Page:The Diary of Dr John William Polidori.djvu/127

Rh and abusing Shelley, for the latter had applied Godwin's own anti-matrimonial theories to that one instance of practice which the philosopher did not at all relish.—To proceed to another point The lines of Coleridge on Pitt which Polidori heard recited by Mrs. Shelley are to be sought for in his early poem entitled Fire, Famine, and Slaughter. In that poem (need I say it?) those three Infernal Deities are represented as meeting in "a desolated tract in La Vendée"; and on mutual enquiry they learn that one and the same person has sent them thither all three. "Letters four do form his name"— the name Pitt. Famine and Slaughter finally agree that the multitude, exasperated by their sufferings, shall turn upon Pitt and rend him— "They shall tear him limb from limb!" Fire, who has just come from doing Pitt's errands in Ireland, thinks this ungrateful: she concludes the poem with the memorable words— Ninety months he, by my troth, Hath richly catered for you both: And in an hour would you repay An eight years' work?—Away, away! I alone am faithful—I Cling to him everlastingly." The poem would be well worth quoting here in full, but is somewhat too long for such a purpose,]