The poetical works of John Godfrey Saxe Household Edition : with illustrations |
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REASON AND VANITY.
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 | The poetical works of John Godfrey Saxe |  |
185
REASON AND VANITY.
AN APOLOGUE.
“Appeal to Reason!” writes a sage
Whose book, on many a glowing page,
Would teach the reader to control
The workings of the human soul.
The plan, no doubt, is often wise,
But, should it fail, let me advise
('T is safe to try it!) an appeal
The hardest heart is sure to feel;
When Reason turns away her ear,
Who knows but Vanity may hear?
Whose book, on many a glowing page,
Would teach the reader to control
The workings of the human soul.
The plan, no doubt, is often wise,
But, should it fail, let me advise
('T is safe to try it!) an appeal
The hardest heart is sure to feel;
When Reason turns away her ear,
Who knows but Vanity may hear?
As Chloe stood, one summer's day,—
Young, giddy, handsome, vain, and gay,—
Before her mirror, and essayed
Her native charms by art to aid,
A vagrant bee came buzzing round,
And Chloe, frightened at the sound,
Cried, “Mary, help! Go, Lizzie, fetch
A broom and kill the little wretch!”
Too late! despite the bustling maids,
The wanton imp at once invades
Poor Chloe's lip,—the saucy thing!
And fixes there his ugly sting.
The culprit caught, the maids prepare
To kill the monster then and there;
When, trembling for his life, the Bee
Makes this extenuating plea:
Young, giddy, handsome, vain, and gay,—
Before her mirror, and essayed
Her native charms by art to aid,
A vagrant bee came buzzing round,
And Chloe, frightened at the sound,
Cried, “Mary, help! Go, Lizzie, fetch
A broom and kill the little wretch!”
Too late! despite the bustling maids,
The wanton imp at once invades
Poor Chloe's lip,—the saucy thing!
And fixes there his ugly sting.
The culprit caught, the maids prepare
To kill the monster then and there;
When, trembling for his life, the Bee
Makes this extenuating plea:
“Forgive! O beauteous queen, forgive
My sad mistake; for, as I live,
Your mouth (I'm sorry, Goodness knows!)
I surely took it for a rose!”
“Poor insect!” Chloe sighed, “I vow
'T were very hard to kill him now,
No harm the little fellow meant,
And then he seems so penitent;
Besides the pain was very small,
I scarcely feel it now at all!”
My sad mistake; for, as I live,
Your mouth (I'm sorry, Goodness knows!)
I surely took it for a rose!”
“Poor insect!” Chloe sighed, “I vow
'T were very hard to kill him now,
No harm the little fellow meant,
And then he seems so penitent;
Besides the pain was very small,
I scarcely feel it now at all!”
| The poetical works of John Godfrey Saxe | |