Arrah, where were _you_, Murthagh, that beautiful day?--
Or how came it your riverence was laid on the shelf,
When that poor craythur, Bobby--as _you_ were away--
Had to make _twice_ as big a Tomfool of _himself_.
Troth, it wasnt at all civil to lave in the lurch
A boy so deserving your tindhr'est affection:--
Too such iligant Siamase twins of the Church,
As Bob and yourself, ne'er should cut the connection.
If thus in two different directions you pull,
'Faith, they'll swear that yourself and your riverend brother
Are like those quare foxes, in Gregory's Bull,
Whose tails were joined _one_ way, while they lookt
_another_![1]
Och blest be he, whosomdever he be,
That helpt soft Magee to that Bull of a Letther!
Not even my own self, tho' I sometimes make free
At such bull-manufacture, could make him a betther.
To be sure, when a lad takes to _forgin_', this way,
'Tis a thrick he's much timpted to carry on gayly;
Till, at last, his "injanious devices,"[2]
Show him up, not at Exether Hall, but the Ould Bailey.
That parsons should forge thus appears mighty odd,
And (as if somethin' "odd" in their _names_, too, must be,)
_One_ forger, of ould, was a riverend Dod,
"While a riverend Todd's now his match, to a T.[3]
But, no matther _who_ did it all blessin's betide him,
For dishin' up Bob, in a manner so nate;
And there wanted but _you_, Murthagh 'vourneen, beside him,
To make the whole grand dish of _bull_-calf complate.
[1] "You will increase the enmity with which they are regarded by their
associates in heresy, thus tying these foxes by the tails, that their
faces may tend in opposite directions."--Bob's _Bull_ read, at Exeter
Hall, July 14.
[2] "An ingenious device of my learned friend."--Bob's _Letter to
Standard_.
[3] Had I consulted only my own wishes, I should not have allowed this
hasty at tack on Dr. Todd to have made its appearance in this Collection;
being now fully convinced that the charge brought against that reverend
gentleman of intending to pass off as genuine his famous mock Papal Letter
was altogether unfounded. Finding it to be the wish, however, of my
reverend friend--as I am now glad to be permitted to call him--that both
the wrong and the reparation, the Ode and, the Palinode, should be thus
placed in juxtaposition, I have thought it but due to him, to comply with
his request.