Then shifting his side, (as a lawyer knows how)

He pleaded again in behalf of the Eyes: But what were his arguments few people know,

For the court did not think they were equally wise,

So his lordship decreed with a grave solemn tone,

Decisive and clear, without one if or butThat, whenever the Nose put his spectacles on, By day-light or candle-light-Eyes should be

shut!

ON THE BURNING.

ОР

LORD MANSFIELD'S LIBRARY,

TOGETHER WITH HIS MSS., BY THE MOB,

IN THE MONTH OF JUNE 1780,

So then-the Vandals of our isle,

Sworn foes to sense and law,
Have burnt to dust a nobler pile

Than ever Roman saw!

And MURRAY sighs o'er Pope and Swift,

And many a treasure more,
The well-judged purchase and the gift,

That graced his lettered store.

Their pages mangled, burnt, and torn,

Their loss was his alone;
But ages yet to come shall mourn

The burning of his own.

335

330

ON THE SAME.

When wit and genius meet their doom

In all devouring flame,
They tell us of the fate of Rome,

And bid us fear the same.

O’er MURRAY's loss the muses wept,

They felt the rude alarm, Yet bless'd the guardian care that kept

His sacred head from harm.

There memory, like the bee that's fed

From Flora's balmy store, The quintessence of all he read

Had treasured up before.

The lawless herd, with fury blind,

Have done him cruel wrong; The flowers are gone-but still we find

The honey on his tongue.

Thus says the prophet of the Turk,
Good mussulman, abstain from pork;
There is a part in every swine
No friend or follower of mine

* It may be proper to inform the reader, that this piece has already appeared in print, having found its way, though with some unnecessary additions by an unknown hand, into the Leeds Journal, without the author's privity.

May taste, whate'er his inclination,
On pain of excommunication.
Such Mahomet’s mysterious charge,
And thus he left the point at large.
Had he the sinful part express’d,
They might with safety eat the rest;
But for one piece they thought it hard
From the whole hog to be debarred;
And set their wit at work to find
What joint the prophet had in mind.
Much controversy straight arose:
These choose the back, the belly those;
By some 'tis confidently said
He meant not to forbid the head;
While others at that doctrine rail,
And piously prefer the tail,
Thus conscience freed from every clog,
Mahometans eat up the hog.
You laugh—'tis well—the tale applied
May make you laugh on t'other side.
Renounce the world—the preacher cries.
We doma multitude replies.

VOL. I.