ife, an old dowdy, bereft of all wings,
Was unfit to appear as th' associate of Kings;
The _Dagger_[91] came armed, and looked all around,
But his charmer, Miss _Snout_,[92] was no where to be found,
For she had not been asked, and the _Figure of Eight_,[93]
With his cousin, the _Sprawler_,[94] joined the party so late,
That morn was forth peeping, and the dancing had done,
When _Spring Usher_[95] announced the young beautiful _Nun_.[96]
The _Gnomana_[97] now indexed the hour of four,
The guests were assembled around the great door,
Which the _Lacqueys_[98] threw open, and each in his rank
Found a seat for himself, and they all ate and drank
With a relish that would not disgrace the Guildhall,
(To compare for a moment such great things with small,)
Where London's Lord Mayor and his Aldermen deign
To feast upon turtle, and tipple champagne.
Old _Drinker_,[99] the butler, of wine served the best,
And a _Footman_[100] was placed at the chair of each guest,
In orange, in yellow, or black coats dressed out,
For their liveries, 'twas said, were all made for the rout,
The Emperor began mirth and glee to inspire,
When a loud cry was heard, of "the chimney's on fire;"
All started in fear from the table to learn
If the house was in flames, or likely to burn;
Each snatched up a candle, so left the room dark,
And the moment was seized by the _Chamomile Shark_[101]
To plunder the table. The _Yorkshire Magpie_[102]
Strove also with his share of booty to fly,
But was stopped by the _Lacqueys_, who then in a trice
Demolished themselves every thing that was nice.

[Illustration: THE ALARM.]

'Midst this glorious confusion a mischievous _Pug_[103]
Contrived of the claret to empty each jug,
But not unperceived by young _Miss Exclamation_,[104]
Who by her loud cries caused immense consternation.
Meanwhile came the _Sweep_,[105] with the _Chimney Sweep's Boy_,[106]
And two other _Assistants_,[107] who ran to employ
Every means they could think of to put out the flame,
In which they succeeded, and found that the blame
Belonged to the _Housewife_,[108] who had thrown in the fire
Some grease, which occasioned the accident dire.
The guests in a panic had now left alone
The Emperor and Empress their ills to bemoan.
Said the Empress, "My dear, let us never more try
With the Butterflies' party so vainly to vie;
For what with the heat, the fatigue, and