The Humourous Poetry of the English Language

227
This little anecdote doth plainly show
That ignorance, a king too often lurches;
For, hid from art, Lord! how should monarchs know
The natural history of mops and churches?
[Illustration with caption: BYRON.]
STORY THE SECOND.
From Salisbury church to Wilton House, so grand,
Returned the mighty ruler of the land--
"My lord, you've got fine statues," said the king.
"A few! beneath your royal notice, sir,"
Replied Lord Pembroke--"Sir, my lord, stir, stir;
Let's see them all, all, all, all, every thing,
"Who's this? who's this?--who's this fine fellow here?
"Sesostris," bowing low, replied the peer.
"Sir Sostris, hey?--Sir Sostris?--'pon my word!
Knight or a baronet, my lord?
One of my making?--what, my lord, my making?"
This, with a vengeance, was mistaking?
"SE-sostris, sire," so soft, the peer replied--
"A famous king of Egypt, sir, of old."
"Oh, poh!" th' instructed monarch snappish cried,
"I need not that--I need not that be told."
"Pray, pray, my lord, who's that big fellow there?"
"'Tis Hercules," replies the shrinking peer;
"Strong fellow, hey, my lord? strong fellow, hey?
Cleaned stables!--cracked a lion like a flea;
Killed snakes, great snakes, that in a cradle found him--
The queen, queen's coming! wrap an apron around him."
Our moral is not merely water-gruel--
It shows that curiosity's a jewel!
It shows with kings that ignorance may dwell:
It shows that subjects must not give opinions