Humanity is a most complex thing, Not simple as a gag or feeding-bottle. You, lest it stray, would rob it of its wing. Lest it feed ill would simply close its throttle. The Puritanic plan in a new guise!-- A female _Praise-God-Barebones_ now would rule us. We Britons, who have baffled our male _Prys_, Are little like to let she-ones befool us.
Unclean! Unclean! 'Twas the old lepers' cry, You'd silence them and call it--purifying! Drive swine possessed of devils from their sty, And bid them spread infection as they're flying! Did some steep place lead down into the sea Of dead oblivion and sheer extirpation, 'Twere well to scourge them thither. What if, free, They carry foul contagion through--a nation?
Thousands of fellow-creatures flung from work At the mere pen-stroke of a hasty censor!-- An unconsidered trifle Zeal may shirk! But Sense may not, nor Justice! They are denser Than _Punch_ imagines, our new Bumble-band, If Mistress PRY'S decision they abide by; But _should_ they fail us, _Punch_ throughout the land Will wake the People prudes and prigs are tried by!
Petticoat-government, PROWLINA PRY, Of this peculiar sort will scarcely suit us. Such cases clear collective sense must try, Not a she-DRACO or a lady-BRUTUS. To sweeten our poor world we all may strive, But life's not one long Puritanic Sunday; And the great World while manhood is alive, Shall not be wholly swayed by Mrs. GRUNDY.
PROWLINA PRY Society's festering ills Will not be healed by your pragmatic plaster. Tare-rooting that the growing corn-crop kills Was not the plan or counsel of the Master. You with rash hand would wield the whip of cords _He_ raised but once in righteous indignation. Heed the great lesson that the fact affords, And leave our woes to Wisdom's mild purgation.
[Illustration: MRS. PROWLINA PRY.--"I HOPE I DON'T INTRUDE!"
THOUSANDS OF FELLOW-CREATURES FLUNG FROM WORK AT THE MERE PEN-STROKE OF A HASTY CENSOR!-- AN UNCONSIDERED TRIFLE ZEAL MAY SHIRK! BUT SENSE MAY NOT, NOR JUSTICE! THEY ARE DENSER THAN _PUNCH_ IMAGINES, OUR NEW BUMBLE-BAND, IF MISTRESS PRY'S DECISION THEY ABIDE BY; BUT _SHOULD_ THEY FAIL US, _PUNCH_ THROUGHOUT THE LAND WILL WAKE THE PEOPLE PRUDES AND PRIGS ARE TRIED BY!]