William Cowper

On the High Price of Fish

Cocoa-nut naught,
Fish too dear,
None must be bought,
For us that are here:

No lobster on earth,
That ever I saw,
To me would be worth
Sixpence a claw.

So dear madam, wait
Till fish can be got
At a reas'nable rate
Whether lobster or not;

Till the French and the Dutch
Have quitted the seas,
And then send as much
And as oft as you please.