240

TAB HERO OF FLUSHING. He rode the poor Pope like a jaded hack, But when cross'd and anointed he sent him back; His three-crown'd hat from his temple fell, And nought he had left but his beads to tell. The Russian bear came out of his hold; A match, as he thought, for this tiger so bold; But they both were content with one furious tug, And it ended at last in a friendly hug. Tardy Prussia received such a terrible thump, That she sits ever since on her wounded rump. Brave Austria, though struggling in bloody campaigns, I fear must submit to his galling chains. In Spain brother Joe finds a slippery throne, And I hope that this upstart ere long will be flown; As fam'd Talavera struck up such a dance, May Sir Arthur suon show him the way into France ! 'Mid all this confusion, which ruins the world, These fiery darts, by fierce Discord hurld, Thanks to Heaven, Old England, the queen of the sea, Is still left unsubdu'd, happy, loyal, and free,

APPROACHING JUBILEE.

241

to the hero! and hark! one unanimous shout,
** Would to G-! turtle Chatham had never gone out,
Or that Heav'n (if the hero must sail from our shore)
Had sent back our Chatham--but five weeks before."

APPROACHING JUBILEE

[From the Public Ledger, Sept. 14.) SIR, I AM sure your impartiality will give admission to

the following remarks, although they begin with finding some fault with a paragraph in Tuesday's Ledger, in which you endeavour to throw " cold water" on the intended jubilee in honour of His Majesty's. long reign.

As I do not belong to any of the committees or parties that have met on this occasion, I am quite ignorant of the mode in which this jubilee is to be conducted except that I may conjecture, with the highest probability, that eating and drinking will constitute a very important part of our rejoicings"; and as this happens to be the prime season for turtle and venison, there will be no lack of opportunities to testify as much loyalty as our stomachs can bear.

But, Sir, you are pleased to insinuate the impropriety of our intended festivities “ at a gloomy period like the present;" and these are the words with which I am disposed to find fault; or, rather, which I am disposed to contradict in every particular. On this, then, we are at issuie-I deny that the present is a gloomy period.

I can find no such period---no such gloom, in the public mind.-I find something like it, indeed, in the newspapers, especially in those where it is the practice to censure all public proceedings, and where it is the principle that Ministers can do nothing right; and, I am sorry to add, I find something like it in papers VOL. XIII,

which;

M

242

APPROACHING JUBILEE.

which, I should suppose, might have held a different language, especially as they confess, one and all, that they have no facts to go upon, and no informatiou upon which they can rely!

We have, therefore, gloom enough upon paper, but where else am I to find it? Am I to look for it in the metropolis, where the demand for amusement is so urgent, that amusement seems to be the “chief end of man?” and where the publie tolerate and en. fourage every species of petty iheatre and vulgar entertainment that can be offered to them, and fock in thousands to places of amusement, not one whit above the merit of those we lately witnessed in Bartholomew fair? Am I to look for gloom in the wonderful stir now making about the opening of a new theatre, and in those awful convulsions and revolutions which a shilling advance on the boxes is likely to create ? Am. I to look for gloom in our parties of pleasure, in the extravagance of our entertainments, and the success of our taverns?

Failing, then, of my object in the metropolis, where am I to go in search of the gloom with which you have covered the public? Am I to go to Margate, or Brighton, or Cheltenham, or any other of those places where our gloomy citizens have no other distress but how they shall barter Bank notes for every species of inconvenience and extortion; and where the affairs of Germany, of the Scheldt, of Spain and Portugal, are of infinitely less importance than the singing and danciug of strolling players, or those more dignified amusements of ass-races, pig-races, raffles, and lounging-shops? Is it there that I am to look for the gloon of a people conscious that they have met with losses and disappointments, which, while they affect their minds, should produce some corresponding effect on their conduct? I repeat it, Sir, that there is enough—or, at least

, a very decent proportion of gloom in some of our

newspapers

newspapers--but I can discover it no where else, Suicides, too, were never more plenty—but I do not find that any man has hanged himself because we have not got possession of Antwerp, or because Lord Wellington is falling back upon Portugal. There may also be instances of low spirits, and of broken hearts; but unless you can trace these to our Gazetts, or persuade me, that a people who can be delighteu with the veriest trifles, are a gloomy people, I must beg leave to retain my opinion; and, alihough with all possible respect, to differ from the writer of the article in question. I am, Sir, yours,

CONSISTENCY,

BON MOT.
THE AMOR PATRIE,

[From the British Press, Sept. 14.] FAIR Silvia, who oft jeer'd the conjugal

life,
On a sudden grew kind, and became Damon's wife,
When ask'd by a friend, " why she chang'd her opinion,
And

gave her free life for a tyrant's dominion ?"
She exclaimed, “ Do not think it was Love's mighty fire,
Which compelld me to seek what most women desire;
Know, my friend, by a motive more noble possessid,
At the call of my country, my Dainon I bless'
Since our fam'd expeditions destroy half the nation,
I thought it my duty--to aid population.!"
Johnson's Court.

N.

THE QUARREL.

[From the Morning Post.]
TWO
WO persons I met, t'other night in the dark;

The one a gay Colnel, the other A. Clarke !
They quarrelld, and really were ready to fight;
And both acted wrong-when they tricid to do Wright,
I strove to appease them, yet laugh'd in my sleeve;
(The greater their quarrel, the less I should grieve.)
'Tis strange, yet, believe me, notoriously true,
What one says is black-mother swears to be blue !!
Richmond Buildings,

CADWALLADER,
Soho Square.

IMPROMPTU,

M 2

( 244 )

IMPROMPTU, UPON HEARING A CERTAIN " PRYING GENTLEMAN* CALUMNIATE THE MEMORY OP SIR JOHN MOORE.

[From the British Press, Sept. 15.)
CHE Hero fell-his country wept !

And e'en the fiend Detraction slept,
Till Party's cry awoke her:
Thus ravens, when the fight is done,
Croak o'er the field where fame was won;
Nor can the sod Moore sleeps upon,

Be sacred from a Croaker!

ON

OCCASIONAL ADDRESS, INTENDED TO BE SPOKEN AT THE NEW THLATRE, Co. VENT GARDEN, BY MR. KEMBLE,

MADAME CATALANI'S FIRST APPEARANCE.

[From the Morning Post, Sept. 22.)
N ancient times, in days of good Queen Bess,

* The Muse with cheek reclin'd," and pensive frowth,
Blush'd to see boxes fill'd for half a crown.

Actresses sprang at length-(observe, till then,
The female parts were all perform'd by men);
Admissions were advanc'd, and soon the towa
Were larger sums accustom'd to put down;
Again the Managers John Bull oppressid,
And without new advances could not rest.

Improvement rapidly thus gaining ground,
A something novel every day was found;
To raise the taste of a degen'rate age,
Asses and dogs now trod the British stage;
While streams of real water found their way,
To bid the town expect still inore to pay.

“ But all divine when”I!--at length" appear'd;
"T was then the drama's majesty was rear'j'
On Covent Garden's boards :- I was then you heard
Of "Q-ches," and saw me the public “beard;"
"T was then you saw your hisses scorn'd, and knew
What 'I was to be each night defied anew;

Insolence