A Late Scene At Swanage.

^[1]


        regnis EX sul ademptis.--Verg. 1827.


To Swanage--that neat little town in whose bay
    Fair Thetis shows off in her best silver slippers--
Lord Bags^[2] took his annual trip t'other day,
    To taste the sea breezes and chat with the dippers.

There--learned as he is in conundrums and laws--
    Quoth he to his dame (whom he oft plays the wag on),
    "Why are chancery suitors like bathers?"--"Because
    Their suits are put off, till they haven't a rag on."

Thus on he went chatting--but, lo! while he chats,
    With a face full of wonder around him he looks;
For he misses his parsons, his dear shovel hats,
    Who used to flock round him at Swanage like rooks.

"How is this, Lady Bags?--to this region aquatic
"Last year they came swarming to make me their bow,
"As thick as Burke's cloud o'er the vales of Carnatic,
"Deans, Rectors, D.D.'s--where the devil are they now?"

"My dearest Lord Bags!" saith his dame, "can you doubt?
    "I am loath to remind you of things so unpleasant;
"But don't you perceive, dear, the Church have found out
    "That you're one of the people called Ex's, at present?"

"Ah, true--you have hit it--I am, indeed, one
    "Of those ill-fated Ex's (his Lordship replies),
"And with tears, I confess--God forgive me the pun!--
    "We X's have proved ourselves not to be Y's."

Thomas Moore

Thomas Moore was an Irish poet, singer, and songwriter, celebrated for his Irish Melodies, which are now considered a staple of Irish cultural heritage. Born on May 28, 1779, in Dublin, Ireland, Moore gained fame for his lyrical songs, many of which were set to traditional Irish tunes. Not only a poet, but he was also a staunch advocate of Irish nationalism, often incorporating themes of national identity and resistance into his work. Moore's influential collection 'Irish Melodies' became popular in both Ireland and Britain and helped to define the literary output of the era. He passed away on February 25, 1852, but his legacy in Irish literature and music endures.

Thomas Moore

A Reflection At Sea.

Thomas Moore, Simple Poetry

The High-Born Ladye.

Thomas Moore, Simple Poetry

Lines Written On Leaving Philadelphia.

Thomas Moore, Simple Poetry

Extract. From A Prologue Written And Spoken By The Author, At The Opening Of The Kilkenny Theatre, October, 1809.

Thomas Moore, Simple Poetry

English

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The Fudges In England. Letter VIII. From Bob Fudge, Esq., To The Rev. Mortimer O'Mulligan.

Tuesday evening,

I much regret, dear Reverend Sir,
    I could not come to * * * to meet you;
But this curst gout wont let me stir--
    Even now I but by proxy greet you;
As this vile scrawl, whate'er its sense is,
Owes all to an amanuensis.
Most other scourges of disease
Reduce men to extremities--
But gout wont leave one even these.

From all my sister writes, I see
That you and I will quite agree.
I'm a plain man who speak the truth,
    And trust you'll think me not uncivil,
When I declare that from my youth
    I've wisht your country at the devil:
Nor can I doubt indeed from all
    I've heard of your high patriot fame--
From every word your lips let fall--
    That you most truly wish the same.
It p...

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From The Hon. Henry ----, To Lady Emma ----.

Paris, March 30,1833.


You bid me explain, my dear angry Ma'amselle,
How I came thus to bolt without saying farewell;
And the truth is,--as truth you will have, my sweet railer,--
    There are two worthy persons I always feel loath
To take leave of at starting,--my mistress and tailor,--
    As somehow one always has scenes with them both;
The Snip in ill-humor, the Syren in tears,
    She calling on Heaven, and he on the attorney,--
Till sometimes, in short, 'twixt his duns and his dears,
    A young gentleman risks being stopt in his journey.

But to come to the point, tho' you think, I dare say.
That 'tis debt or the Cholera drives me away,
'Pon honor you're wrong;--such a mere bagatelle
    As a pestilence, nobody now-a-days fea...

Thomas Moore

The Fudges In England. Letter I. From Patrick Magan, Esq., To The Rev. Richard ----; Curate Of ----, In Ireland.

Who d' ye think we've got here?--quite reformed from the giddy.
    Fantastic young thing that once made such a noise--
Why, the famous Miss Fudge--that delectable Biddy,
    Whom you and I saw once at Paris, when boys,
In the full blaze of bonnets, and ribands, and airs--
    Such a thing as no rainbow hath colors to paint;
Ere time had reduced her to wrinkles and prayers,
    And the Flirt found a decent retreat in the Saint.

Poor "Pa" hath popt off--gone, as charity judges,
To some choice Elysium reserved for the Fudges;
And Miss, with a fortune, besides expectations
From some much revered and much palsied relations,
Now wants but a husband, with requisites meet,--
Age, thirty, or thereabouts--stature six feet,
And warranted godly--to make all complete.

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The Fudges In England. Letter VI. From Miss Biddy Fudge, To Mrs. Elizabeth ----.

How I grieve you're not with us!--pray, come, if you can,
Ere we're robbed of this dear, oratorical man,
Who combines in himself all the multiple glory
Of, Orangeman, Saint, quondam Papist and Tory;--
(Choice mixture! like that from which, duly confounded,
The best sort of brass was, in old times, compounded.)--
The sly and the saintly, the worldly and godly,
All fused down, in brogue so deliciously oddly!
In short, he's a dear--and such audiences draws,
Such loud peals of laughter and shouts of applause,
As can't but do good to the Protestant cause.

Poor dear Irish Church!--he today sketched a view
Of her history and prospect, to me at least new,
And which (if it takes as it ought) must arouse
The whole Christian w...

Thomas Moore

The Fudges In England. Letter III. From Miss Fanny Fudge, To Her Cousin, Miss Kitty ----.

STANZAS ENCLOSED.


TO MY SHADOW; OR, WHY?--WHAT?--HOW?

Dark comrade of my path! while earth and sky
    Thus wed their charms, in bridal light arrayed,
Why in this bright hour, walkst thou ever nigh;
    Blackening my footsteps, with thy length of shade--
                                Dark comrade, WHY?

Thou mimic Shape that, mid these flowery scenes,
    Glidest beside me o'er each sunny spot,
Saddening them as thou goest--say, what means
    So dark an adjunct to so bright a lot--
                                Grim goblin, WHAT?

Still, as to pluck sweet flowers I bend my brow,
    Thou bendest, too--then risest when I rise;--
Say, mute, mysterious Thing! how is't that thou
    Thus comest between me and those blessed skies--
...

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The Fudges In England. Letter IV. From Patrick Magan, Esq., To The Rev. Richard ----.

He comes from Erin's speechful shore
Like fervid kettle, bubbling o'er
    With hot effusions--hot and weak;
Sound, Humbug, all your hollowest drums,
He comes, of Erin's martyrdoms
    To Britain's well-fed Church to speak.

Puff him, ye Journals of the Lord,^[1]
Twin prosers, Watchman and Record!
Journals reserved for realms of bliss,
Being much too good to sell in this,
Prepare, ye wealthier Saints, your dinners,
    Ye Spinsters, spread your tea and crumpets;
And you, ye countless Tracts for Sinners,
    Blow all your little penny trumpets.
He comes, the reverend man, to tell
    To all who still the Church's part take,
Tales of parsonic woe, that well
    Might make even grim Dissenter's heart ache:--
Of ten whole bis...

Thomas Moore