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<div style="background:#fff;border:#bbb dashed 1px;padding:5px"><a href="http://en.citatepedia.ro/comments.php?id=431390" style="color:#000;text-decoration:none"><div style="margin:10px 0"><strong>The Rhemese</strong></div><div style="margin:10px 0">NO city I to Rheims would e'er prefer:<br>Of France the pride and honour I aver;<br>The Holy Ampoule and delicious wine,<br>Which ev'ry one regards as most divine,<br>We'll set apart, and other objects take:<br>The beauties round a paradise might make!<br>I mean not tow'rs nor churches, gates, nor streets;<br>But charming belles with soft enchanting sweets:<br>Such oft among the fair Rhemese we view:<br>Kings might be proud those graces to pursue.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">ONE 'mong these belles had to the altar led,<br>A painter, much esteemed, and who had bread.<br>What more was requisite!--he lived at ease,<br>And by his occupation sought to please.<br>A happy woman all believed his wife;<br>The husband's talents pleased her to the life:<br>For gallantry howe'er he was renowned,<br>And many am'rous dames, who dwelled around,<br>Would seek the artist with a double aim:<br>So all our chronicles record his fame.<br>But since much penetration 's not my boast,<br>I just believe--what's requisite at most.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">WHENE'ER the painter had in hand a fair,<br>He'd jest his wife, and laugh with easy air;<br>But Hymen's rights proceeding as they ought,<br>With jealous fears her breast was never fraught.<br>She might indeed repay his tricks in kind,<br>And gratify, in soft amours, her mind,<br>Except that she less confidence had shown,<br>And was not led to him the truth to own.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">AMONG the men attracted by her smiles,<br>Two neighbours, much delighted with her wiles;<br>Were often tempted, by her sprightly wit,<br>To listen to her chat, and with her sit;<br>For she had far the most engaging mien,<br>Of any charmer that around was seen.<br>Superior understanding she possessed;<br>Though fond of laughter, frolick, fun, and jest.<br>She to her husband presently disclosed<br>The love these cit-gallants to her proposed;<br>Both known for arrant blockheads through the town,<br>And ever boasting of their own renown.<br>To him she gave their various speeches, tones,<br>Each silly air: their tears, and sighs, and groans;<br>They'd read, or rather heard, we may believe,<br>That, when in love, with sighs fond bosoms heave.<br>Their utmost to succeed these coxcombs tried,<br>And seemed convinced they should not be denied;<br>A common cause they would the business hold,<br>And what one knew the other must be told.<br>Whichever first a favour might obtain,<br>Should tell his happiness to t'other swain.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">YE FAIR 'tis thus they oft your kindness treat:<br>The pleasure that he wished alone is sweet.<br>LOVE, is no more; of t'other, laid in earth,<br>We've here no traces scarcely from the birth.<br>You serve for sport and prey, to giddy youth,<br>Devoid of talents, principles, and truth.<br>'Tis right they should suppose, still two are found;<br>Who take their course continually round.<br>The first that in your pleasure grounds appears;<br>I'd have you, on his wings, to use the shears.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">OUR lady then, her lovers to deceive,<br>One day observed--you shall, my friends, this eve;<br>Drink wine with me:--my husband will away,<br>And, what's delightful, till to-morrow stay;<br>We shall ourselves be able to amuse,<br>And laugh, and sing, and talk as we may choose.<br>'Tis excellent, cried they: things well you frame;<br>And at the promised hour, the heroes came.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">WHEN introduced, and all supposing clear,<br>A sudden knocking turned their joy to fear;<br>The door was barred; she to the window flew;<br>I think, said she, that's to the master due;<br>And should it prove to be as I suspect:--<br>'Tis he, I vow:--fly, hide, he'll you detect;<br>Some accident, suspicion, or design,<br>Has brought him back to sleep, I now divine:</div><div style="margin:10px 0">OUR two gallants, when dangers round them pressed,<br>A closet entered, mightily distressed;<br>To get away 'twere folly to have tried;<br>The husband came, the roast he quickly spied;<br>With pigeons too, in diff'rent fashions cooked;<br>Why, hey! said he, as round about he looked:<br>What guests have you that supper you prepare?<br>The wife replied: two neighbours taste our fare:<br>Sweet Alice, and good Simonetta, mean<br>To-night, at table with us to be seen;<br>I'm quite rejoiced to think that you are here:<br>The company will more complete appear;<br>These dames will, by your presence, nothing lose;<br>I'll run and hasten them: 'twill you amuse;<br>The whole is ready; I'll at once away,<br>And beg, in coming, they'll no more delay.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">THE ladies named were wives of our gallants,<br>So fond of contraband, and smuggled grants,<br>Who, vexed to be confined, still praised the dame,<br>For skewing such address to 'scape from blame.<br>She soon returned, and with her brought the FAIR,<br>Who, gaily singing, entered free from care.<br>The painter them received with bow and kiss;<br>To praise their beauty he was not remiss;<br>Their dress was charming; all he much admired;<br>Their presence frolick, fun, and jest inspired,<br>Which no way pleased the husbands in the cage,<br>Who saw the freaks with marks of bursting rage:<br>The door half open gave a view complete,<br>How freely he their wives was led to treat.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">THINGS thus commenced, the supper next was served;<br>From playful tricks the painter never swerved,<br>But placed himself at table 'twist the two,<br>And jest and frolicking would still pursue.