We've seen the rogues in power create
A new and dangerous estate;

Alas! we've seen their power employ'd
To stem a revolution's tide.

Since to these tricks, so fraught with danger,
Your RH-ness is no stranger, ·

We praise that courage, strength, and virtue,
Acknowledg'd never to desert you,
With which you undertake your task,
Nor deign our leave or aid to ask.
Strong grow our grievances and stronger,
And we should keep your H-ness longer,
Were we to talk of place and pension,
And half our other ills but mention.
Yet there's one trespass, more accurst
Than others, we must state or burst.
Its odiousness, its mischiefs, might
E'en your undaunted soul affright.
The Commons' House we see a tool,
By which all ministers now rule,
Whether by strange nullification
Of regal power, or degradation
Of rights, far more important, claim'd
By us, "the sov'reign people" nam'd!
Then, mighty Prince! O pray reform us,
Remove this grievance so enormous;
Quash parliaments, the land's disgrace,
Put British Forums in their place.
The present state of things deploring,
True patriots all asleep and snoring,
We yet rely, you surely will,
However crampt, regard us still;
And sometime hence us extricate,
To make us rulers of the state.
A pot-pourri of cheers and groans,
And sorrows rankling in our bones,
We thus present, though 't is most grievous
To all our hearts (if you 'll believe us)
But soon, O Prince, by change of system,
The modern Whigs hope you'll inlist 'em;
And grant them long in wealth to roll,
And King and Nation to control.

O how

O how content we then shall be,
From every check and burden free;

And our warm gratitude we 'll show,
By crying up whate'er they do.

THE LAMENTATIONS OF TRAGEDY

ON THE SUCCESS OF THE HORSES NOW PERFORMING WITH SUCH UNLIMITED APPLAUSE AT COVENT GARDEN THEATRE.

H

[From the Morning Herald, March 9.]

UNG be our stage with black!" weep, two-legg'd
mutes;

Mourn for your queen, thus levell'd with the brutes !^
Nought now avails our Isabella's call-
The public fly, to see the cattle fall.
And ye, attendant virgins, hence no more
On fierce Calista, or repentant Shore,
Shall ye obsequious wait in tinsell'd pride;
Ye're useless now, unless you'll wear a hide.
Seeing what I have seen," ah, woe to me,
Such plaudits to unmeaning mummery !
That Cawdor's wife, the Moor's lamented bride,
The sweet Cordelia, every parent's pride;
The lovely Juliet, Imogen sincere,

No more attract, or claim their former tear :
Shakspeare's all-soaring page is far below

The nightly scenes the dewlap'd fav'rites show.
Now taught by governesses sage and kind,

Each little Miss, of op'ning docile mind,

Asks dear papa to let her see the play

Where nature strikes, though dumb, and melts the sense

away,

Far, far beyond what Otway's strains explore,
Though thrice Castalio strikes the barred door.
Hopeless I sink-in vain the Muse may sing:
The hoof surpasses e'en the buskin'd king.
Richard, give way! Banquo, avaunt! begone!
Romeo, depart; and let the horses on.

Oh! could I think-I who have made men weep,
So fast-they stood in tears, full ancle-deep,

H 5

Should

Should e'er behold, what sense must see with rage,
Smithfield become the nursery of the stage!

J. S. PS.

AN HIBERNIAN'S REFLECTIONS

ON HEARING OF THE OVERFLOWING "AUDIENCES AT COVENT GARDEN.

[From the Morning Post, March 11.]

OT Mother Goose, in all her glory, drew

NOT

Such nightly crowds as Blue Beard's horses do
For then, indeed, the house, 't is pretty plain,
Receiv'd as many as it could contain.
"Arrah, but now," quoth Paddy,
The house is fuller far than it can hold."

"I am told,

C. T.

W

TO THE GREAT ORATOR.

[From the same, March 14.]

, thy great and patriotic name

Will stand recorded on the lists of fame,
When Pitt and Fox, and such illustrious men,
Have been long since forgotten-not till then.

C. T.

LINES FOUND IN THE VALE OF BELVOIR.

[From the Morning Chronicle, March 20.]

TO THE VERY REV.

I HAVE heard that your Duke's in a dangerous way,
And the doctors desponding have wish'd him good day;
It becomes then my duty (I trust in your sight,
My presumptuous hopes stand excus'd, if I write,
To declare my intention of asking a poll,
Of the dignified voters who stand on your roll),
The Chancellor's seat to affect, which is bare
The moment His Grace is defunct, you're aware.
I will not, 't were fruitless to look for foundation,
On which to indulge in this fond expectation,
In personal merit; an A double S

On merit like this should not lay any stress;
But I ask your permission to state, as a fact
Of no trivial weight in my cause, that I'm back'd;
By His Majesty's favour, and Perceval's name,
That passport to pensions, preferment, and fame.
So I'll not intrude further upon you at present,
Only hoping your daughter digested the pheasant;:
I've to beg that this letter you'll use at your ease,
Not forgetting to state th' above fact, if you please.
My name I don't sign, not deeming it clear
That this letter may please, so I'll end with an R..

A CRUMB OF COMFORT

FOR OLD BEAUX IN LOVE.

[From the Morning Herald, March 23]

REGRET not, dear Fanny, the distance of Mays,

Which was wont o'er those features to shine:
With a look thou canst chase tyrant Time far away ;-
Speak a word, and the triumph is thine.

Condemn then the miscreant to endless disgrace,
His spells you may safely defy,

Since Love holds his empire of smiles on thy face,.

And his mandate's proclaim'd from thine eye!:

H 6

Yet:

Yet should the proud tyrant be deaf to thy praise,

This truth must still strike him with dread,
That the warmth of thy kiss all the wonder displays
Of a Lazarus rais'd from the dead!

Quia.

IMPROMPTU

ON THE GENERAL FAST, ADDRESSED TO THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER.

[From the Morning Chronicle, March 23.]

HY sapience, Perceval, we greet,

THY

And own thy talents vast;

When those who nothing have to eat,
Are call'd upon to fast!

W-b-n, March 18, 1811.

P.

J. E. B.

IMPROMPTU

ON THE LATE EXPEDIENT FOR PRESERVING A CERTAIN

COIN.

[From the Morning Post, March 23.]

OHN Bull, who loves old England's pride,

JOHN

Her honour and renown,

Declares, though press'd on every side,

He'll still preserve her Crown,

G.

EPIGRAM