Volume 1 — EPIGRAM FROM THE FRENCH[1]

Who can believe with common sense, A bacon slice gives God offence; Or, how a herring has a charm Almighty vengeance to disarm? Wrapp'd up in majesty divine, Does he regard on what we dine?

[Footnote 1: A French gentleman dining with some company on a fast-day, called for some bacon and eggs. The rest were very angry, and reproved him for so heinous a sin; whereupon he wrote the following lines, which are translated above: "Peut-on croire avec bon sens Qu'un lardon le mil en colère, Ou, que manger un hareng, C'est un secret pour lui plaire? En sa gloire envelopé, Songe-t-il bien de nos soupés?"—H.]