SKIPPER CLARK's GHOST :

               An ODE.

   Written on the ASCENSION DAY,

THE Barges preſs'd the wat'ry maze,
Cramm'd with an Aldermanic host,
And Sol, in high meridian blaze,
Beheld decay of boil'd and roaſt,
When SKIPPES's hungry ſhade aroſe to view,
And thus addreſs'd the beef-conſuming crew :—

" Have mercy, B---------t, on the Beef;
" That Pudding, M-------y, do not waſte ;—
" Such luſcious objects raiſe my grief,
" When wretched SKIPPER cannot taſte.
" Thoſe yellow Grinders, prithee H-----y, cloſe,
" And take that foaming Porter from thy Noſe.

" Wipe, B-------r, wipe each greaſy Lip,
" Untuck the Napkin from thy Chin;
" Forbear thoſe copious draughts of Flip,
" And ceaſe, Oh! ceaſe, that Canine Grin.
" H------y, reſtrain that expeditious Hand,
" Nor breed a Famine in th' aſtoniſh'd Land.

" For G—d-ſake, F-----r, eaſe thy Jaw,
" Nor tighter wedge that greedy Paunch,
" Full is thy deſolating Maw,
" Then, prithee, ſpare that ſav'ry Haunch :
" Again that two quart Bottle ſafely cork,
" And ceaſe the havock of thy Knife and Fork,

" That Leg of tender Lamb, allow
" Untouch'd, O S—n ! to remain;
" Nor dart thy Knife, with vengeance, thro'
" Thoſe ſilent neſtlers of the Plain:
" And, F----------t, ſlice no more that trembling Roaſt,
" But roar a Catch, or give a b------y Toaſt. "

In vain the famiſh'd Shade adviſ'd;—
Still eat and drank the glutton Crew,
'Till ev'ry Joint's anatomiz'd,
And ev'ry Bottle emptied too ;—
'Till o'er the dancing Veſſel's painted ſide,           
From their cloy'd Stomachs ruſh'd a ſav'ry Tide :-
Sick at the ſight, then vaniſh'd SKIPPER'S Ghoſt,
As far from mortal eye, as either boil'd or roaſt,