THE PUPPET-SHEW: A DIDACTIC POEM: Partly translated from Addison's Machina Gesticulantes. Written in 1788. THE ARGUMENT. Exordium-Merry Andrew-The Booth-Entrance of the Puppets-PUNCH-Revellings-Simile-A Battle -AMERICAN WAR-PIETY IN PATTENS OMBRES CHINOISES-A Simile-PATAGONIAN THEATRE-SERIOUS BALLETS-A Vision-Philosophy of Puppet-Shews-The Marquis de CasauxPoets are Puppets-Conclusion. THE PUPPET-SHEW. THE wondrous pageants of an humble train, A tiny race, and nation void of brain, I sing. No heav'nly spark inflam'd their hearts; Their framer guiltless of Promethean arts. Where the hoarse drum, and motley droll invite The gaping mob, with foretaste of delight, Where jests are dealt to please the long-ear'd crew, As old as Miller's, and as C-t-y's new. Admiranda cano levium spectacula rerum, Exiguam gentem, et vacuum sine mente popellum; Quem, non surreptis cæli de fornice flammis, Innocua melior fabricaverat arte Prometheus. Compita qua risu fervent, glomeratque tumultum Histrio, delectatque inhiantem scommate turbam, Led by the love of sights, or love of fun, Quotquot lætitiæ studio aut novitate tenentur, Quicquid agunt homines, concursus, bella, triumphos. But o'er the rest see Punchinello rise, Of hoarser accent, and tremendous size ! An ample clasp his jerkin's round confines, His well-taught eye with vivid motion shines; Far-stretch'd before his jutting paunch appears, His lofty back o'erwhelms his humbled ears : Not with more terror to each sweeping gown Thro' country-dances plods the lab'ring clown, Than the small heroes, thro' the parted sheet, See his broad paunch precede his distanc'd feet. Proud of his bulk, and "huge two-handed sway," He reigns, the tyrant of the puppet-play, Gibes his poor wooden slaves in wanton fit, "And shakes the clumsy bench with" antic " wit." Ludit in exiguo plebecula parva theatro. Sed præter reliquos incedit HoмUNCIO rauca Voce strepens, major subnectit fibula vestem, Et referunt vivos errantia lumina motus; In ventrem tumet immodicum; pone eminet ingens A tergo gibbus; Pygmæum territat agmen Major, et immanem miratur tnrba gigantem. Hic magna fretus mole, imparibusque lacertis Confisus, gracili jactat convitia vulgo, Et crebro solvit, lepidum caput, ora cachinno. |