Page:Two Mock Epics (Hanuman and Tantum Religio), Lyrics, Post Meridian Verse, The Turret Captain's Toast and other Verses.pdf/80

 His squibs determined to let off

Howe’er the beast of Rome might scoff.

This famous town has a renown

Well worthy of a place in history,

Though little known to northern readers:

Forgot its struggles, feuds and leaders:

Now but the haunt of cattle breeders:

Of all its various worthies, I

Won’t here attempt to give a list, or re-

Capitulate its doughty deeds

(Its chronicle’s far too long-winded,

And such a pendant little needs;

Nor could I if I were so minded.)

Against the Austrian tyranny,

Or earlier, how it drove the Gri-

Gioni to their native valleys

When they made buccaneering sallies

For plunder and proselytizing,

The latter being a sort of sizing

To put upon the first, a sort of

Religious gloss: all that I thought of

In this concise parenthesis

Was to point out the place about

To be the theatre of this

New and veracious epopee

Was not unworthy to be chosen

(As every reader, if he goes on

To th’ end will, I feel sure, agree.)

For such a scope; and now, I hope,

The birthplace of Guicciardi and

Large-hearted Beccaria being formally

Presented to Italia’s warm ally,