Juggler And Vice.

A juggler once had travelled thorough             Each city, market-town, and borough;             You'd think, so far his art transcended,             Old Nick upon his fingers tended.             Vice heard his name: she read his bill,             And sought his booth - defied his skill.             The juggler, willing, laid a wager,             Not yet by losses rendered sager;             He played his tricks of high emprize, -             Confounding touch, deluding eyes.             Then cards obeyed his will, and gold             From empty bags in torrents rolled!             He showed an ivory egg: and then             Hatched and brought forth the mother-hen!             Vice then stepped forth, with look serene             Enough to stir a juggler's spleen:             She passed a magic looking-glass,             Which pleased alike dame, lad, and lass;             Whilst she, a senator addressing,             Said: "See this bank-note - lo! a blessing -             Breathe on it - Presto! hey! 'tis gone!"             And on his lips a padlock shone.             "Hey, presto!" and another puff,             It went, and he spoke well enough!             She placed twelve bottles on the board,             They were with some enchantment stored;             "Hey, presto!" and they disappear -             A pair of bloody swords were there.             She showed a purse unto a thief,             His fingers closed on it in brief;             "Hey, presto!" and - the treasure fled -             He grasped a halter, noosed, instead.             Ambition held a courtier's wand,             It turned a hatchet in his hand.             A box for charities, she drew;             "Blow here!" and a churchwarden blew -             "Hey, presto, open!" Opened, in her,             For gold was a parochial dinner!             Vice shook the dice, she smote the board,             And filled all pockets from her hoard.             A counter, in a miser's hand,             Grew twenty guineas at command;             She bade a rake to grasp them, fain -             They turned a counter back again.             The transmutations of a guinea             Made every one stare like a ninny;             But fair was false, and false was fair,             By which Vice cheated eye and ear.             The juggler, though with grief at heart,             In recognition of her art,             Said: "Now and then I cheat the throng,             You every day - and all day long!"