Page:The Scourge - Volume 5.djvu/33

A sublime description. 21

Sure, never was skin half so scalding as his, when an infant 'twas equally horrid, For the water when he was baptized gave a fizz, and bubbled and simmered, and started off whizz. As soon as it sprinkled his forehead.

Oh, then there was glitter and fire in each eye, for two living coals were the symbols, His teeth were calcined, and his tongue was so dry, it rattled against them as though you should try to play the piano in thimbles.

From his nostrils a lava sulphureous flows, which scorches wherever it lingers, A snivelling fellow he's called by his foes, for he can't raise his paw up to blow his red nose for fear it should blister his fingers.

His wig is of flames curling over his head, well powdered with white smoking ashes; He drinks gunpowder tea, melted sugar of lead, cream of tartar, and dines on hot spice gingerbread. Which black from the oven he gnashes.

Each fire nymph his kiss from her countenance shields, 'Would soon set her cheekbone a frying, He spit in the tented-ground near Spital-fields, And the hole that it burnt, and the chalk that it yields Make a capital limekiln for drying.

When he opened his mouth out then issued a blast, (Nota bene I do not mean swearing,) But the noise that it made and the heat that it cast, I've heard it from those who have seen it, surpassed A shot manufactory Raring.

He blazed and he blazed as he galloped to snatch His bride little dreaming of danger, His whip was structing eye was a patch, To keep it from burning the manger.ch and his spur was a match ; And over the horse's lef