The Sleeping Bard; Or, Visions of the World, Death, and HellWynne, Ellis
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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
"The soldiers are at loggerheads with the physicians, for carrying on
their trade of slaughter; there is a swarm of usurers at loggerheads with
the lawyers, for seeking to spoil their trade; the jurymen and the
duffers are pummelling the gentlemen, for swearing and cursing without
necessity; whereas, swearing and cursing formed part of their trade; the
harlots, and their associates, and millions of other old friends and
acquaintances, have fallen out, and are all in shatters.
"But worse than all, is the contest between the old misers and their own
children, for dissipating their wealth and their money. 'Our property,'
say the pigtails, 'cost us much pain, whilst we were upon the earth, and
is causing us immense suffering _here_ for ever, yet ye have flung it all
away at ducks and drakes.' And the children, on the other hand, are
cursing and tearing the old skin-flints, most furiously, charging their
fathers with being the authors of their misery, by leaving them twenty
times _too much_, to distract them with pride and dissipation; whereas, a
_little_, with a blessing, might have made them happy in both their
states of existence." "Well," said Lucifer, "enough! enough! we have
more need of arms than words. Sirrah, this hubbub is owing to some great
neglect; go back, and pry into every watch, and discover who has been
neglectful; and what dangerous characters have been permitted to escape,
for there are some evils abroad, that are not known." Away he went, at
the word, and in the meanwhile, Lucifer and his potentates arose in
terror, and exceeding consternation, and caused the boldest bands of the
black angels to be assembled. When these were marshalled, he put himself
at the head of his own peculiar band, and marched forth to quell the
insurrection, whilst the potentates went other ways with their legions.
Before the royal troop had gone any great distance, gleaming like the
lightning of the black abodes, (and we behind them,) behold the hubbub
advanced to meet them. "Silence, in the name of the king," said a
fiendish herald. There was no hearing; it was easier to tear the old
crocodile from his prey than one of these.
But when the old tried soldiers of Lucifer broke into the midst of them,
the buzzing, the butting, and the blows began to slacken. "Silence, in
the name of Lucifer," said the hoarse cryer again. "What is the matter?"
said the king; "and who are these?" "There is nothing particularly the
matter," was the answer; "but the drovers, happening in the general
commotion to come in contact with the cuckolds, they went mutually to
butting, to try whose horns were hardest; and this butting might have
gone on for ever, if your horned champions had not interfered." "Well,"
said Lucifer, "since you are all so ready with your arms, turn along with
me to quell other rioters." But when it was buzzed about among the other
rebels, that Lucifer was coming with three horned legions against them,
each slunk away to his lair.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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