DON JUAN. CANTO I. I. I WANT a hero: an uncommon want, When every year and month sends forth a new one, Till, after cloying the gazettes with cant, The age discovers he is not the true one; I'll therefore take our ancient friend Don Juan, II. Vernon, the butcher Cumberland, Wolfe, Hawke, Prince Ferdinand, Granby, Burgoyne, Keppel, Howe, Evil and good, have had their tithe of talk, And fill'd their sign-posts then, like Wellesley now; Each in their turn, like Banquo's monarchs stalk, Followers of fame, "nine farrow" of that sow: France, too, had Bonaparte and Dumourier, Recorded in the Moniteur and Courier. III. Barnave, Brissot, Condorcet, Mirabeau, Petion, Clootz, Danton, Marat, La Fayette, Were French, and famous people, as we know; And there were others, scarce forgotten yet, Joubert, Hoche, Marceau, Lannes, Dessaix, Moreau, With many of the military set, Exceedingly remarkable at times, But not at all adapted to my rhymes. IV. Nelson was once Britannia's god of war, And still should be so, but the tide is turn'd; At which the naval people are concern'd: V. Brave men were living before Agamemnon* A good deal like him too, though quite the same none; Fit for my poem, (that is, for my new one;) VI. Most epic poets plunge in " medias res," (Horace makes this the heroic turnpike road) And then your hero tells, whene'er you please, What went before-by way of episode, While seated after dinner at his ease, Palace, or garden, paradise, or cavern, VII. That is the usual method, but not mine- Forbids all wandering as the worst of sinning; And therefore I shall open with a line (Although it cost me half an hour in spinning) Narrating somewhat of Don Juan's father, And also of his mother, if you'd rather. VIII. In Seville was he born, a pleasant city, IX. His father's name was José-Don, of course, A true Hidalgo, free from every stain Or, being mounted, e'er got down again, X. His mother was a learned lady, famed For every branch of every science known |