Of the Preterperfect Tense, &c. Of Verbs
Otherwise the “As in Præsenti”
As in Præsenti—Preterperfect—avi,
Oh! send me well done, lean, and lots of gravy,
Save lavo, lavi, nexo, nexui.
Ah! me—how sweet is cream with apple-pie,
Juvi from juvo, secui from seco,
Could n’t I lie and tipple, more Græco!
From neco, necui, and mico, word
Which micui makes, Oh! roast goose, lovely bird!
Plico which plicui gives. Delightful grub!
And frico, fricas, fricui, to rub—
So domo, tono, domui, tonui make.
And sono, sonui.—Lead me to the stake,
I mean the beef-stake—crepo, crepui too,
Which means to crack (as roasted chestnuts do,)
Then veto, vetui makes—forbidding sound,
Cubo, to lie along (these verbs confound
Ye gods) makes cubui, do gives rightly dedi;
What viler object than a coat that ’s seedy?—
Sto to form steti has a predilection;
Well—let it if it likes, I’ve no objection.
&c. &c. &c.