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THE WASP.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


155

THE WASP.

Wrapt in Aurelian filth and slime,
An infant wasp neglected lay;
Till having doz'd the destin'd time,
He woke, and struggl'd into day.
Proud of his venom bag and sting,
And big with self-approved worth:
Mankind, he said, and stretch'd his wing,
Should tremble when I sally forth.
In copious streams my spleen shall flow,
And satire all her purses drain;
A critic born, the world shall know
I carry not a sting in vain.
This said, from native cell of clay,
Elate he rose in airy flight;
Thence to the city chang'd his way,
And on a steeple chanc'd to light.
Ye gods, he cry'd, what horrid pile
Presumes to rear its head so high—

156

This clumsy cornice—see how vile:
Can this delight a critic's eye?
With pois'nous sting he strove to wound
The substance firm: but strove in vain;
Surpris'd he sees it stands its ground,
Nor starts thro' fear, nor writhes with pain.
Away th' enraged insect flew;
But soon with aggravated pow'r,
Against the walls his body threw,
And hop'd to shake the lofty tow'r.
Firm fix'd it stands; as stand it must,
Nor heeds the wasp's unpitied fall:
The humbled critic rolls in dust,
So stunn'd, so bruis'd, he scarce can crawl.