Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

"The Lord Mayor of Dublin-who, as it is said, "On the first of July wore an Orange cockade— "A weigher and Deputy-weigher at Cork, "Who sunk half an ounce in one barrel of pork, "And (scarcely his tongue his abhorrence could utter) "Overcharg'd thirteen pounds in a cargo of butter.

"He also could shew, in direct violation "Of law, that a peer in an eminent station "Had brought to his Lady in this very town "A remnant of poplin to make her a gown.

"He further could state, that in plain contraven

tion

"Of (if not the letter,) at least the intention
"Of that Act of Union so dear to us all,
"The Holyhead packets are vastly too small;-
"In blankets and basins but scantily found;—
"And charging a Guinea instead of a Pound.

[ocr errors]

"He pledg'd himself also to prove upon oath,

"(Though the facts were obscure, and the witnesses

loth,)

"That a gauger, last winter, named TIMOTHY

MILLER,

"Had accepted a dram from a Dublin distiller.

"He'd prove that a Protestant Justice of Peace "Had wantonly seized a poor Catholic's geese "For arrears of his rent; though the fact would appear,

"That the tenant was barely three years in arrear; "And this very Justice, for reasons unknown, "At Midsummer fair of Maccollopmahone, "Had dared to arrest a poor Popish Defendant, "For stealing a string-with a pig at the end on't!

At last, he concluded-" Abuses like these "Are points which a Whig Opposition should seize: "And no man unpractised in Irish debate "Is fit to conduct the affairs of the State.

<6 And, as to the rest, I will dare to advance, <6 Against even TIERNEY, my skill in finance; "And WHITBREAD himself should acknowledge my right,

"Who have spoken with ease forty times in one night; "If any man doubts me, on this very floor, "And this very day, I will speak forty more."

"We grant it-we grant it-there's no man can

doubt,

"You could talk till Christmas," was echoed about:

And the Judges, in fright, took no pains to conceal
They wanted no proof of his lungs or his zeal;
But said, that a leader should sometimes permit
The rest of the party to flourish a bit:

Should have, they declared, some attention to fact,
A spice of good-nature, some candour, some tact;
Their friends would scarce choose, for his talent and
rank,

The partner or clerk in a small country bank

A short-sighted pedlar, proposing to prop,
The State as he'd manage a cheesemonger's shop-
In short, though the party were at the last gasp,
They still would prefer the old Drone to a Wasp.

THE CHOICE OF A LEADER.

No. IV.

March 3, 1815.

Two knights next arose to put forward their claims,
Sir SAMUEL the solemn the travell'd Sir JAMES;†
Both Patriots bold, who with mighty applause
Stick up for Old England, her freedom and cause;
Her gold in their pockets, her law in their brains,
"Twere well had they some of her blood in their veins.

* Sir S. Romilly, Knt. M. P. for Arundel, Solicitor-general under the Talents.

Sir James Mackintosh, Knt. late Recorder of Bombay, M.P. for Nairn.

The first plainly bears the old Genevese print,
Lank person, sly feature, and chocolate tint ;
While, strong, in the second, we see the "bra' bairn”
Who once tended swine in the County of Nairn.

'Twas pleasant to see with what efforts they tried The powerful workings of Nature to hide; 'Twas pleasanter still to behold how, in spite Of their efforts, old Nature would set herself right.

See ROMILLY leaning his head all awry, His accent subdued, and submissive his eye,

His face, person, air, frozen up in restraint;

You think, the first glance, that the man is a saint
And one would lament, as a very hard case,
That such a clear heart has so gloomy a face.
But when he is kindled, and passion has thaw'd
His ice, what dark spirits come prowling abroad!
Ambition, ill-temper, and turbulent pride,

Self-love, and disdain of all creatures beside;

t;

« ZurückWeiter »