And put a louis on,

And hold my heart and look again,

And lo! the thing is gone!

Wrong? is it wrong? To baser crafts

Has England’s Alfred pandered,

Who once to the sign of Phœbus’ shrine

With awesome gait meandered,

And ever wrote in the cause of right

According to his Standard?

56

56

Nay! this is life! to take a turn

On Fortune’s captious crust;

To pluck the day in a human way

Like men of common dust;

But O! if England’s only bard

Should absolutely bust!

A laureate never borrows on

His coming quarter’s pay;

And I mean to stop or ever I pop

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