352
PETER BELL THE THIRD
xvii
Whereat the Devil took offence,
And swore in his soul a great oath then, 454
'That for his damned impertinence
He'd bring him to a proper sense
Of what was due to gentlemen!'
Whereat the Devil took offence,
And swore in his soul a great oath then, 454
'That for his damned impertinence
He'd bring him to a proper sense
Of what was due to gentlemen!'
PART THE SIXTH
DAMNATION
DAMNATION
i
'O that mine enemy had written
A book!'—cried Job:—a fearful curse,
If to the Arab, as the Briton, 460
'Twas galling to be critic-bitten:—
The Devil to Peter wished no worse.
'O that mine enemy had written
A book!'—cried Job:—a fearful curse,
If to the Arab, as the Briton, 460
'Twas galling to be critic-bitten:—
The Devil to Peter wished no worse.
ii
When Peter's next new book found vent,
The Devil to all the first Reviews
A copy of it slyly sent, 465
With five-pound note as compliment,
And this short notice—'Pray abuse.'
When Peter's next new book found vent,
The Devil to all the first Reviews
A copy of it slyly sent, 465
With five-pound note as compliment,
And this short notice—'Pray abuse.'
iii
Then scriatim, month and quarter,
Appeared such mad tirades.—One said—
'Peter seduced Mrs. Foy's daughter,
Then drowned the mother in Ullswater, 471
The last thing as he went to bed.'
Then scriatim, month and quarter,
Appeared such mad tirades.—One said—
'Peter seduced Mrs. Foy's daughter,
Then drowned the mother in Ullswater, 471
The last thing as he went to bed.'
iv
Another—'Let him shave his head!
Where's Dr. Willis?-Or is he joking?
What does the rascal mean or hope, 475
No longer imitating Pope,
In that barbarian Shakespeare poking?'
Another—'Let him shave his head!
Where's Dr. Willis?-Or is he joking?
What does the rascal mean or hope, 475
No longer imitating Pope,
In that barbarian Shakespeare poking?'
v
One more, 'Is incest not enough?
And must there be adultery too?
Grace after meat? Miscreant and Liar! 480
Thief! Blackguard! Scoundrel! Fool! Hell-fire
Is twenty times too good for you.
One more, 'Is incest not enough?
And must there be adultery too?
Grace after meat? Miscreant and Liar! 480
Thief! Blackguard! Scoundrel! Fool! Hell-fire
Is twenty times too good for you.
vi
'By that last book of yours we think
You've double damned yourself to scorn;
We warned you whilst yet on the brink 485
You stood. From your black name will shrink
The babe that is unborn.'
'By that last book of yours we think
You've double damned yourself to scorn;
We warned you whilst yet on the brink 485
You stood. From your black name will shrink
The babe that is unborn.'
vii
All these Reviews the Devil made
Up in a parcel, which he had
Safely to Peter's house conveyed. 490
For carriage, tenpence Peter paid—
Untied them—read them—went half mad.
All these Reviews the Devil made
Up in a parcel, which he had
Safely to Peter's house conveyed. 490
For carriage, tenpence Peter paid—
Untied them—read them—went half mad.
viii
'What!' cried he, 'this is my reward
For nights of thought, and days of toil?
Do poets, but to be abhorred 495
By men of whom they never heard,
Consume their spirits' oil?
'What!' cried he, 'this is my reward
For nights of thought, and days of toil?
Do poets, but to be abhorred 495
By men of whom they never heard,
Consume their spirits' oil?
ix
'What have I done to them?—and who
Is Mrs. Foy? 'Tis very cruel
To speak of me and Betty[1] so! 500
Adultery! God defend me! Oh!
I've half a mind to fight a duel.
'What have I done to them?—and who
Is Mrs. Foy? 'Tis very cruel
To speak of me and Betty[1] so! 500
Adultery! God defend me! Oh!
I've half a mind to fight a duel.
x
'Or,' cried he, a grave look collecting,
'Is it my genius, like the moon,
Sets those who stand her face inspecting, 505
That face within their brain reflecting,
Like a crazed bell-chime, out of tune?'
'Or,' cried he, a grave look collecting,
'Is it my genius, like the moon,
Sets those who stand her face inspecting, 505
That face within their brain reflecting,
Like a crazed bell-chime, out of tune?'
- ↑ Emma 1839, 2nd ed. See letter from Shelley to Ollier, May 14, 1820 (Shelley Memorials, p. 139).
