He was mighty thick with every Saint, Though they were formal and he was gay. V. The Devil was an agriculturist, And, as bad weeds quickly grow, VI. He peeped in each hole, to each chamber stole, His promising live-stock to view; Grinning applause, he just showed them his claws, And they shrunk with affright from his ugly sight, Whose work they delighted to do. VII. Satan poked his red nose into crannies so small, One would think that the innocents fair, Poor lambkins! were just doing nothing at all, But settling some dress or arranging some ball; But the Devil saw deeper there. VIII. A Priest, at whose elbow the Devil during prayer, Sate familiarly, side by side, Declared, that if the tempter were there, His presence he would not abide. Ah! Ah! thought Old Nick, that's a very stale trick, For without the Devil, O! favourite of evil, IX. Satan next saw a brainless King, Whose house was as hot as his own, Many imps in attendance were there on the wing, They flapped the pennon and twisted the sting, X. Ah, ha! thought Satan, the pasture is good, My Cattle will here thrive better than others, They dine on news of human blood, They sup on the groans of the dying and dead, And supperless never will go to bed ; Which will make them fat as their brothers. XI. Fat as the fiends that feed on blood, Fresh and warm from the fields of Spain, Where ruin ploughs her gory way, When the shoots of earth are nipped in the bud, Where Hell is the Victor's prey, Its glory the meed of the slain. XII. Fat-as the death-birds on Erin's shore, That glutted themselves in her dearest gore, And flitted round Castlereagh, When they snatched the Patriot's heart, that his grasp Had torn from its widow's maniac clasp, And fled at the dawn of day. XIII. Fat-as the reptiles of the tomb, XIV. Fat as that Prince's maudlin brain, XV. For he is fat; his waistcoat gay, Scarce meets across his princely paunch, XVI. How vast his stock of calf! when plenty XVII. The Devil (who sometimes is called nature) For men of power provides thus well, Whilst every change and every feature Their great original can tell. XVIII. Satan saw a lawyer a viper slay, That crawled up the leg of his table; It reminded him most marvellously XIX. The wealthy yeoman, as he wanders And on his thriving cattle ponders, Counts his sure gains, and hums a song; Thus did the Devil, through earth walking, Hum low a hellish song. XX. For they thrive well whose garb of gore And they thrive well who from the poor XXI. The Bishops thrive, though they are big, Hides the safe thrift of Hell within. XXII. Thus pigs were never counted clean, XXIII. Oh! why is the Father of Hell in such glee, As he grins from ear to ear? Why does he doff his clothes joyfully, As he skips, and prances, and flaps his As he sidles, leers, and twirls his sting, XXIV. A statesman passed-alone to him XXV. At this known sign, a welcome sight, XXVI. Pale Loyalty his guilt-steeled brow XXVII. Hark the earthquake's crash I hear, Kings turn pale, and Conquerors start, Ruffians tremble in their fear, For their Satan doth depart. XXVIII. This day fiends give to revelry, XXIX. But were the Devil's sight as keen |