And always feel sure that his joy o'er a stew Read him backwards, like Hebrew - whatever he wishes, Or praises, note down as absurd, or pernicious. Out. when he's in, be an Keep him always revers'd in your thoughts, night and day, Like an Irish barometer turn'd the wrong way: - way. Does he hate the Small-note Bill? then firmly rely The Small-note Bill's a blessing, though you don't know why. Is Brougham his aversion? then Harry's your man. Does he quake at O'Connell? take doubly to Dan. Is he all for the Turks? then, at once, take the whole Russian Empire (Czar, Cossacks, and all) to your soul. in short, whatsoever he talks, thinks, or is, Be your thoughts, words, and essence the contrast of his. Nay, as Siamese ladies - at least, the polite ones All paint their teeth black, 'cause the devil has white ones If ev'n, by the chances of time or of tide, Such my recipe is - and, in one single verse, be. you'll be all that an honest man should EPISTLE OF CONDOLENCE, FROM A SLAVE-LORD, TO A COTTON-LORD. ALAS! my dear friend, what a state of affairs! Both forc'd to submit to that general controller Whereas, were we suffer'd to do as we please With our Blacks and our Whites, as of yore we were let, We might range them alternate, like harpsichord keys, And between us thump out a good piebald duet. But this fun is all over; - farewell to the zest Farewell, too, the Factory's white picaninnies Small, living machines, which, if flogg'd to their tasks, Mix so well with their namesakes, the “Billies" and "Jennies," That which have got souls in 'em nobody asks; Little Maids of the Mill, who, themselves but ill-fed, Are oblig'd, 'mong their other benevolent cares, To "keep feeding the scribblers," * and better, 'tis said, Than old Blackwood or Fraser have ever fed theirs. All this is now o'er, and so dismal my loss is, So hard 'tis to part from the smack of the thong, That I mean (from pure love for the old whipping process), To take to whipt syllabub all my life long. • One of the operations in cotton mills usually performed by children. THE GHOST OF MILTIADES. Ah quoties dubius Scriptis exarsit amator! OVID. THE Ghost of Miltiades came at night, The Benthamite, yawning, left his bed - "Blessings and thanks!" was all he said, Then, melting away, like a night-dream, fled! The Benthamite hears - amaz'd that ghosts Could be such fools - and away he posts, A patriot still? Ah no, ah no Goddess of Freedom, thy Scrip is low, And, warm and fond as thy lovers are, Thou triest their passion, when under par. The Benthamite's ardour fast decays, By turns he weeps, and swears, and prays, And wishes the devil had Crescent and Cross, Ere he had been forc'd to sell at a loss. They quote him the Stock of various nations, But, spite of his classic associations, Lord, how he loathes the Greek quotations! "Who'll buy my Scrip? Who'll buy my Scrip? Is now the theme of the patriot's lip, As he runs to tell how hard his lot is To Messrs. Orlando and Luriottis, And says, "Oh Greece, for Liberty's sake, "Do buy my Scrip, and I vow to break "Those dark, unholy bonds of thine "If you'll only consent to buy up mine!" The Ghost of Miltiades came once more; His brow, like the night, was lowering o'er, And he said, with a look that flash'd dismay, "Of Liberty's foes the worst are they, "Who turn to a trade her cause divine, "And gamble for gold on Freedom's shrine!" |