The Poetical Works of Thomas Moore Collected by Himself. In Ten Volumes |
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 | The Poetical Works of Thomas Moore |  |
269
ODE TO DON MIGUEL.
Et tu, Brute!
1828.
What! Miguel, not patriotic? oh, fy!
After so much good teaching 'tis quite a take-in, Sir;—
First school'd, as you were, under Metternich's eye,
And then (as young misses say) “finish'd” at Windsor!
After so much good teaching 'tis quite a take-in, Sir;—
First school'd, as you were, under Metternich's eye,
And then (as young misses say) “finish'd” at Windsor!
I ne'er in my life knew a case that was harder;—
Such feasts as you had, when you made us a call!
Three courses each day from his Majesty's larder,—
And now, to turn absolute Don, after all!!
Such feasts as you had, when you made us a call!
Three courses each day from his Majesty's larder,—
And now, to turn absolute Don, after all!!
270
Some authors, like Bayes, to the style and the matter
Of each thing they write suit the way that they dine,
Roast sirloin for Epic, broil'd devils for Satire,
And hotchpotch and trifle for rhymes such as mine.
Of each thing they write suit the way that they dine,
Roast sirloin for Epic, broil'd devils for Satire,
And hotchpotch and trifle for rhymes such as mine.
That Rulers should feed the same way, I've no doubt;—
Great Despots on bouilli serv'd up à la Russe ,
Your small German Princes on frogs and sour crout,
And your Vice-roy of Hanover always on goose.
Great Despots on bouilli serv'd up à la Russe ,
Your small German Princes on frogs and sour crout,
And your Vice-roy of Hanover always on goose.
Some Dons, too, have fancied (though this may be fable)
A dish rather dear, if, in cooking, they blunder it;—
Not content with the common hot meat on a table,
They're partial (eh, Mig?) to a dish of cold under it!
A dish rather dear, if, in cooking, they blunder it;—
Not content with the common hot meat on a table,
They're partial (eh, Mig?) to a dish of cold under it!
271
No wonder a Don of such appetites found
Even Windsor's collations plebeianly plain;
Where the dishes most high that my Lady sends round
Are her Maintenon cutlets and soup à la Reine.
Even Windsor's collations plebeianly plain;
Where the dishes most high that my Lady sends round
Are her Maintenon cutlets and soup à la Reine.
Alas! that a youth with such charming beginnings,
Should sink, all at once, to so sad a conclusion,
And, what is still worse, throw the losings and winnings
Of worthies on 'Change into so much confusion!
Should sink, all at once, to so sad a conclusion,
And, what is still worse, throw the losings and winnings
Of worthies on 'Change into so much confusion!
The Bulls, in hysterics—the Bears just as bad—
The few men who have, and the many who've not tick,
All shock'd to find out that that promising lad,
Prince Metternich's pupil, is—not patriotic!
The few men who have, and the many who've not tick,
All shock'd to find out that that promising lad,
Prince Metternich's pupil, is—not patriotic!
At the commencement of this year, the designs of Don Miguel and his partisans against the constitution established by his brother had begun more openly to declare themselves.
| The Poetical Works of Thomas Moore | |