The Humourous Poetry of the English Language

422
THE MILLING-MATCH BETWEEN ENTELLUS AND DARES.
TRANSLATED FROM THE FIFTH BOOK OF THE AENEID, BY ONE OF THE
FANCY.
THOMAS MOORE.
With daddles [Footnote: Hands.] high upraised, and NOB held back,
In awful prescience of the impending THWACK,
Both KIDDIES [Footnote: Fellows, usually YOUNG fellows.] stood--and
with prelusive SPAR,
And light manoeuv'ring, kindled up the war!
The One, in bloom of youth--a LIGHT-WEIGHT BLADE--
The Other, vast, gigantic, as if made,
Express, by Nature for the hammering trade;
But aged, slow, with stiff limbs, tottering much,
And lungs, that lack'd the BELLOWS-MENDER'S touch.
Yet, sprightly TO THE SCRATCH both BUFFERS came,
While RIBBERS rung from each resounding frame,
And divers DIGS, and many a ponderous PELT,
Were on their broad BREAD-BASKETS heard and felt
With roving aim, but aim that rarely miss'd,
Round LUGS and OGLES [Footnote: Ears and Eyes.] flew the frequent fist;
While showers of FACERS told so deadly well,
That the crush'd jaw-bones crackled as they fell!
But firmly stood ENTELLUS--and still bright,
Though bent by age, with all THE FANCY'S light,
STOPP'D with a skill, and RALLIED with a fire
The Immortal FANCY could alone inspire!
While DARES, SHIFTING round, with looks of thought,
An opening to the COVE'S huge carcase sought
(Like General PRESTON, in that awful hour,
When on ONE leg he hopp'd to--take the Tower!)
And here, and there, explored with active FIN [Footnote: Arm.]
And skillful FEINT, some guardless pass to win,
And prove a BORING guest when once LET IN.
And now ENTELLUS, with an eye that plann'd
PUNISHING deeds, high raised his heavy hand,
But, ere the SLEDGE came down, young DARES spied