<br>To women, wine, and fun, said he, I drink;<br>Put round the toast; none from it e'er must shrink;<br>The order was obeyed; the glass oft filled<br>The party soon had all the liquor swilled:</div><div style="margin:10px 0">THE wife just then, it seems, no servant kept;<br>More wine to get, she to the cellar stept.<br>But dreading ghosts, she Simonetta prayed;<br>To light her down, she was so much afraid.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">THE painter was alone with Alice left,<br>A country belle, of beauty not bereft:<br>Slight, nicely made, with rather pretty face,<br>She thought herself possessed of ev'ry grace,<br>And, in a country town, she well might get<br>The appellation of a gay coquette.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">THE wily spark, perceiving no one near;<br>Soon ran from compliment to sweet and dear;<br>Her lips assailed;--the tucker drew aside,<br>And stole a kiss that hurt her husband's pride,<br>Who all beheld; but spouses, that are sage,<br>No trifles heed, nor peccadillos page;<br>Though, doubtless, when such meetings are possessed,<br>The simple kiss gives room to dread the rest;<br>For when the devil whispers in the ear<br>Of one that sleeps, he wakes at once to fear.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">THE husband, howsoe'er, at length perceived<br>Still more concessions, which his bosom grieved;<br>While on the neck a hand appeared to please,<br>The other wandered equally at ease;<br>Be not offended, love! was often said;<br>To frantick rage the sight her sposo led,<br>Who, beating in his hat, was on the move<br>To sally forth, his wrath to let them prove,<br>To thrash his wife, and force her spark to feel<br>his nervous arm could quickly make him reel.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">BE not so silly, whispered t'other Wight;<br>To stir up noise could ne'er be reckoned right;<br>Be quiet now: consider where we are;<br>Keep close, or else you'll all our pleasures mar;<br>Remember, written 'tis, By others do<br>The same as you would like they should by you;<br>'Tis proper in this place we should remain<br>Till all is hushed in sleep: then freedom gain;<br>That's my opinion how we ought to act<br>Are you not half a cuckold now, in fact?<br>Fair Alice has consented:-that's enough;<br>The rest is mere compliance, nonsense, stuff!</div><div style="margin:10px 0">THE husband seemed the reasons to approve;<br>Some slight attempts the lady made to move;<br>No time for more. What then? you ask:--Why, then--<br>The lady put her cap to rights agen;<br>No mark appeared suspicion to awake,<br>Except her cheek a scarlet hue might take.<br>Mere trifle that; from talking it might spring;<br>And other causes, doubtless, we could bring.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">ONE of the belles, howe'er, who went for wine,<br>Smiled, on returning, at the blushing sign:<br>The painter's wife; but soon they filled each glass,<br>And briskly round the bottle seemed to pass;<br>They drank the host, the hostess, and the FAIR,<br>Who, 'mong the three, should first her wishes share.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">AT length, a second time the bottle failed;<br>The hostess' fear of ghosts again prevailed,<br>And mistress Alice now for escort went,<br>Though much she wished the other to have sent;<br>With Simonetta she was forced to change,<br>And leave the painter at his ease to range.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">THIS dame at first appeared to be severe<br>Would leave the room, and feigned to be sincere;<br>But when the painter seized her by the gown,<br>She prudence showed, and feared he'd pull her down;<br>Her clothes might tear, which led her to remain:<br>On this the husband scarcely could contain;<br>He seemed resolved his hiding place to leave;<br>But instantly the other pulled his sleeve;<br>Be easy friend, said he, it is but right,<br>That equal favours we should have to-night,<br>And cuckoldom should take you to his care,<br>That we alike in ev'ry thing may fare.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">ARE we not brothers in adventure, pray?<br>And such our solemn promises, to-day.<br>Since one the painter clearly has disgraced,<br>The other equally should be embraced.<br>In spite of ev'ry thing you now advance,<br>Your wife as well as mine shall have a dance;<br>A hand I'll lend, if wanting it be found;<br>Say what you will, I'll see she has her round.<br>She had it then:--our painter tried to please;<br>The lady equally appeared at ease;<br>Full time the others gave, and when they came,<br>More wine was not required by spark nor dame;<br>'Twas late, and for the day enough he'd done;<br>Good night was said: their course the belles had run;<br>The painter, satisfied, retired to rest;<br>The gay gallants, who lay so long distressed,<br>The wily hostess from the closet drew,<br>Abashed, disconsolate, and cuckolds too;<br>Still worse to think, with all their care and pain;<br>That neither of them could his wish obtain,<br>Or e'en return the dame what she procured<br>Their wives, whom she so cleverly allured.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">HERE ends our tale; the business is complete;<br>In soft amours success alone is sweet.</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br /></a><br />poem by <a href="http://en.citatepedia.ro/by.php?a=La+Fontaine">La Fontaine</a><div class=q>
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<script type="text/javascript" src="//s7.addthis.com/js/300/addthis_widget.js#pubid=citatepedia" async="async"></script><div style="display:inline-block" class="addthis_sharing_toolbox" data-url="http://en.citatepedia.ro/comments.php?id=431390" data-title="The Rhemese de La Fontaine" data-description="NO city I to Rheims would e'er prefer:
Of France the pride and honour I aver;
The Holy Ampoule and delicious wine,
Which ev'ry one regards as most divine,
We'll set apart, and other objects take:
The beauties round a paradise might make!
I mean no..."></div>
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