The Sleeping Bard; Or, Visions of the World, Death, and HellWynne, Ellis
General
The Sleeping Bard; Or, Visions of the World, Death, and Hell
Wynne, Ellis
Allegories; Christian life; Religious literature, Welsh; Welsh literature -- 18th century; Welsh literature -- Translations into English
Then _master Slanderer_ was called, alias _Enemy of Fair Fame_; but there
was no answer. "He is too modest to hear his titles," said the third,
"and he never can bear his nicknames." "Do you suppose," said the
_Slanderer_, "that you yourself have no _titles_. Call for," said he,
"_master Coxcomb_, alias _Smooth Gullet_, alias _Poison Smile_." "Ready,"
said a woman who was there, pointing to the Coxcomb. "O," said he,
"_madam Bouncer_! Your humble servant, I am overjoyed at seeing you
well. I have never seen a woman look handsomer in breeches. But, oh! to
think how miserable the country must be behind you, for want of its
admirable she-governor; yet your delightful company will make hell itself
something better." "O son of the arch fiend!" said she. "With you there
is no need of another hell, you are yourself enough." Then the cryer
called _Bouncer_, or _mistress Breeches_. "Ready," said another. But
she said not a word, for want of being called madam. Next was called
_Contriver of Contrivances_, alias _Jack of all Trades_; but he returned
no answer either, for he was busied in devising a way to escape. "Ready,
ready," said one behind, "here he is, looking out for an opportunity to
break through your palace, and unless you take care, he will have some
notable contrivance to baulk you." Said the Contriver, "call him, I
beseech you, _master Impeacher of his Brother_, alias _Searcher of
Faults_, alias _Framer of Complaints_." "Ready, ready, this is he," said
a litigious pettifogger, for every one knew the name of the other, but
would not acknowledge his own. "You shall be called," said the
Impeacher, "_master Litigious Pettifogger_, alias _the Courts
Comprised_." "Bear witness, I pray you all," said the Pettifogger, "as
to what the knave called me." "Ho, ho!" said Death, "not by the
baptismal font, but by his sins, is every one called in this country;
and, with your permission, master Pettifogger, the names of your sins are
those which shall stick to you henceforth for ever." "Hey," said the
Pettifogger, "I swear by the Devil that I will make you smart for this.
Though you are empowered to kill me, you have no authority to bestow
nicknames upon me. I will file a complaint against you for defamation,
and another for false imprisonment, against you and your friend Lucifer,
in the court of Justice."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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