 | May Fair |  |
'Tis true we now and then abused him,
But those were trifles that amused him;
'Tis understood that ayes and noes
May differ, without being foes.
Perhaps, in some obscure debate,
Some evening when the house sat late,
We dropt, in party's usual way,
Something we quite forgot next day;
Some local jest, some random hit,
Some nonsense that then pass'd for wit.
But hurry, heat of argument;
Not that one likes the word,—repent,
Yet, even in party's fiercest fever,
We always thought him monstrous clever;
Though H---e might growl, and T---rn*y sneer,
The truth was neither here nor there.
Through N*wp---t's squeak, and B*xt*n's prate,
We felt the leader of the State.
The idle world might call it satire,—
The world knew nothing of the matter.
But things in such a way presented
By greatness never are resented;
Mere drops between the cup and lip:
Your wisest men will sometimes trip:
In short, 'tis known, your first-rate minds
Give all offences to the winds.
But those were trifles that amused him;
'Tis understood that ayes and noes
May differ, without being foes.
Perhaps, in some obscure debate,
Some evening when the house sat late,
We dropt, in party's usual way,
Something we quite forgot next day;
110
Some nonsense that then pass'd for wit.
But hurry, heat of argument;
Not that one likes the word,—repent,
Yet, even in party's fiercest fever,
We always thought him monstrous clever;
Though H---e might growl, and T---rn*y sneer,
The truth was neither here nor there.
Through N*wp---t's squeak, and B*xt*n's prate,
We felt the leader of the State.
The idle world might call it satire,—
The world knew nothing of the matter.
But things in such a way presented
By greatness never are resented;
Mere drops between the cup and lip:
Your wisest men will sometimes trip:
111
Give all offences to the winds.
| May Fair | |