 | Poems on Affairs of State |  |
A Dialogue between Pasquin and Morforio,
Two Statues in Rome.
Mor.Why how now Pas** since the last Election,
I thought you had no Business for Reflection?
French Luid-ores, that never us'd to fail,
Have lost their Virtue now, and can't prevail;
And honest Clement wisely does espouse,
Distinctions laid aside, the Common Cause.
Pas.
True, but the English Senators have made
Themselves the Subject of a Pasquinade—
Mor.
Pray hold your Tongue.
Pas—
Why so? I need not fear.
Their Serjeant surely cannot reach me here.
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Their Privileges daily they extend,
For, like the World to come, they're without End;
And if their Pow'r but equally increase,
You may have Cause to wish you'd held your Peace.
But what's the Quarrel?
Pas—
I can make it out,
That tho 500 us'd to Sit and Vote,
(At least 400 Senators and odd)
They're now reduc'd to 4.
Morf—
To 4?
Pas—
To 4 indeed.
One M, one S, two H H's, and no more,
The Nation represent, and that's but Four.
The rest are (o's) and no Number make,
Unless you do from these the Units take.
Mor.
How can that be?
Pas—
If you desire to know,
Ned will inform you, and Jack tell you HOW.
Ask at Vienna, Shall we War proclaim?
To be resolv'd they'll bid you go to them:
And at the Hague they'll tell you, It's as they,
And not the King and his Allies shall say.
Huffing D' Avaux does vaunt and swear Be Gar,
My Master do de Dutch nor no Confederate fear,
If S. and Shak Hoo 'gainst him don declare:
Dem he vill make his own, and den vid ease,
Can winde and turn de rest wich vay dey please.
But who, except Lewis le Grand, that knows
The Force of Luid'ores, would e'er suppose,
That Four should lead Four Hundred by the Nose!
| Poems on Affairs of State | |