Social Commentaries

On English Monsieur

by Ben Jonson 1572-1637

From Epigrams (1616)

Social Commentaries

Would you believe, when you this Monsieur see,
That his whole body should speak French, not he?
That so much scarf of France, and hat, and feather,
And shoe, and tye, and garter, should come hither,
And land on one whose face durst never be
Toward the sea, farther than half-way tree?
That he, untravell'd, should be French so much,
As Frenchmen in his company should seem Dutch?
Or had his father, when he did him get,
The French disease, with which he labours yet?
Or hung some Monsieur's picture on the wall,
By which his dam conceived him, clothes and all?
Or is it some French statue? no: 't doth move,
And stoop, and cringe. O then, it needs must prove
The new French tailor's motion, monthly made,
Daily to turn in Paul's, and help the trade.

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Epigrams, no. 88.

MLA

Jonson, Ben. “On English Monsieur.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/jonson/129/.

Chicago

Jonson, Ben. “On English Monsieur.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/jonson/129/.

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