( 98 )
EPIGRAM. From the French[1].
WHO can believe with common sense,
A bacon slice gives God offence;
Or, how a herring has a charm
Almighty vengeance to disarm?
Wrapp'd up in Majesty divine,
Does he regard on what we dine?
on
A CURATE'S COMPLAINT of HARD DUTY.
I MARCH'D three miles through scorching sand,
With zeal in heart, and notes in hand:
I rode four more to Great St. Mary,
Using four legs, when two were weary:
To three fair virgins I did tie men,
In the close bands of pleasing Hymen:
I dipp'd two babes in holy water,
And purify'd their mother after.
- ↑ A French gentleman dining with some company on a fastday, called for some bacon and eggs. The rest were very angry, and reproved him for so heinous a sin: whereupon he wrote the following lines extempore; which are translated above:
Peut on croire avec bon sens
Qu'un lardon le mit en colère,
Ou, que manger un hareng,
C'est un secret pour lui plaire?
En sa gloire envelopé,
Songe-t-il bien de nos soupés?
Within
