Since, Sir, on the Alphabet, lately ’tis grown
The Fashion to spread our Wit about Town,
My Horn–book once more I shall take into Hand,
And explain all the Letters, as in order they stand.
Great A stands for Army, as B stands for Bubble,
And C points out Craftsman, or Caleb in Trouble.
The Dutch and the D—l begin with a D,
And England, the fam’d Ballance–holder, with E.
F serves for gay France, which I hope will not swerve,
And G for Great George, whom God long preserve!
With H we spell Horace, for his Wit so renown’d,
And I denotes Isaac, that Statesman profound!
When a K and an L stand for Lawyer and Knave,
Look on M as Memento, how you ought to behave.
N stands for a Name, which I dare not speak out,
But O is a Cypher will explain it, no Doubt.
With P we beg Pensions, to keep out the Pope;
To Quibbles with Q the Law will give Scope;
And R marks out Robin, a Ribband a Rope.
S squints at South–Sea, which has made the Land rue,
And Tyburn with T. calls aloud for its Due.
Single V serves in Verse, against Vice to complain,
And W swears that he’ll humble proud Spain.
Great Xerxes the Tyrant, begins with an X,
And Y stands for Yes, in all Votes for a Tax;
Zeal flags without Z, an odd crooked Letter,
And & wishes Things may go better.
(Nicholas Amhurst)
More Poetry from Nicholas Amhurst:
Nicholas Amhurst Poems based on Topics: Name, Law & Regulation, Enthusiasm, Tyranny & Despotism, Wit, Business & Commerce, Doubt & Skepticism, England, Tax, Fashion, Letters- The British General (Nicholas Amhurst Poems)
- Protestant Popery: Or, The Convocation - Canto III (Nicholas Amhurst Poems)
- A Congratulatory Epistle From His Holiness The Pope To The Reverend Dr. Snape (Nicholas Amhurst Poems)
- An Epistle From A Student At Oxford To The Chevalier (Nicholas Amhurst Poems)
- Protestant Popery: Or, The Convocation - Canto IV (Nicholas Amhurst Poems)
- The Protestant Session (Nicholas Amhurst Poems)
Readers Who Like This Poem Also Like:
Based on Topics: Name Poems, Law & Regulation Poems, Doubt & Skepticism Poems, Business & Commerce Poems, Wit Poems, Letters Poems, Tyranny & Despotism Poems, England Poems, Fashion Poems, Enthusiasm Poems, Tax PoemsBased on Keywords: denotes, xerxes, lawyer, tyburn, pensions, ribband, cypher, squints, caleb, south-sea, quibbles