Poems on Several Occasions By the late Reverend Thomas Fitzgerald. Published by his Grandson, the Reverend Thomas Wintour |
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 | Poems on Several Occasions |  |
30
THE PUPPET-SHEW.
Γηγενεων ανδρων μιμουμενοι εργα γιγαντων.
Batrachom.
Of wondrous Art the Muse delighted sings,
And rare Diversion rais'd from trivial Things,
Of Pigmy-folk, by Pow'r Mechanic wrought,
And Men, the Product of the Workman's Thought.
Where the throng'd Street resounds with Laughter loud,
And Andrew, drolling, charms the gaping Crowd;
Within, whom Mirth and Novelty invite
To humble Sport and innocent Delight,
In a small Theatre an Audience meets,
And fills, but unpromiscuous fills the Seats;
For each from each distinct the Benches stand,
And different Prices different Seats demand.
The Curtain drawn discloses to the View
The lengthen'd Stage and opening Avenue,
Whose narrow Limits and contracted Space,
Gay glittering Scenes magnificently grace.
And now with Comic Mirth, or Tragic Rage,
The little Actors enter on the Stage,
The Drama swells, and to the wond'ring Eyes
Triumphs, and Wars, and solemn Consults rise;
All Actions that on Life's great Stage appear,
In Miniature are represented here.
And rare Diversion rais'd from trivial Things,
Of Pigmy-folk, by Pow'r Mechanic wrought,
And Men, the Product of the Workman's Thought.
Where the throng'd Street resounds with Laughter loud,
And Andrew, drolling, charms the gaping Crowd;
Within, whom Mirth and Novelty invite
To humble Sport and innocent Delight,
31
And fills, but unpromiscuous fills the Seats;
For each from each distinct the Benches stand,
And different Prices different Seats demand.
The Curtain drawn discloses to the View
The lengthen'd Stage and opening Avenue,
Whose narrow Limits and contracted Space,
Gay glittering Scenes magnificently grace.
And now with Comic Mirth, or Tragic Rage,
The little Actors enter on the Stage,
The Drama swells, and to the wond'ring Eyes
Triumphs, and Wars, and solemn Consults rise;
All Actions that on Life's great Stage appear,
In Miniature are represented here.
Above the rest, the Hero of the Throng,
A prattling merry Mortal stalks along,
Of Comic Mien, and Shape uncouth to see:
His Back projects a huge Gibbosity;
His portly Belly of enormous Size,
Brac'd in a Range of monstrous Buttons lies;
And with incessant Motion roll his Eyes:
His Limbs a Bulk and Strength superior boast,
And uncontroul'd he struts, and rules the Roast;
Chatters, and laughs immoderately loud,
And scolds and swaggers at the Pygmy Crowd;
For mimic Mirth and ready Repartee,
For arch Conceits, and Pranks of Pleasantry,
Was never an unluckier Stick than he.
When solemn Scenes th' attentive Eye engage,
And Tragedy in Buskins treads the Stage;
Then ever loving Mischief at his Heart,
Besure this boist'rous Ruffian plays his Part;
With Flouts and Jests impertinently gay,
Disturbs the Action, and confounds the Play:
Nor his outrageous Insolence forbears,
With saucy Freedoms and indecent Airs.
For the soft Sex to his own am'rous Flames,
And ravish Kisses from the struggling Dames.
A prattling merry Mortal stalks along,
Of Comic Mien, and Shape uncouth to see:
His Back projects a huge Gibbosity;
32
Brac'd in a Range of monstrous Buttons lies;
And with incessant Motion roll his Eyes:
His Limbs a Bulk and Strength superior boast,
And uncontroul'd he struts, and rules the Roast;
Chatters, and laughs immoderately loud,
And scolds and swaggers at the Pygmy Crowd;
For mimic Mirth and ready Repartee,
For arch Conceits, and Pranks of Pleasantry,
Was never an unluckier Stick than he.
When solemn Scenes th' attentive Eye engage,
And Tragedy in Buskins treads the Stage;
Then ever loving Mischief at his Heart,
Besure this boist'rous Ruffian plays his Part;
With Flouts and Jests impertinently gay,
Disturbs the Action, and confounds the Play:
Nor his outrageous Insolence forbears,
With saucy Freedoms and indecent Airs.
33
And ravish Kisses from the struggling Dames.
Sometimes a Train more glorious to behold,
With Gems resplendent and embroider'd Gold,
In Robes of State attir'd and rich Array,
Displays the Pomp of some illustrious Day:
Small Nobles, tiny Peers, a splendid Throng,
And wooden Heroines pass in State along:
With active Steps the gentle Knights advance,
And graceful lead the Ladies to the Dance:
Safe from the Insults of the hostile Crane,
The Pygmy Court seems here restor'd again,
In all the Glories of its ancient Reign.
