"For my part, I'll vote for no leader alive "Who cannot explain two and two to make five: "What though he should have, for full twenty years past,* "Foretold that our credit no longer could last; "What though, when his statements had led to suppose "That Omnium would fall, it immediately rose ; "And on t'other hand, when he chanced to foretell "What he praises should fail-what he censures succeed: "I repeat what I said, two and two should make five, "And finance is the nail that is certain to drive! The speaker here is made to describe what is supposed to be his own parliamentary course. It cannot be denied that Mr. Tierney has a great deal of good sense, and some arithmetical knowledge; but his financial assertions have been generally disproved both by figures and facts.-E. K 66 My third and last point I now hasten to state: "No leader can properly guide a debate "Unless, quite familiar with every one's views, "He sees the whole game which each party pur sues; "And knows who are nibbling, who hungry, who nice "The hope of each faction-and every man's price! "These arts are not studied, like figures of speech, 66 Experience alone such discretion can teach. "To lead, then, believe me, a man you should call, "All parties who knows-having acted with all, "Has stood at their head, or has sneak'd at their tail, “And all in the spirit of bargain and sale. "I beg that the meeting will not understand, "That I, for myself, have this object in hand; "I mean no such thing; but my honest advice is, "To try to select some such man at this crisis. "Whomever it be-I have no private ends “I shall give, as I always have done, to my friends, "Unbiassed by party, unswayed by the Court, "A liberal, honest, and solid support." Loud laughter ensued-such obstreperous mirth, As Vulcan in heaven or FLOOD† upon earth Excite by their blunders but GEORGE, unamazed, Very readily join'd in the laugh he had raised, And cried to his friends with satirical grin, "Good folks, you may laugh-I'll be damn'd if you win." The judges then said that they never could vote For one, who his party could change, like his coat; And that, whosoever be chosen, he must, At least, be a person that some one would trust. * Iliad, b. 1. † Sir F. Flood, Bart. M. P. for Wexfordshire, whose speeches are generally accompanied in the reports with " laughs," laughing," ," "loud and continued laughter." Vide Parliamentary Debates passim. THE CHOICE OF A LEADER. No. III. Feb. 20, 1815. ALREADY (ere WHITBREAD OF TIERNEY could close) With figure and visage so shrivel'd and weazen, One often has seen Savoyards, at a fair, Display the joint feats of a monkey and bear; The bear dancing solemnly, while at his back Sits wriggle-tail, mischievous, jabbering Jack; Who, soon as old Bruin has finish'd his prance, Starts up, in a twinkling, to chatter and dance. And thus, of the party which we are reviewing, Old NEWPORT is Jacko and WHITBREAD is Bruin.† * Sir John Newport, Bart. M. P. for Waterford.-E. 66 The speech Jacko utter'd, what pen can describe? Abuse-peculation-corruption and bribe— "Knave, jobber, and bigot-defaulter and rogue-" Were the civilest words of his voluble brogue. "The Meeting," he hoped, "would a leader elect, "Whose courage and skill might such culprits detect; "Whose zeal would not think it was going too far "To summon some thousands of rogues to the bar; "For him, he profess'd that he never would fail, "To examine each case in the greetest detail: "And that he already was furnish'd with plenty "To last him till March eighteen hundred and twenty. "Would summon two Boards-the Excise and the 66 66 Stamps; Eight Post-office clerks-five contractors for lamps (Against the last mention'd he'd prove beyond doubt "At three in the morning, seven burners were out); |