Said Peel," Your doctrines I admire,

But I am only one;

Still, if the Duke will stick to me,
I'll try what can be done.

"I am a Premier stout and bold,
As all my party know;

And my good friends in Manchester
Will lend their horse to go."

Now see him in his new Tariff,
On Free Trade-noble steed!
Full slowly taking duties off,

With caution and good heed.

Then came the blight, and fears arose
We'd not have food to eat,

Free Trade, from walking, 'gan to trot,
Which shook Peel in his seat.

"Fairly and softly," Peel he cried,
But Peel he cried in vain ;
The trot became a gallop soɔn,
And Free Trade flew amain.

Then giving up, as needs he must

Who cannot help his plight

Peel seized Free Trade, and like a shot
Flew past Protection quite.

Free Trade, who by a Tory lord

Had ne'er been cross'd before,
What thing upon his back had got
Did wonder more and more.

Away went Robert-neck or nought
Past Radical and Whig ;
He little thought when he began
His bill would be so big.

The Post did bark, the Herald scream'd,
Out spoke the farmers all,

And every Duke cried out "For shame!"
As loud as he could bawl.

Away went Robert! Who but he?
Free Trade still gaining ground,
He carries weight-he'll win his race,
His horse's wind is sound.

Still, as Division-day drew near
'Twas wonderful to view
How overboard the men in place
Their old convictions threw.

Thro' manufactures of all kinds
His gambols he did play,

And came to Corn Laws at the last,
Which stood dead in the way.

The sliding-scale he knock'd about
Unto his friend's dismay,

And fix'd how that at three years' end
The tax should die away.

Free Trade, not satisfied at all

To wait for three years more,

Straight gallop, ed off with all his might,
As he had done before.

Away went Robert, with the League
Still thundering at his heel,

Insisting loud in total and

Immediate repeal.

The county members in the House,
Thus seeing Robert fly,

With Lord John Russell in his rear,
Set up a hue and cry:

"Stop thief! Stop thief! a highway man : Not one of them was mute,

And Ben D'Israeli and Colquhoun
Did join in the pursuit.

In the "Protection " heavy coach,
The Upper House gave chase;

But Free Trade's bottom, bone, and wind,
Made it a hopeless race.

The race is run, the race is won

With credit and renown;

Nor did Free Trade draw breath until The Corn Laws he ran down.

Now let us sing "Long live the League,

And Cobden, long live he,

And when Peel next doth ride Free Trade,
May Punch his Laureat be."

Punch. February 14, 1846.

THE MODERN PEEPING TOM.
LORD TRALLALA a noble was,
Of credit and renown,

A brave old Volunteer was he
Of famous London town.

A well known connoisseur was he
Of things antique and fine-a
His taste was good in rare old wine,
Old women, and old china.

A noted champion was he,

Of damsels in distress;

But as Companion of the Bath He got into a mess.

A witch there was in Bond Street dwelt,
Whom RACHEL men did call ;
She took in women young and old,
And beautified them all.

With powders and with cosmetique, And eastern bloom of Ninon; And added to their tresses bright The decorative chignon.

The bath the next essential was,
To clarify their skins-

Let's hope it cleansed their conscience too,
And washed away their sins.

For if not so, why one would think Such folks as these could never, By any other process-be Madebeautiful for ever."

Behind the bath a snuggery lay,

Though doors were hung a plomb;

And TRALLALA went in to play

The part of peeping Toм.

And now it is conjectured by

Each erudite surmiser,

He went, he saw, he came away
Considerably wiser.

From The Hornet. Sept. 9, 1868.

Tom Jones, Viscount Ranelagh, Colonel of the South Middlesex Volunteer Rifles, was called as a witness in an action brought by Mrs. Borrowdale against Madame Rachel of Bond Street, who professed to make ladies " Beautiful for ever." Rachel was convicted for obtaining money under false pretences, and died in Brixton Gaol.

THE RAILWAY GILPIN.

JOHN GILPIN is a citizen;

For lineage of renown,

The famed JOHN GILPIN's grandson, he Abides in London town.

To our JOHN GILPIN said his dear, "Stewed up here as we've been Since Whitsuntide, 'tis time that we Should have a change of scene.

"To-morrow is a leisure day,
And we'll by rail repair
Unto the Nell at Dedmanton,
And take a breath of air.

"My sister takes our eldest child;
The youngest of our three
Will go in arms, and so the ride
Won't so expensive be."

JOHN soon replied, "I don't admire
That railway, I, for one;

But you know best. my dearest dear, And so it must be done.

"I, as a linen draper bold,

Will bear myself, and though 'Tis Friday by the calendar Will risk my limbs, and go."

Quoth MISTRESS GILPIN, "nicely said
And then, besides, look here,
We'll go by the Excursion Train,
Which makes it still less dear,'

JOHN GILPIN poked his clever wife,
And slightly smiled to find
That though on peril she was bent,
She had a careful mind.

The morning came; a cab was sought:
The proper time allow'd

To reach the station door; but lo!
Before it stood a crowd.

For half an hour they there were stay'd,

And when they did get in

"No train! a hoax!" cried clerks agog

To swear through thick and thin.

