The Works of John Hall-Stevenson ... Corrected and Enlarged. With Several Original Poems, Now First Printed, and Explanatory Notes. In Three Volumes |
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A MONSIEUR LE GENERAL HALE.
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 | The Works of John Hall-Stevenson |  |
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A MONSIEUR LE GENERAL HALE.
TRANSLATION, FOR THE TEA-TABLE.
To-day our Cleveland squires dine here,You can't conceive how you'll admire us,
If you will come, and in your rear,
Bring up your ladies to unsquire us?
When an adept will undertake him
She can unsquire her man with ease;
She makes the squire at once forsake him
When once she makes him wish to please.
On earth whatever is delightful,
Grateful or pleasant above measure,
Without a female soon grows frightful,
Or gives one greater pain than pleasure.
Without a General, you know,
And every creature understands,
What is an army but a show,
Like the militia, and train-bands?
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Be good for nought but a review?
Or to sit down and play at cards,
Or gallop with the King to Kew?
Without the ladies all our feasts,
As I'm a sinner amongst sinners,
Are only ord'naries for beasts,
Like fox-hunters or horse-race dinners.
The Pope, throughout his papal-life,
No other Prince, the Pope alone,
Has neither general nor wife,
I mean, no lady of his own.
Exempt from war, free from desire,
In peace profound he spends his days,
The dew of heaven quenches his fire,
The grace of God keeps him from frays.
A favour that's bestowed so rarely,
And not the privilege of birth,
Proves all their holinesses fairly
To be God's vicars upon earth,
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And without grace, 'tis no great wonder:
We must have generals and wives,
And mistresses to keep us under,
Oct. 15, 1775.
| The Works of John Hall-Stevenson | |