Classic Poem

TO THE EDITOR OF THE MORNING CHRONICLE.

Important event for the rich and religious!
Great Meeting of Silversmiths held in Queen Square; —
Church Extension, their object, — the excitement prodigious; —
Demetrius, head man of the craft, takes the chair!

The Chairman still up, when our devil came away;
Having prefaced his speech with the usual state prayer,
That the Three-headed Dian would kindly, this day,
Take the Silversmiths' Company under her care.

Being askt by some low, unestablisht divines,
" When your churches are up, where are flocks to be got? "
He manfully answered, " Let us build the shrines,
" And we care not if flocks are found for them or not. "

He then added — to show that the Silversmiths' Guild
Were above all confined and intolerant views —
" Only pay thro' the nose to the altars we build,
" You may pray thro' the nose to what altars you choose. "

This tolerance, rare from a shrine-dealer's lip
(Tho' a tolerance mixt with due taste for the till) —
So much charmed all the holders of scriptural scrip,
That their shouts of " Hear! " " Hear! " are re-echoing still.

Great stir in the Shrine Market! altars to Phaebus
Are going dog-cheap — may be had for a rebus.
Old Dian's, as usual, outsell all the rest; —
But Venus's also are much in request.