The Poetical Works of The Rev. Samuel Bishop ... To Which are Prefixed, Memoirs of the Life of the Author By the Rev. Thomas Clare |
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 | The Poetical Works of The Rev. Samuel Bishop |  |
115
TO THE SAME,
SHOT ON THE POINT OF AN ARROW, INTO HIS GARDEN AT EWELL.
OCTOBER 27, 1779.
“From whence,” you'll cry, “comes This, I trow?”
“From Spirits on high? or Imps below?”
“From Spirits on high? or Imps below?”
'Tis not from Spirits on high—tho' sure
What claims our Love, must theirs procure.
What claims our Love, must theirs procure.
'Tis from no Imp—for, entre-nous,
The Devil better knows his cue:
Busy inferior souls to catch,
But shy of Worth—above his match.
The Devil better knows his cue:
Busy inferior souls to catch,
But shy of Worth—above his match.
In short (of doubts, at once, to ease ye)
'Tis from the Dorking Stage, and please ye!
A flying How d'ye! and God bless ye!
—But why in this odd mode address ye?—
To make you laugh, and, laughing, say,
“The Fool has shot his bolt to day.”
'Tis from the Dorking Stage, and please ye!
116
—But why in this odd mode address ye?—
To make you laugh, and, laughing, say,
“The Fool has shot his bolt to day.”
Tho' should you giggle, till you cry, Sir;
Till doom's-day; or till I grow wiser;
You can't my folly more deride,
Than I do, half the world's beside.
Till doom's-day; or till I grow wiser;
You can't my folly more deride,
Than I do, half the world's beside.
For, truly, when with closer ken,
One views the trim of things and men;
How oft convenience, stands for conscience,
And wisdom, is but graver nonsense;
While, hare-um! scare-um! crowds jog on,
Imposing, and impos'd upon;
While this, I say, still meets one's eye;
Tho' sometimes it provoke a sigh,
At others, 'tis at least as well,
Voir, etre, faire—la Bagatelle.
One views the trim of things and men;
How oft convenience, stands for conscience,
And wisdom, is but graver nonsense;
While, hare-um! scare-um! crowds jog on,
Imposing, and impos'd upon;
While this, I say, still meets one's eye;
Tho' sometimes it provoke a sigh,
At others, 'tis at least as well,
Voir, etre, faire—la Bagatelle.
| The Poetical Works of The Rev. Samuel Bishop | |