The Works of Peter Pindar [i.e. John Wolcot] ... With a Copious Index. To which is prefixed Some Account of his Life. In Four Volumes |
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THE DIAMOND PIN AND THE FARTHING CANDLE; A FABLE. |
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 | The Works of Peter Pindar [i.e. John Wolcot] |  |
THE DIAMOND PIN AND THE FARTHING CANDLE; A FABLE.
UPON a lady's toilet, full of lustre,
A di'mond pin one night began to bluster;
Full of conceit, like some young flirting girl,
Her senses lost in Vanity's wild whirl:
A di'mond pin one night began to bluster;
Full of conceit, like some young flirting girl,
Her senses lost in Vanity's wild whirl:
Highly disgusted at a farthing candle,
Left by the lady of the broom,
Nam'd Susan, slipp'd into another room,
Something of consequence to handle—
‘You nasty tallow thing,’ exclaim'd Miss Pin,
‘Pray keep your distance—don't stay here, and wink;
I loathe ye—you and all your greasy kin—
Good heav'ns! how horribly you look and stink!’
Left by the lady of the broom,
Nam'd Susan, slipp'd into another room,
Something of consequence to handle—
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‘Pray keep your distance—don't stay here, and wink;
I loathe ye—you and all your greasy kin—
Good heav'ns! how horribly you look and stink!’
‘Good Lord! Miss Pin,’ Miss Candle quick reply'd,
‘Soften a little that ungrateful pride:
You shine indeed—to this I must agree:
Yes, Miss, you make a very pretty blaze;
But let me tell ye, that your wondrous rays
Owe all their boasted brilliancy to me.’
‘Soften a little that ungrateful pride:
You shine indeed—to this I must agree:
Yes, Miss, you make a very pretty blaze;
But let me tell ye, that your wondrous rays
Owe all their boasted brilliancy to me.’
‘How! Madam Impudence!’ rejoin'd Miss Pin,
First with a frown, and then a scornful grin;
‘I should not, sure, have dreamt of that, Miss Fat!’
First with a frown, and then a scornful grin;
‘I should not, sure, have dreamt of that, Miss Fat!’
‘Susan,’ Miss Candle bawl'd, ‘Susan, come here!
Such saucy language I'll no longer bear:
Susan, come, satisfy the lady's doubt—
Take me away, I say, or blow me out.’
Such saucy language I'll no longer bear:
Susan, come, satisfy the lady's doubt—
Take me away, I say, or blow me out.’
Susan, who, list'ning, heard the great dispute,
By no means could refuse Miss Candle's suit;
So into darkness Susan blew her beam:
‘Now,’ with a sharp sarcastic sneer,
‘Now,’ quoth Miss Candle, ‘now, my dear,
Where is of radiance now your boasted stream?
By no means could refuse Miss Candle's suit;
So into darkness Susan blew her beam:
‘Now,’ with a sharp sarcastic sneer,
‘Now,’ quoth Miss Candle, ‘now, my dear,
Where is of radiance now your boasted stream?
‘Where are your keen and fascinating rays,
Ten thousand of them—such a mighty blaze?’
Miss Di'mond star'd, and star'd, and star'd again,
To find departed radiance, but in vain.
Ten thousand of them—such a mighty blaze?’
Miss Di'mond star'd, and star'd, and star'd again,
To find departed radiance, but in vain.
Quite vanish'd! not a single ray display'd!
Each sparkle swallow'd in the depth of shade!
Each sparkle swallow'd in the depth of shade!
Alter'd, quite alter'd, sadly disappointed,
The bones of her high pride disjointed,
‘I fear,’ quoth Pin, ‘I much mistake my nature.’
‘True,’ answer'd Candle, ‘true, my dear Miss Pin;
Lift not, in future, quite so high your chin,
But show some rev'rence for your blaze-creator.’
The bones of her high pride disjointed,
‘I fear,’ quoth Pin, ‘I much mistake my nature.’
‘True,’ answer'd Candle, ‘true, my dear Miss Pin;
Lift not, in future, quite so high your chin,
But show some rev'rence for your blaze-creator.’
| The Works of Peter Pindar [i.e. John Wolcot] | |