At Noon of Night, by Phœbe's lightsome Ray,
Thus the brisk Tribe of slender Fairies play,
Still round and round their circling Dance pursue,
And leave their Footsteps in the Morning Dew.
The fruitful Earth hence draws a quick Produce,
And teems luxuriant with a mystic Juice,
Pours forth full Crops where they have led the Round,
And verdant Circles mark the sacred Ground.
With Gems resplendent and embroider'd Gold,
In Robes of State attir'd and rich Array,
Displays the Pomp of some illustrious Day:
Small Nobles, tiny Peers, a splendid Throng,
And wooden Heroines pass in State along:
With active Steps the gentle Knights advance,
And graceful lead the Ladies to the Dance:
Safe from the Insults of the hostile Crane,
The Pygmy Court seems here restor'd again,
In all the Glories of its ancient Reign.
At Noon of Night, by Phœbe's lightsome Ray,
Thus the brisk Tribe of slender Fairies play,
Still round and round their circling Dance pursue,
And leave their Footsteps in the Morning Dew.
34
And teems luxuriant with a mystic Juice,
Pours forth full Crops where they have led the Round,
And verdant Circles mark the sacred Ground.
Yet oft' their Sports are lost in loud Alarms,
Whilst cager fly the dapper Chiefs to Arms;
To stern Contention joyous Peace gives way,
As sudden Show'rs deform the smiling Day.
Thus are our Pleasures still chastis'd with Strife,
And Good and Evil checquer Human Life.
Now Swords, and Spears, and murd'ring Guns they bear,
And all the fatal Instruments of War;
The Scenes with Crackers dreadful Bursts resound,
And Squibs and Serpents hiss along the Ground.
Whole Troops of slaughter'd Heroes strow the Stage,
The Crimes of dire Revenge and civil Rage.
Whilst cager fly the dapper Chiefs to Arms;
To stern Contention joyous Peace gives way,
As sudden Show'rs deform the smiling Day.
Thus are our Pleasures still chastis'd with Strife,
And Good and Evil checquer Human Life.
Now Swords, and Spears, and murd'ring Guns they bear,
And all the fatal Instruments of War;
The Scenes with Crackers dreadful Bursts resound,
And Squibs and Serpents hiss along the Ground.
Whole Troops of slaughter'd Heroes strow the Stage,
The Crimes of dire Revenge and civil Rage.
35
Soon as the Fury of the Fight is o'er,
And War's tumultuous Din is heard no more;
Their former Cares the jovial Tribe renew,
And all the pleasant Arts of Peace pursue.
Heroes of old, in happier Ages born,
Whose godlike Acts the sacred Page adorn,
Here much contracted in their Bulk return.
The Sages of the Patriarchal Seed,
A hoary venerable Train proceed;
Wrinkled their Face, with Age their Body bends,
Adown their Breast a rev'rend Beard descends.
Old Tithon thus, if ancient Tales speak true,
Small, and more small, by Age diminish'd grew;
His Form, at last, worn by a Length of Years,
Shrunk from a Pygmy's to a Grashopper's.
And War's tumultuous Din is heard no more;
Their former Cares the jovial Tribe renew,
And all the pleasant Arts of Peace pursue.
Heroes of old, in happier Ages born,
Whose godlike Acts the sacred Page adorn,
Here much contracted in their Bulk return.
The Sages of the Patriarchal Seed,
A hoary venerable Train proceed;
Wrinkled their Face, with Age their Body bends,
Adown their Breast a rev'rend Beard descends.
Old Tithon thus, if ancient Tales speak true,
Small, and more small, by Age diminish'd grew;
His Form, at last, worn by a Length of Years,
Shrunk from a Pygmy's to a Grashopper's.
Now say, my Muse, from what superior Cause
This slender Nation its Existence draws:
Say from what Pow'r their various Motions rise?
What Hand such Vigour to their Limbs supplies?
The Artist's Skill contrives the wooden Race,
And carves in lifeless Sticks the Human Face;
Then shapes the Trunk, and then the Parts assigns,
And Limbs to Limbs in meet Proportion joins;
With slender Tendons ev'ry Joint he strings,
And forms the Movements with elastic Springs:
And now directed by a Hand unseen,
The finish'd Puppet struts before the Scene,
Exalts a treble Voice, and Eunuch Tone,
And squeaks his Part in Accents not his own.
This slender Nation its Existence draws:
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What Hand such Vigour to their Limbs supplies?
The Artist's Skill contrives the wooden Race,
And carves in lifeless Sticks the Human Face;
Then shapes the Trunk, and then the Parts assigns,
And Limbs to Limbs in meet Proportion joins;
With slender Tendons ev'ry Joint he strings,
And forms the Movements with elastic Springs:
And now directed by a Hand unseen,
The finish'd Puppet struts before the Scene,
Exalts a treble Voice, and Eunuch Tone,
And squeaks his Part in Accents not his own.
| Poems on Several Occasions | |