The Works of the Right Honourable Sir Chas. Hanbury Williams ... From the Originals in the Possession of His Grandson The Right Hon. The Earl of Essex and Others: With Notes by Horace Walpole ... In Three Volumes, with Portraits |
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LINES
OCCASIONED BY A LATE MOTION. |
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The Works of the Right Honourable Sir Chas. Hanbury Williams | ||
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LINES OCCASIONED BY A LATE MOTION.
“TAXES run high,”—the Britons loud complain'd.'Twas moved that luxury should be restrain'd;
To lace our breeches was a mortal sin,
And wear all gold without, and none within.
This meant the ministry, would they confess,
“The more we have ourselves, the king has less;”
For who could fear that luxury would last?
Excises, taxes, sinking funds, are spent,
And sure seven millions are a high rack-rent.
“The lace you may allow us,” quoth Sir John,
“We soon shall have no coats to put it on.”
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He who can pay no whore, must not be lewd.
A Briton once said to a Gaul alert,
“You found the ruffles, and we found the shirt.”
Without the last, few would the first promote,
And who will buy a lace that has no coat?
The Works of the Right Honourable Sir Chas. Hanbury Williams | ||