The Humourous Poetry of the English Language

343
Vultures to borrow more.
Live at a foolish wicked rate,
My hopeful, if you choose,
But don't your means anticipate
Through bill-discounting Jews.
[Illustration: CHAUCER]
SELLING OFF AT THE OPERA HOUSE
A POETICAL CATALOGUE.
PUNCH.
Lot One, The well-known village, with bridge, and church, and green,
Of half a score divertissements the well-remembered scene,
Including six substantial planks, forming the eight-inch ridge
On which the happy peasantry came dancing down the bridge.
Lot Two, A Sheet of Thunder. Lot Three, A Box of Peas
Employed in sending storms of hail to rattle through the trees.
Lot Four, A Canvas Mossy Bank for Cupids to repose.
Lot Five, The old Stage Watering-pot, complete--except the nose.
Lot Six, The favorite Water-mill, used for Amina's dream,
Complete, with practicable wheel, and painted canvas stream.
Lots Seven to Twelve, Some sundries--A Pair of Sylphide's Wings;
Three dozen Druid's Dresses (one of them wanting strings).
Lots Thirteen, Fourteen, Fifteen--Three Services of Plate
In real papier mache--all in a decent state;
One of these services includes--its value to increase--
A full dessert, each plate of fruit forming a single piece.
Lot Seventeen, The Gilded Cup, from which Genarro quaffed,
Mid loud applause, night after night, Lucrezia's poisoned draught.
Lots Eighteen, Nineteen, Twenty, Three rich White Satin Skirts,
Lot Twenty-one, A set of six Swiss Peasants' Cotton Shirts.
Lot Twenty-two, The sheet that backed Mascaniello's tent.
Lot Twenty-three, The Long White Wig--in wool--of Bide-the-Bent.
Lots Twenty-three to Forty, The Fish--Soles, Cod, and Dace--
For pelting the Vice-regal Guard in Naples' Market-place.