University of Virginia Library

STORY THE SECOND.

From Sal'sb'ry church to Wilton House so grand,
Return'd the mighty ruler of the land—
‘My lord, you've got fine statues,’ said the king.
‘A few! beneath your royal notice, sir,’
Replied Lord Pembroke—‘Stir, my lord, stir, stir;
Let's see them all, all, all, all, ev'ry thing.
‘Who's this? who's this?—who's this fine fellow here?’
‘Sesostris,’ bowing low, replied the peer.
‘Sir Sostris, hey?—Sir Sostris?—'pon my word!
Knight or a baronet, my lord?
One of my making?—what, my lord, my making?’
This, with a vengeance, was mistaking!
Se-sostris, sire,’ so soft, the peer reply'd—
‘A famous king of Egypt, sir, of old.’
‘Poh, poh!’ th' instructed monarch snappish cry'd,
‘I need not that—I need not that be told.’
‘Pray, pray, my lord, who's that big fellow there?’
‘'Tis Hercules,’ replies the shrinking peer.

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‘Strong fellow, hey, my lord? strong fellow, hey?
Clean'd stables!—crack'd a lion like a flea;
Kill'd snakes, great snakes, that in a cradle found him—
The queen, queen's coming! wrap an apron round him.’