Читать книгу The Tatler (Vol. 1-4) - Joseph Addison - Страница 158

Looking over some old papers, I found a little treatise, written by my great-grandfather, concerning bribery, and thought his manner of treating that subject not unworthy my remark. He there has a digression concerning a possibility, that in some circumstances a man may receive an injury, and yet be conscious to himself that he deserves it. There are abundance of fine things said on the subject; but the whole wrapped up in so much jingle and pun (which was the wit of those times) that it is scarce intelligible; but I thought the design was well enough in the following sketch of the old gentleman's poetry: for in this case, where two are rivals for the same thing, and propose to attain it by presents, he that attempts the judge's honesty, by making him offers of reward, ought not to complain when he loses his cause for a better bidder. But the good old doggerel runs thus:⁴⁰⁵

A poor man once a judge besought,

To judge aright his cause,

And with a pot of oil salutes

This judger of the laws.

"My friend" quoth he, "thy cause is good":

He glad away did trudge;

Anon his wealthy foe did come

Before this partial judge.

An hog well fed this churl presents,

And craves a strain of law;

The hog received, the poor man's right

Was judged not worth a straw.

Therewith he cried, "O! partial judge,

Thy doom has me undone;

When oil I gave, my cause was good,

But now to ruin run."

"Poor man" quoth he, "I thee forgot,

And see thy cause of foil;

An hog came since into my house,

And broke thy pot of oil."