At Dublin's high feast sat Primate and Dean, Both dressed like divines, with band and face clean. Quoth Hugh of Armagh, 'The mob is grown bold.' 'Aye, aye,' quoth the Dean, 'the cause is old gold.' 'No, no,' quoth the Primate, 'if causes we sift, This mischief arises from witty Dean Swift.' The smart one replied, 'There's no wit in the case; And nothing of that ever troubled your Grace. Though with your state-sieve your own notions you split, A Boulter by name is no bolter of wit. It's matter of weight, and a mere money-job; But the lower the coin, the higher the mob. Go tell your friend Bob and the other great folk, That sinking the coin is a dangerous joke. The Irish dear joys have enough common sense, To treat gold reduced like Wood's copper pence. It's a pity a prelate should die without law; But if I say the word -- take care of Armagh!' | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...JOY (1) by GEORGIA DOUGLAS JOHNSON GOOD-BYE DOROTHY GAYLE: OVER THE MACKINAC by KAREN SWENSON POE'S COTTAGE AT FORDHAM by JOHN HENRY BONER STREET LANTERNS by MARY ELIZABETH COLERIDGE TWILIGHT by HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW AN OLD WOMAN (2) by MOTHER GOOSE TO THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON ON HEARING HIM MISPRAISED by MATTHEW ARNOLD |