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Coleridge and Southey: The Devil's Thoughts
Down the river did glide, with wind and tide,
A pig, with vast celerity;
And the Devil look'd wise as he saw how the while,
It cut its own throat. 'There!' quoth he with a smile,
'Goes 'England's commercial prosperity'.'
As he went through Cold-Bath fields he saw
A solitary cell;
And the Devil was pleased, for it gave him a hint
For improving his prisons in Hell.
General Gascoigne's burning face
He saw with consternation,
And back to hell his way did he take,
For the Devil thought by a slight mistake
It was general conflagration.
S. T. COLERIDGE AND ROBERT SOUTHEY
THE FRIEND OF HUMANITY
FRIEND OF HUMANITY:
(In imitation of Southey)
'Needy Knife-grinder! whither are you going?
Rough is the road, your wheel is out of order—
Bleak blows the blast; your hat has got a hole in 't,
So have your breeches!
'Weary Knife-grinder! little think the proud ones,
Who in their coaches roll along the turnpikeroad,
what hard work 'tis crying all day "Knives and
Scissors to grind O!"
'Tell me, Knife-grinder, how you came to grind knives?
Did some rich man tyrannically use you?
Was it the squire, or parson of the parish?
Or the attorney?
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