Written After a Walk Before Supper

1. 1Tho' much averse, dear Jack, to flicker,
2. 2To find a likeness for friend V--ker,
3. 3I've made thro' Earth, and Air, and Sea,
4. 4A Voyage of Discovery!
5. 5And let me add (to ward off strife)
6. 6For V--ker and for V--ker's Wife--
7. 7She large and round beyond belief,
8. 8A superfluity of beef!
9. 9Her mind and body of a piece,
10. 10And both composed of kitchen-grease.
11. 11In short, Dame Truth might safely dub her
12. 12Vulgarity enshrin'd in blubber!
13. 13He, meagre bit of littleness,
14. 14All snuff, and musk, and politesse;
15. 15So thin, that strip him of his clothing,
16. 16He'd totter on the edge of Nothing!
17. 17In case of foe, he well might hide
18. 18Snug in the collops of her side.

1. 19Ah then, what simile will suit?
2. 20Spindle-leg in great jack-boot?
3. 21Pismire crawling in a rut?
4. 22Or a spigot in a butt?
5. 23Thus I humm'd and ha'd awhile,
6. 24When Madam Memory with a smile
7. 25Thus twitch'd my ear--'Why sure, I ween,
8. 26In London streets thou oft hast seen
9. 27The very image of this pair:
10. 28A little Ape with huge She-Bear
11. 29Link'd by hapless chain together:
12. 30An unlick'd mass the one--the other
13. 31An antic small with nimble crupper----'
14. 32But stop, my Muse! for here comes supper.