FullReads

17.
And worse and worse, the drowsy curse
Yawned in him, till it grew a pest–
A wide contagious atmosphere, 735
Creeping like cold through all things near;
A power to infect and to infest.

18.
His servant-maids and dogs grew dull;
His kitten, late a sportive elf;
The woods and lakes, so beautiful, 740
Of dim stupidity were full.
All grew dull as Peter’s self.

19.
The earth under his feet–the springs,
Which lived within it a quick life,
The air, the winds of many wings, 745
That fan it with new murmurings,
Were dead to their harmonious strife.

20.
The birds and beasts within the wood,
The insects, and each creeping thing,
Were now a silent multitude; 750
Love’s work was left unwrought–no brood
Near Peter’s house took wing.

21.
And every neighbouring cottager
Stupidly yawned upon the other:
No jackass brayed; no little cur 755
Cocked up his ears;–no man would stir
To save a dying mother.

22.
Yet all from that charmed district went
But some half-idiot and half-knave,
Who rather than pay any rent, 760
Would live with marvellous content,
Over his father’s grave.

23.
No bailiff dared within that space,
For fear of the dull charm, to enter;
A man would bear upon his face, 765
For fifteen months in any case,
The yawn of such a venture.

24.
Seven miles above–below–around–
This pest of dulness holds its sway;
A ghastly life without a sound; 770
To Peter’s soul the spell is bound–
How should it ever pass away?

NOTES: (8 To those who have not duly appreciated the distinction between Whale and Russia oil, this attribute might rather seem to belong to the Dandy than the Evangelic. The effect, when to the windward, is indeed so similar, that it requires a subtle naturalist to discriminate the animals. They belong, however, to distinct genera.–[SHELLEY’s NOTE.)

(183 One of the attributes in Linnaeus’s description of the Cat. To a similar cause the caterwauling of more than one species of this genus is to be referred;–except, indeed, that the poor quadruped is compelled to quarrel with its own pleasures, whilst the biped is supposed only to quarrel with those of others.–[SHELLEY’S NOTE.])

(186 What would this husk and excuse for a virtue be without its kernel prostitution, or the kernel prostitution without this husk of a virtue? I wonder the women of the town do not form an association, like the Society for the Suppression of Vice, for the support of what may be called the ‘King, Church, and Constitution’ of their order. But this subject is almost too horrible for a joke.–[SHELLEY’S NOTE.])

(222 This libel on our national oath, and this accusation of all our countrymen of being in the daily practice of solemnly asseverating the most enormous falsehood, I fear deserves the notice of a more active Attorney General than that here alluded to.–[SHELLEY’S NOTE.])