LAMB'S POEM. 293 



Parr who used the finest kind of tobacco in a pipe half filled 

 with salt. It was no easy task to relinquish the use of tobacco 

 and it cost him many a struggle and much determined effort. 

 In writing to Wordsworth he says : " I wish you may think 

 this a handsome farewell to my < Friendly Traitress.' Tobacco 

 has been my evening comfort and my morning curse for 

 these five years. I have had it in my head to do it (Fare- 

 well to Tobacco) these two years ; but tobacco stood in its 

 own light when it gave me headaches that prevented my 

 singing its praises." 



Lamb's poem is without doubt one of the finest pieces of 

 verse ever written on tobacco, and seemingly contains both 

 words of praise and dispraise the latter however in some 

 sense are insincere. 



" May the Babylonish curse 

 Straight confound my stammering verse 

 If I can a passage see 

 In this word-perplexity, 

 Or a fit expression find, 

 Or a language to my mind, 

 (Still the phrase is wide or scant,) 

 To take leave of thee, GREAT PLANT! 

 Or in my terms relate 

 Half my love, or half my hate ; 

 For I hate, yet love thee so, 

 That whichever thing I show, 

 The plain truth will seem to be 

 A constraint hyperbole, 

 And the passion to proceed 

 More from a mistress than a weed. 

 Sooty retainer to the vine, 

 Bacchus' black servant, negro fine ; 

 Sorcerer, thou mak'st us dote upon 

 Thy begrimed complexion, 

 And for thy pernicious sake, 

 More and greater oaths to break 

 Than reclaimed lovers take 

 'Gainst women : thou thy siege do'st lay 

 Much too in the female way, 

 While thou suck'st the lab'ring breath 

 Faster than kisses or than death. 

 Thou in such a cloud do'st bind us, 

 That our worst foes cannot find us. 

 And ill fortune that would thwart us, 



