Days of Yore

Days of Yore and Modern Times

1

In days of yore Orontes came,
To pay to fair Statira duty.
He’d giants slay and monsters tame,
In honour of the damsel’s beauty.

And when his prowess had maintain’d,
No damsel was so fair, or nearly,
She still obdurate long remain’d,
And if he won, he won her dearly.

2

In modern times Sir Harry came,
To offer wealthy Jane his duty,
No charms he sought to feed his flame,
But in her rent-roll, read her beauty.

And when some flatt’ring things he said,
She doubted not he lov’d sincerely,
Thus soon by vanity betray’d,
She married, and repented dearly.