TO SIMON,
THE OMNIPOTENT AND OMNIPRESENT CATERER FOR FASHIONABLE
SUPPER-PARTIES.
ear Simon! Prince of pastry-cooks,
Oysters, and ham, and cold neat’s tongue,
Pupil of Mitchill’s cookery-books,
And bosom friend of old and young!
Sure from some higher, brighter sphere
In showers of gravy thou wert hurled,
To aid our routs and parties here,
And grace the fashionable world!
Taught by thy art, we closely follow
And ape the English lords and misses;
For music, we’ve the Black Apollo,
And Mrs. Poppleton42 for kisses.
We borrow all the rest, you know,
Our glass from Christie43 for the time,
Plate from our friends to make a show,
And cash, to pay small bills from Prime.
What though old Squaretoes will not bless thee—
He fears your power and dreads your bill;
Mother and her dear girls caress thee,
And pat thy cheek, and praise thee still.
