Peter Bell the First was Peter Born from that world into this. *The oldest scholiasts read A dodecagamic Potter. This is at once more descriptive and more megalophonous,— but the alliteration of the text had captivated the vulgar ear of the herd of later commentators. PETER BELL THE THIRD. PART THE FIRST. DEATH. AND Peter Bell, when he had been Peter was quite reformed. His eyes turned up, his mouth turned down; Which Peter said or sang. But Peter now grew old, and had Some swore it was the gravel. *To those who have not duly appreciated the distinction between Whale and Russia oil, this attribute might rather seem to belong to the Dandy than the Evangelic. The effect, when to the windward, is indeed so similar, that it requires a subtle naturalist to discriminate the animals. They belong, however, to distinct genera. His holy friends then came about, He was predestined to damnation : They said " Thy name is Peter Bell; Then Peter set up such a yell! The nurse, who with some water gruel Was climbing up the stairs, as well As her old legs could climb them-fell And broke them both-the fall was cruel. The Parson from the casement leapt And all the rest rushed through the door, And cursed his father and his mother; And raved of God, and sin, and death, And said, that with his clenched teeth, As he was speaking came a spasm, And yellow death lay on his face ; And a fixed smile that was not human Told, as I understand the case, That he was gone to the wrong place :- Then there came down from Langdale Pike The woods and crags of Grasmere vale. And I saw the black storm come Its thunder made the cataracts dumb; The Devil was in it:-he had bought Peter for half-a-crown; and when The storm which bore him vanished, nought That in the house that storm had caught Was ever seen again. The gaping neighbours came next day. PART THE SECOND. THE DEVIL. THE DEVIL, I safely can aver, Has neither hoof, nor tail, nor sting; Nor is he, as some sages swear, He is what we are; for sometimes |