58 



No animal in Christendom can show 



Within his hide so good a bill of fare 



As pig has got, all snugly rolled up there ; 



But here I pause. My pen, till now inspired 



And with enthusiastic ardor fired 



Which faithfully has served me many a year, 



And ne'er before showed any sign of fear, 



Which when we endeavored in our humble way 



His many well known virtues to portray, 



Showed both the " will to do, the soul to dare," 



And never dodged aline nor flinched a hair — 



Now when though somewhat in the same connection, 



The subject takes a sudden new direction, 



And we would fain again invoke the muse 



To sing of sauce -pans, roasts and savory stews, — 



Shrinks back and seems its power to distrust, 



To be to itself and to the subject just ; 



And long deliberates in seeming doubt, 



And thinks the subject o'er from tail to snout — 



And vacillating long, perplexed indeed, 



Flatly at length refuses to proceed. 



This settles it ; the race is run — we're beat ; 



Nor is it wise to mourn o'er our defeat ; 



At least for you whom cruel fate and hard. 



Has doomed to listen to the prosy bard — 



Although it may be proper for the poet 



Regret to feel not only but to show it. 



To see his brightest, best creations shattered, 



His noblest, loftiest flights of fancy scattered, 



•But you — ^just learn what you've escaped, and then 



Blame, if you think you ought, the faithful pen. 



Por were it not for this unhappy plight, 



I doubt if I'd be through to-morrow night ; 



So broad the field, so much there is to say, 



The narrow limits of a single day 



Would hardly half suffice to justice render 



To all the delicacies, sweet and tender, 



Which Pig, wise, generous, and withal good looking, 



Carries at all times ready for the cooking, 



Take him right through and through by any route, — 



From side to side, from curly tail to snout — 



From back to shaking Santa Clausian belly — 



Quivering with every grunt like soap or jelly — 



./r''j 



