PART III—HELL
347
iii
There is a * * *, who has lost
His wits, or sold them, none knows which;
He walks about a double ghost,
And though as thin as Fraud almost— 160
Ever grows more grim and rich.
There is a * * *, who has lost
His wits, or sold them, none knows which;
He walks about a double ghost,
And though as thin as Fraud almost— 160
Ever grows more grim and rich.
iv
There is a Chancery Court; a King;
A manufacturing mob; a set
Of thieves who by themselves are sent
Similar thieves to represent; 165
An army; and a public debt.
There is a Chancery Court; a King;
A manufacturing mob; a set
Of thieves who by themselves are sent
Similar thieves to represent; 165
An army; and a public debt.
v
Which last is a scheme of paper money,
And means—being interpreted—
'Bees, keep your wax—give us the honey.
And we will plant, while skies are sunny, 170
Flowers, which in winter serve instead.'
Which last is a scheme of paper money,
And means—being interpreted—
'Bees, keep your wax—give us the honey.
And we will plant, while skies are sunny, 170
Flowers, which in winter serve instead.'
vi
There is a great talk of revolution—
And a great chance of despotism—
German soldiers—camps—confusion—
Tumults—lotteries—rage—delusion— 175
Gin—suicide—and methodism;
There is a great talk of revolution—
And a great chance of despotism—
German soldiers—camps—confusion—
Tumults—lotteries—rage—delusion— 175
Gin—suicide—and methodism;
vii
Taxes too, on wine and bread,
And meat, and beer, and tea, and cheese,
From which those patriots pure are fed, 179
Who gorge before they reel to bed
The tenfold essence of all these.
Taxes too, on wine and bread,
And meat, and beer, and tea, and cheese,
From which those patriots pure are fed, 179
Who gorge before they reel to bed
The tenfold essence of all these.
viii
There are mincing women, mewing?
(Like cats, who amant miserè[1],)
Of their own virtue, and pursuing
Their gentler sisters to that ruin,
Without which—what were chastity?[2]
There are mincing women, mewing?
(Like cats, who amant miserè[1],)
Of their own virtue, and pursuing
Their gentler sisters to that ruin,
Without which—what were chastity?[2]
ix
Lawyers—judges—old hobnobbers
Are there—bailiffs— chancellors—
Bishops—great and little robbers—
Rhymesters—pamphleteers—stockjobbers— 190
Men of glory in the wars,—
Lawyers—judges—old hobnobbers
Are there—bailiffs— chancellors—
Bishops—great and little robbers—
Rhymesters—pamphleteers—stockjobbers— 190
Men of glory in the wars,—
x
Things whose trade is, over ladies
To lean, and flirt, and stare, and simper,
Till all that is divine in woman
Grows cruel, courteous, smooth, inhuman, 195
Crucified 'twixt a smile and whimper.
Things whose trade is, over ladies
To lean, and flirt, and stare, and simper,
Till all that is divine in woman
Grows cruel, courteous, smooth, inhuman, 195
Crucified 'twixt a smile and whimper.
xi
Thrusting, toiling, wailing, moiling,
Frowning, preaching—such a riot!
Each with never-ceasing labour,
Whilst he thinks he cheats his neighbour, 200
Cheating his own heart of quiet.
Thrusting, toiling, wailing, moiling,
Frowning, preaching—such a riot!
Each with never-ceasing labour,
Whilst he thinks he cheats his neighbour, 200
Cheating his own heart of quiet.
xii
And all these meet at levees;—
Dinners convivial and political;—
Suppers of epic poets;—teas,
Where small talk dies in agonies;—
Breakfasts professional and critical; 206
And all these meet at levees;—
Dinners convivial and political;—
Suppers of epic poets;—teas,
Where small talk dies in agonies;—
Breakfasts professional and critical; 206
- ↑ One of the attributes in Linnaeus's description of the Cat. To a similar cause the caterwauling of more than one species of this genus is to be referred;—except, indeed, that the poor quadruped is compelled to quarrel with its own pleasures, whilst the biped is supposed only to quarrel with those of others.—[Shelley's Note.]
- ↑ What would this husk and excuse for a virtue be without its kernel prostitution, or the kernel prostitution without this husk of a virtue? I wonder the women of the town do not form an association, like the Society for the Suppression of Vice, for the support of what may be called the 'King, Church, and Constitution' of their order. But this subject is almost too horrible for a joke.—[Shelley's Note.]
