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For quick preferment he will pander prove;
And to ensure his graceless patron's love,
Excuse and share his sin.

L'ENVOY OF THE POET.

The worthy man may teach religion's laws;
His practice gives his precept tenfold fame.
He stands the champion of the sacred cause;
And by his deeds endears religion's name.

THE POET'S CHORUS TO FOOLS.

Come, trim the boat, row on each Rara Avis,
Crowds flock to man my Stultifera Navis.

and towering priests alone aspire to scourge, the back of sovereignty. In addition to the arrogance of papal dignity, which formerly compelled sovereigns to kiss a dirty old velvet slipper; and even went so far as to make the backs of emperors mere footstools, in order to help these vicegerents on their palfrey's backs, it should not be forgotten that we are indebted to a monk for the invention of gunpowder; while Galau, bishop of Munster, was the first who found out that destructive engine of war, a bomb.

* Buon prelato buon 'esempio.

SECTION XV.

OF FOOLS WHO PRACTISE VILENESS OF

MANNERS AT TABLE.

Noscitur a socio.

O! 'wou'd that I, the lance could wield,
Of graceful, polish'd Chesterfield!*
My muse might then be able
To lash the filthy, slothful vice,
Of such as are not over nice,

When seated at the table.

It is impossible to pass over this section of the Poet, without expressing a sentiment of commiseration for the feelings of the nobleman above mentioned, when we call to mind the emotion of horror that must have pervaded his breast, on witnessing the conduct of his son at table, who after all the refined instructions which he had received, was so absolutely destitute of delicacy, as to lick up the juice of a current tart from his plate, in the presence of his Lordship and a large party; on which occasion, his mortified parent ordered the valet into the chamber, in

From neighbour's glass, with reeking lip,

His draught of table beer to sip,

With teeth a huge bone gnawing;
With mouth by gravy quite defac'd,
With elbows on the table plac'd,
Or other's napkin pawing.

The plate with vary'd meats high pil'd,
The frill and neckloth both defil'd,

While meat 'twixt teeth fast sticking,
Since you the cleanly quill disdain,
Forth form its bony prison's ta'en,

With fork your grinders picking.

order to shave his son, whose physiognomy looked as if it had been lathered with pink instead of white suds. Carving with your own knife and fork; helping to sauce with your own spoon, licking your fingers, and expressing by the greedy look of the eyes, the ravenous propensity of the stomach, may be ranked among those actions which disgrace the table, and it has even come within the knowledge of the writer, to observe a person at his own house lengthen out the grace before meat, in order to fix upon the parti-cular part of the viand most acceptable to his palate, which he has instantly notified to the company on concluding his benediction in order to prevent any other person present from bearing off the darling prizę.

Or when you eat, o'er plate to stoop,
And swallow spoon as well as soup,
Or if on table fish is ;

Since you for others scorn to care,
Take all the shrimp sauce to your share;
And after lick the dishes.

If round the board fair dames you view,
On dish of fowls, if there are two,
Four wings mongst eight to deal out,
Seize on the finest for your own,
And ere you've one half pick'd the bone,
A second nimbly steal out.

If civil you wou'd hand a plate,

Your elbow thrust 'gainst neighbour's pate,
And then, to mend the matter;
When turning quick, O! dire mishap!
O'erset the wine glass; and in's lap,
The plate's contents bespatter.

L'ENVOY OF THE POET.

Shun ev'ry act which decency disdains, For he whose object is a polished mind,

If heedless of this caution, ne'er attains,
The manners delicate, and soul refin'd.

THE POET'S CHORUS TO FOOLS.

Come, trim the boat, row on each Rara Avis, Crowds flock to man my Stultifera Navis.

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