
To people reigning over wide dominions,
As information to great folk is hell:
It shows that decency may live with kings,
On whom the bold virtu-men turn their backs;
And shows (for numerous are the naked things)
That saucy statues should be lodged in sacks.
ODE TO THE DEVIL. PETER PINDAR.
The devil is not so black as he is painted.
Ingratum Odi.