The expense of this strange masquerade?”

“The expense—oh, that’s of course defrayed”

(Said one of these well-fed hecatombers)

“By yonder rascally rice-consumers.”

“What! they, who mustn’t eat meat?”—“No matter:”

(And, while he spoke, his cheeks grew fatter,)

“The rogues may munch their Paddy crop,

But the rogues must still support our shop:

And depend upon it, the way to treat

Heretical stomachs that thus dissent,