REVENGE
When Ferdinand was sent to School
It was his great delight
To pause and plague the Village Fool
’Gainst whom he had a Spite.
The poor afflicted Creature dwelt
Alone, hard by a Wood,
Forlorn and desolate he felt,
Oft destitute of Food.
But Ferdinand for him could feel
No gentle Pity flow,
Nor from his daily plenteous Meal
Would e’en one Crumb bestow.
From Vanity came all the Blame:
How oft we may remark
What fiercely burning Faults will flame
From one small sinful Spark.
One Sunday morning it had chanced,
As to the Church he went,
That Ferdinand around had glanced
On Admiration bent.
His Vest was frill’d, his Jacket too
In Fashion’s last Conceit,
His Nankeen Pants, of yellow hue,
Scarce reach’d his Slippers neat.
A tassell’d Cane swung in his Hand,
He strutted proudly by,
His whole Demeanour a Demand
For Wonder’s envious Eye.
But oh! what Rage possess’d his Heart
When laughter caught his Ear,
What Pangs of Anger, like a Dart,
Pierc’d him at every Jeer.
What did he see? with mincing Tread
The Idiot walked behind,
And aped his Gestures, wagged his Head
And smiled with vacant Mind.
A clumsy Bludgeon took the place
Of Ferdinand’s smart Cane,
And pert young Master’s easy Grace
The poor Fool tried to feign.
Though Weeks had pass’d, and all should strive
Offences to forget,
Ferdinand’s Soul could but derive
Fresh Cause to fume and fret.
An evil Thought one Morning leapt
Into his jaundic’d Mind,
And with a Saw he stealthy crept
To where the Stream did wind.
And through and through he sawed the Plank
That bridg’d the Waters’ play,
Then ’neath a Bush upon the Bank
Concealed and still he lay.
The Idiot came, he took one Stride,
Fell through, and Heels o’er Head
He sank, and loud for Help he cried,
But guilty Ferd’nand fled.
Now had the wicked Boy returned
And straight confest his Crime
The guilt of Murder, he had learned,
Had not been his this Time.
Attracted by the Idiot’s Roars,
At his sad Plight appalled,
His dripping Body to the Shores
A Passer-by had hauled.
But Ferdinand ran off to Sea
And fought great Bonaparte;
He perish’d soon, by Fate’s Decree,
And broke his Mother’s Heart.