Page images
PDF
EPUB
[ocr errors]

When use, and when abstain from, vice,
Figs, grapes, phlebotomy, and spice.

[blocks in formation]

I' th' almanack, strange bilks presage.

He would an elegy compose
On maggots squeez'd out of his nose;
In lyric numbers write an ode on

His mistress eating a black pudden ;

And when imprison'd air escap'd her,

It puft him with poetic rapture:
His sonnets charm'd th' attentive crowd,
By wide-mouth'd mortal troll'd aloud,
That, circled with his long-ear'd guests,

Like Orpheus look'd among the beasts :

A carman's horse could not pass by

But stood ty'd up to poetry;

375

380

385

No porter's burthen pass along,

But serv'd for burthen to his song:

390

20

HUDIBRAS.

Each window like a pill'ry appears,

PART II.

With heads thrust through, nail'd by the ears;

All trades run in as to the sight

Of monsters, or their dear delight

The gallow-tree, when cutting purse

Breeds bus'ness for heroic verse,

Which none does hear, but would have hung
T' have been the theme of such a song.

[ocr errors]

Those two together long had liv'd

In mansion prudently contriv'd,

Where neither tree nor house could bar

395

400

The free detection of a star;

And nigh an ancient obelisk

Was rais'd by him, found out by Fisk,

On which was written, not in words,

405

But hieroglyphic mute of birds,
Many rare pithy saws concerning
The worth of astrologic learning:
From top of this there hung a rope,
To which he fasten'd telescope,
The spectacles with which the stars
He reads in smallest characters.
It happen'd as a boy one night

[blocks in formation]

410

The strangest long-wing'd hawk that flies, 415 That, like a bird of Paradise,

Or herald's martlet, has no legs,

Nor hatches young ones, nor lays eggs;

His train was six yards long, milk-white,

At th' end of which there hung a light, 420 Enclos'd in lantern made of paper,

That far off like a star did appear:

This Sidrophel by chance espy'd,

And, with amazement staring wide,

Bless us! quoth he, what dreadful wonder 425
Is that appears in heaven yonder?

A comet, and without a beard!
Or star that ne'er before appear'd?
I'm certain 'tis not in the scrowl

Of all those beasts, and fish, and fowl,

With which, like Indian plantations,

The learned stock the constellations;
Nor those that drawn for signs have bin
To th' houses where the planets inn.

It must be supernatural,

Unless it be that cannon-ball

That, shot i' th' air point-blank upright,
Was borne to that prodigious height

430

435

That learn'd philosophers maintain

It ne'er came backwards down again,
But in the airy region yet

Hangs, like the body of Mahomet :)

440

For if it be above the shade

That by the earth's round bulk is made,

'Tis probable it may from far

145

Appear no bullet, but a star.

This said, he to his engine flew, Plac'd near at hand, in open view, And rais'd it till it levell'd right Against the glow-worm tail of kite.

Then peeping through, Bless us! (quoth he)

It is a planet now, I see;

450

And, if I err not, by his proper

Figure, that's like tobacco-stopper,

It should be Saturn: yea, 'tis clear

455

'Tis Saturn, but what makes him there?

He's got between the Dragon's tail

And farther leg behind o' th' Whale;
Pray Heav'n divert the fatal omen,
For 'tis a prodigy not common,

And can no less than the world's end,
Or Nature's funeral, portend.

[ocr errors]

460

With that he fell again to pry
Through perspective more wistfully,
When, by mischance, the fatal string,
That kept the tow'ring fowl on wing,

Breaking, down fell the star. Well shot,
Quoth Whachum, who right wisely thought
H' ad levell'd at a star, and hit it;
But Sidrophel, more subtil-witted,
Cry'd out, What horrible and fearful
Portent is this, to see a star fall!
It threatens Nature, and the doom
Will not be long before it come !
When stars do fall, 'tis plain enough
The day of judgment 's not far off;
As lately 'twas reveal'd to Sedgwick,
And some of us find out by magic:
Then since the time we have to live
In this world's shorten'd, let us strive

To make our best advantage of it,
And pay our losses with our profit.

This feat fell out not long before

The Knight, upon the forenam'd score,
In quest of Sidrophel advancing,

Was now in prospect of the mansion;

465

470

475

480

485

« PreviousContinue »