30. And so his soul would not be gay, 31. As troubled skies stain waters clear, Of baptisms, Sunday-schools, and graves. 33. Yet the Reviews, who heaped abuse Praise him, for those who feed 'em. 34. He was a man too great to scan; A planet lost in truth's keen rays; 36. Then Peter wrote odes to the Devil;- 37. 38. Glut thee with living and dead! "May Death and Damnation Flit up from Hell with pure intent! Drench all with blood from Avon to Trent ! "Let thy body-guard yeomen Hew down babes and women, And laugh with hold triumph till heaven be rent 1 Munched children with fury; It was thou, Devil, dining with pure intent." PART VII.-DOUBLE DAMNATION. 1. THE Devil now knew his proper cue. Soon as he read the ode, he drove And said :-" For money or for love, Than he." His lordship stands and racks his 4. "It happens fortunately, dear sir, No pledge from you that he will stir That he'll be worthy of his hire." 5. These words exchanged, the news sent off 6. The Devil's corpse was leaded down ; Followed his hearse along the town :- 7. When Peter heard of his promotion, 8. He hired a house, bought plate, and made Peter was ever poor. 9. But a disease soon struck into The very life and soul of Peter. Y 10. And yet a strange and horrid curse Clung upon Peter, night and day. II. Peter was dull-(he was at first 12. No one could read his books-no mortal, 13. His sister, wife, and children, yawned, Their hopes of heaven each would have pawned 14. But in his verse and in his prose 15. A printer's boy, folding those pages, Like those famed Seven who slept three ages. As opiates, were the same applied. 16. Even the Reviewers who were hired To dream of what they should be doing. 17. And worse and worse the drowsy curse Yawned in him till it grew a pest; A wide contagious atmosphere Creeping like cold through all things near; 18. His servant-maids and dogs grew dull; All grew dull as Peter's self. 19. The earth under his feet, the springs Which lived within it a quick life- Were dead to their harmonious strife. 20. The birds and beasts within the wood, Love's work was left unwrought-no brood 21. And every neighbouring cottager 22. Yet all from that charmed district went 23. No bailiff dared within that space, The yawn of such a venture. 24. Seven miles above-below-around- Choose Reform or Civil War, When through thy streets, instead of hare with dogs, ADVERTISEMENT. THIS tragedy is one of a triad, or system of three plays (an arrangement according to which the Greeks were accustomed to connect their dramatic representations) elucidating the wonderful and appalling fortunes of the Swellfoot dynasty. It was evidently written by some learned Theban; and, from its characteristic dullness, apparently before the duties on the importation of Attic salt had been repealed by the Bootarchs. The tenderness with which he treats the Pigs proves him to have been a sus Baotia, possibly Epicuri de grege porcus; for, as the poet observes, "A fellow feeling makes us wondrous kind." No liberty has been taken with the translation of this remarkable piece of antiquity, except the suppressing a seditious and blasphemous chorus of the Pigs and Bulls at the last act. The word Hoydipouse (or more properly Edipus) has been rendered literally Swellfoot, without its having been conceived necessary to determine whether a swelling of the hind or the fore feet of the Swinish Monarch is particularly indicated. Should the remaining portions of this tragedy be found, entitled Swellfoot in Angaria and Charité, the translator might be tempted to give them to the reading public. |