The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Emperor's Rout, by Unknown

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Title: The Emperor's Rout

Author: Unknown

Release Date: March 22, 2008 [EBook #24894]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE EMPEROR'S ROUT ***

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[Frontispiece: _M. Gauci delt._ _Printed by C. Motte 23 Leicester Sqre._]

THE EMPEROR'S ROUT.

ILLUSTRATED BY COLOURED PLATES.

LONDON:
CHARLES TILT, 86, FLEET STREET.

MDCCCXXXI.

LONDON:
BRADBURY AND EVANS, PRINTERS,
BOUVERIE STREET.

THE EMPEROR'S ROUT.

As the _Emperor Moth_[1] sat one evening in May,
Fanned by numberless wings in the moon's silver ray,
While around him the zephyrs breathed sweetest perfume,
Thus he spoke to his dwarf with the _Ragged white plume_:[2]
"That vain Butterfly's Ball, I hear, was most splendid,
And, as the world says, very fully attended,
Though she never asked us, but assigned as a cause,
We were all much too heavy to gallope and waltz.
What impertinence this, want of grace to ascribe
To the Lord of the whole Lepidopterous tribe;
I too'll give a ball, and such folks to chastise,
I'll not be at home to these pert butterflies.
Bid the _Empress_[3] come hither, and we'll talk about
What arrangements to make for a capital rout."

[Illustration: THE INVITATION.]

The Empress obeyed her lord's summons with speed,
And proceeded her visiting tablets to read,
That those of her subjects, whose homage was booked
In that coveted record, might not be o'erlooked.
Then the _Bufftip_[4] began to write each moth a card,
Having one for herself just by way of reward.
"First ask," says the Emperor, "the _Glory of Kent_,[5]
On having much beauty my mind is quite bent;
The _Belle_, too, _of Brixton_,[6] the _Marvel du Jour_,[7]
And the _Peach-blossom_[8] moth you'll invite, I am sure;
The _Sphinx_[9] too, shall come, who makes riddles so well,
And the _Gipsey_[10] be ready our f