Classic Poem

Although the ladies with such beauty blaze,
They very frequently my passion raise —
Their charms compensate, scarce, their want of taste .
Passing amidst the Exhibition crowd,
I heard some damsels fashionably loud;
And thus I give the dialogue that pass'd.

" Oh! the dear man! " cried one, " look! here's a bonnet!
He shall paint me — I am determin'd on it —
Lord! cousin, see! how beautiful the gown!
What charming colors! here 's fine lace, here 's gauze!
What pretty sprigs the fellow draws!
Lord, cousin! he's the cleverest man in town! "

" Ay, cousin, " cried a second, " very true —
And here, here's charming green, and red, and blue!
There 's a complexion beats the rouge of Warren!
See those red lips; oh, la! they seem so nice!
What rosy cheeks then, cousin, to entice! —
Compar'd to this, all other heads are carrion.

Cousin, this limner quickly will be seen,
Painting the Princess Royal, and the Queen:
Pray, don't you think as I do, Coz?
But we 'll be painted first that's poz . "

Such was the very pretty conversation
That pass'd between the pretty misses,
While unobserv'd, the glory of our nation,
Close by them hung Sir Joshua's matchless pieces.
Works! that a Titian's hand could form alone —
Works! that a Reubens had been proud to own.

Permit me, ladies, now to lay before ye
What lately happen'd — therefore a true story: —

A STORY.

Walking one afternoon along the Strand,
My wond'ring eyes did suddenly expand
Upon a pretty leash of country lasses.

" Heav'ns! my dear beauteous angels, how d'ye do?
Upon my soul I 'm monstrous glad to see ye "
" Swinge! Peter, we are glad to meet with you ;
We're just to London come — well, pray how be ye;

" We're just a going, while 'tis light,
To see St. Paul's before 'tis dark
Lord! come, for once, be so polite,
And condescend to be our spark. "

" With all my heart, my angels. " — On we walk'd,
And much of London — much of Cornwall talk'd
Now did I hug myself to think
How much that glorious structure would surprise,
How from its awful grandeur they would shrink
With open mouths, and marv'ling eyes!

As near to Ludgate-Hill we drew,
St. Paul's just opening on our view;
Behold, my lovely strangers, one and all,
Gave, all at once, a diabolic squawl,
As if they had been tumbled on the stones,
And some confounded cart had crush'd their bones.

After well fright'ning people with their cries,
And sticking to a ribbon-shop their eyes,
They all rush'd in, with sounds enough to stun,
And clattering all together, thus begun: —

" Swinge! here are colors then, to please!
Delightful things, I vow to heav'n!
Why! not to see such things as these,
We never should have been forgiv'n.

" Here, here, are clever things — good Lord!
And, sister, here, upon my word —
Here, here! — look! here are beauties to delight:
Why! how a body's heels might dance
Along from Launceston to Penzance,
Before that one might meet with such a sight! "

" Come, ladies, 't will be dark, " cried I — " I fear:
Pray let us view St. Paul's, it is so near " —
" Lord! Peter, " cried the girls, " don't mind St. Paul!
Sure! you're a most incurious soul —
Why — we can see the church another day;
Don't be afraid — St. Paul's can't run away . "

Reader,
If e'er thy bosom felt a thought sublime ,
Drop tears of pity with the man of rhyme!