So from my lord his passion broke,
He f—d first, and then he spoke.
The ladies, vanish in the smother,
To confer notes with one another;
And now they all agreed to name
Whom each one thought the happy dame.
Quoth Neal, whate'er the rest may think,
I'm sure 'twas I, that smelt the stink.
You smell the stink! by G—d, you lye,
Quoth Ross, for I'll be sworn 'twas I.
Ladies, quoth Levens, pray, forbear:
Let's not fall out; we all had share.
And, by the most I can discover,
My lord's a universal lover.
THE DESCRIPTION OF A SALAMANDER. 1706.
Pliny, Nat. Hist. lib. x. c. 67. lib. xxix. c. 4.
AS mastiff dogs in modern phrase are
Call'd Pompey, Scipio, and Cæsar;
As pies and daws are often styl'd
With Christian nicknames, like a child;
As we say monsieur to an ape,
Without offence to human shape;
So men have got, from bird and brute,
Names that would best their natures suit.
The Lion, Eagle, Fox, and Boar,
Were heroes titles heretofore,
Bestow'd as hieroglyphicks fit
To show their valour, strength, or wit:
