The Poetical Works of Thomas Moore Collected by Himself. In Ten Volumes |
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| III, IV. |
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| VI, VII. |
 | VIII, IX. |
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A LATE SCENE AT SWANAGE
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 | The Poetical Works of Thomas Moore |  |
253
A LATE SCENE AT SWANAGE
Regnis ex-sul ademtis.
Virg.
1827.
To Swanage—that neat little town, in whose bay
Fair Thetis shows off, in her best silver slippers—
Lord Bags took his annual trip t'other day,
To taste the sea breezes, and chat with the dippers.
Fair Thetis shows off, in her best silver slippers—
Lord Bags took his annual trip t'other day,
To taste the sea breezes, and chat with the dippers.
There—learn'd as he is in conundrums and laws—
Quoth he to his dame (whom he oft plays the wag on),
“Why are chancery suitors like bathers?”—“Because
Their suits are put off, till—they haven't a rag on.”
Quoth he to his dame (whom he oft plays the wag on),
“Why are chancery suitors like bathers?”—“Because
Their suits are put off, till—they haven't a rag on.”
Thus on he went chatting—but, lo, while he chats,
With a face full of wonder around him he looks;
For he misses his parsons, his dear shovel hats,
Who used to flock round him at Swanage like rooks.
With a face full of wonder around him he looks;
For he misses his parsons, his dear shovel hats,
Who used to flock round him at Swanage like rooks.
254
“How is this, Lady Bags?—to this region aquatic
“Last year they came swarming, to make me their bow,
“As thick as Burke's cloud o'er the vales of Carnatic,
“Deans, Rectors, D. D.'s—where the dev'l are they now?”
“Last year they came swarming, to make me their bow,
“As thick as Burke's cloud o'er the vales of Carnatic,
“Deans, Rectors, D. D.'s—where the dev'l are they now?”
“My dearest Lord Bags!” saith his dame, “can you doubt?
“I am loth to remind you of things so unpleasant;
“But don't you perceive, dear, the Church have found out
“That you're one of the people call'd Ex's, at present?”
“I am loth to remind you of things so unpleasant;
“But don't you perceive, dear, the Church have found out
“That you're one of the people call'd Ex's, at present?”
“Ah, true—you have hit it—I am, indeed, one
“Of those ill-fated Ex's (his Lordship replies),
“And, with tears, I confess—God forgive me the pun!—
“We X's have proved ourselves not to be Y's.”
“Of those ill-fated Ex's (his Lordship replies),
“And, with tears, I confess—God forgive me the pun!—
“We X's have proved ourselves not to be Y's.”
| The Poetical Works of Thomas Moore | |