68 THE PARSON AND PEDAGOGUE. 



Experience teaches us that man, 



If he will moderately hope, 

 Under all circumstances, can 



With every difficulty cope. 

 Thus Baker and the parson, Smoke, 

 Became as wise as other folk. 



Their wishes had become subdu'd, 

 The only thing they sought to find, 



Was, in their miserable mood, 

 A shelter from the rain and wind ; 



A hovel by those brutes enjoy'd, 



The sons of Israel avoid. 



They found one, and the long tailed swine 

 Rush'd by them when they oped the gate ; 



There they in shelter did recline : 

 With faith and resignation wait 



The dawn, when they were doom'd to be 



Endow'd with immortality. 



' Consider, Baker, what's the grave? 



A gate that leads us to our home ; 

 From which no dignity can save, 



To which we're all compelled to come. 

 Where king and slave must both put down 

 The one a wallet, one a crown." 



" Upon my Latin, parson Smoke, 

 I did not think that you would be 



So very ready with a joke, 

 Thus in the midst of misery; 



But quietly I'd rather die, 



Than be cut up to boil or fry. 



" And yet I think, that, of the two, 

 The worst chance, certainly, is thine ; 



They might make something out of you, 

 On me a dog could scarcely dine : 



They economically mean, 



With your spare fat, to lard my lean." 



Slow past the night, the morning broke, 



Then on its hinges creaked a door ; 

 The thing was now beyond a joke, 

 ^ The knife was sharp'ning more and more. 

 " Come out, ye black ones ! " cried the man ; 

 Conceive Smoke's terrors, if you can. 



Up in the farthest corner crept 

 The parson, trembling like a leaf; 



Friend Baker too profoundly slept, 

 To feel his own or neighbour's grief, 



But Smoke arous'd him : in a pet, 



He cried, " I am not ready yet." 



The good man start'd back, and thought, 

 By means, or human or divine, 



Another wonder had been wrought, 

 And Satan driven from the swine : 



The parson, and the pedagogue, 



Resign'd their terrors to a hog. 



