As work like this was unbefitting,

And flesh and blood no longer bore it, The Court of Common Sense, then sitting, Summon'd the culprits both before it.

Where, after hours in wrangling spent (As Courts must wrangle to decide well), Religion to St. Luke's was sent,

And Royalty pack'd off to Bridewell.

With this proviso-should they be
Restor'd, in due time, to their senses,

They both must give security,

In future, against such offences

Religion ne'er to lend his cloak,

Seeing what dreadful work it leads to; And Royalty to crack his joke,

But not to crack poor people's heads too.

FABLE VI.

THE LITTLE GRAND LAMA.

PROEM.

NOVELLA, a young Bolognese,

The daughter of a learn'd Law Doctor, * Who had with all the subtleties

Of old and modern jurists stock'd her,
Was so exceeding fair, 'tis said,

And over hearts held such dominion,
That when her father, sick in bed,
Or busy, sent her, in his stead,

To lecture on the Code Justinian,

She had a curtain drawn before her,

Lest, if her charms were seen, the students Should let their young eyes wander o'er her, And quite forget their jurisprudence.+

* Andreas.

+ Quand il étoit occupé d'aucune essoine, il envoyoit Novelle, sa fille, en son lieu lire aux escholes en charge, et, afin que la biaüté d'elle n'empêchât la pensée des oyants, elle avoit une petite courtine devant elle. Christ. de Pise, Cité des Dames, p. 11. cap. 36.

Just so it is with Truth, when seen,

Too dazzling far,-'tis from behind
A light, thin allegoric screen,

She thus can safest teach mankind.

FABLE.

In Thibet once there reign'd, we're told,
A little Lama, one year old—

Rais'd to the throne, that realm to bless,
Just when his little Holiness

Had cut- as near as can be reckon'd-
Some say his first tooth, some his second.
Chronologers and Nurses vary,

Which proves historians should be wary.
We only know th' important truth,
His Majesty had cut a tooth. *

* See Turner's Embassy to Thibet for an account of his interview with the Lama. "Teshoo Lama (he says) was at this time eighteen months old. Though he was unable to speak a word, he made the most expressive signs, and conducted himself with astonishing dignity and decorum."

And much his subjects were enchanted,-
As well all Lamas' subjects may be,
And would have giv'n their heads, if wanted,
To make tee-totums for the baby.
Thron'd as he was by Right Divine—
(What Lawyers call Jure Divino,

Meaning a right to yours, and mine,
And every body's goods and rhino,)
Of course, his faithful subjects' purses

Were ready with their aids and succours;
Nothing was seen but pension'd Nurses,

And the land groan'd with bibs and tuckers.

Oh! had there been a Hume or Bennet,
Then sitting in the Thibet Senate,

Ye Gods, what room for long debates
Upon the Nursery Estimates!

What cutting down of swaddling-clothes
And pin-a-fores, in nightly battles!
What calls for papers to expose

The waste of sugar-plums and rattles!
-if Thibet had M. P.'s,

But no

They were far better bred than these;

Nor gave the slightest opposition,
During the Monarch's whole dentition.

But short this calm;-for, just when he
Had reach'd th' alarming age of three,
When Royal natures, and, no doubt,
Those of all noble beasts break out-
The Lama, who till then was quiet,
Show'd symptoms of a taste for riot;
And, ripe for mischief, early, late,
Without regard for Church or State,
Made free with whosoe'er came nigh;
Tweak'd the Lord Chancellor by the nose,

Turn'd all the Judges' wigs awry,

And trod on the old Generals' toes;

Pelted the Bishops with hot buns,

Rode cock-horse on the City maces,

And shot from little devilish guns,

Hard peas into his subjects' faces. In short, such wicked pranks he play'd, And grew so mischievous, God bless him! That his Chief Nurse-with ev'n the aid

Of an Archbishop—was afraid,

When in these moods, to comb or dress him.