Page:The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, Volume 8.djvu/64

The shoes put on, our faithful portress
Admits us in, to storm the fortress;
While tortur'd madam bound remains,
Like Montezume, in golden chains;
Or like a cat with walnuts shod
Stumbling at every step she trod.
Sly hunters thus, in Borneo's isle,
To catch a monkey by a wile,
The mimick animal amuse;
They place before him gloves and shoes;
Which when the brute puts awkward on,
All his agility is gone:
In vain to frisk or climb he tries;
The huntsmen seize the grinning prize.
But let us on our first assault
Secure the larder and the vault:
The valiant Dennis^[1] you must fix on,
And I'll engage with Peggy Dixon^[2]:
Then, if we once can seize the key
And chest that keeps my lady's tea,
They must surrender at discretion;
And, soon as we have gain'd possession,
We'll act as other conquerors do,
Divide the realm between us two:
Then (let me see) we'll make the knight
Our clerk, for he can read and write;
But must not think, I tell him that,
Like Lorimer^[3] to wear his hat:
Yet, when we dine without a friend.
We'll place him at the lower end.
Madam, whose skill does all in dress lie,
May serve to wait on Mrs. Lesley;

1. The butler.
2. The housekeeper.
3. The agent.

But,