"Yaa!" went the throats; stamp went the heels ;

Were never folks so mad,

The disappointment dire beneath :
All cried "it was too bad."

JOHN GILPIN home would fain have hied,
But he must needs remain,
Commanded by his wilful bride,
And take the usual train.

'Twas long before our passengers
Another train could find,

When-stop! one ticket for the fares
Was lost or left behind!

"Good lack," quoth JoHN, "vet try it on." ""Twon't do." the guard replies,

And bearing wife and babes on board,
The train without him flies.

Now see him in a second train,
Behind the iron steed,
Borne on, slap-dash for life or bones
With small concern or heed.

Away went GILPIN neck or naught,
Exclaiming, "Dash my wig!
Oh, here's a game, oh, here's a go!
A running such a rig!"

A signal, hark !-the whistle screamed,
Smash! went the windows all :
"An accident!" cried out each one,
As loud as he could bawl,

Away went GILPIN, never mind,

His brain, seemed spinning round;
Thought he, "This speed a killing pace
Will prove, I'll bet a pound!

And still, as stations they drew near,
The whistle shrilly blew,

And in a trice, past signal-men
The train like lightning flew.
Thus, all through merry Killbury,
Without a stop shot they;

But paused to 'scape a second smash,
At Dedmanton so gay.

At Dedmanton his loving wife,
On platform waiting, spied
Her tender husband, striving much
To let himself outside,

Hallo! JOHN GILPIN, here we are―
Come out!" they all did cry;
To death with waiting we are tired!"
"Guard!" shouted GILPIN, "Hi!"

But no-the train was not a bit
Arranged to tarry there,
For why? because 'twas an Express,
And did dispatches bear.

So, in a second, off it flew
Again and dashed along,
As if the deuce 'twere going to,
With motive impulse strong.

Away went GILPIN, on the breath
Of puffing steam, until

They came unto their journey's end,
Where they at last stood still.

And then-best thing that he could do-
He book'd himself for Town;
They stopped at every station up,
Till he again got down

1

And never since that luckless time

Which gave him such dismay,

For ten whole years, had he and spouse,
Enjoyed a holiday.

The main chance minding still at home.
On bus'ness quite intent;
He made amends, there is no doubt,
For what that day was spent.

Their daughters, rising in their teens,
Were innocent and gay,

And as young girls, they often begg'd
To have a holiday.

Good Mistress Gilpin had a heart
Her pretty girls to please;

But how to win John Gilpin to't
Was not a task of ease.

"Howe'er," said she, "leave that to me,

It never will cause strife;

And he will sure, comply once more,
To please his loving wife."

"Ten circling years have made their round,

And time comes stealing on ;

Next Tuesday is our wedding day,
Then pray let us have one."

John Gilpin hum'd and ha'd awhile,
Then cried, "It shall be so,

Yet hope, you do not mean, my dear,
To Edmonton to go.

"That cursed jaunt I can't forget

Which brought me such disgrace." "No, no, my dear," she quick reply'd, "I mean a nearer place.

"Amusements round the town are fonnd, Delighting unto all ;

Therefore with me, if you'll agree,

We'll go to sweet Vaux-hall.

"A sculler, sure, will take us all,
The purchase can't be great;
And then along the silver Thames,
How we shall ride in state."

"Thy will be done," John Gilpin cry'd,
"I like thy thought in this;
The evening is not all the day,
Much business we can't miss."

Then Mistress Gilpin said to John,
"That we may all be gay
Your very suit you shall have on,
Made for your wedding day.

"Your lac'd cravat, and beaver hat,
Your cane, with head of gold,
With roll'd up hose, and then you'll be
Most charming to behold."

At length the happy time arrived,
John Gilpin. neatly dressed,
Look'd like a citizen, indeed,
Array'd in all his best.

Davy Jones, a Gilpinic Tale, by Barnard de Burgh. 1823. This little work has some amusing illustrations, but a very misleading title, for it is not a parody of " John Gilpin."

John Gilpin" translated into Latin, was published

This elegant rose, had I shaken it less,
Might have bloomed with its owner awhile;
And the tear that is wiped with a little address,
May be followed perhaps by a smile.
WILLIAM Cowper.

Mr. Frederick Locker-Lampson, author of London Lyrics, has in his possession the first draft of William Cowper s poem of The Rose, in the poet's autograph. It is interesting, as it shows how much he altered and improved his poems:

"THE Rose that I sing had been bathed in a show'r, Profusely and hastily shed,

The plentiful moisture incumber'd the flow'r,

And weigh'd down its elegant head.

The cup was all fill'd, and the leaves were all wet,

And it seem'd to a fanciful view

To weep for the home it had left with regret
In the flowery bush where it grew.

Unfit as it was for the use of the Fair,
With foliage so dripping and drown'd,

I shook it and swung it with too little care-
I snapp'd it, it fell to the ground.

And such, I exclaim'd is the pitiless part,
Some act by the delicate mind,

Regardless of wringing and breaking a heart
Already to sorrow resign'd.

This Rose might have held, had I shaken it less,

Its unblemish'd beauty awhile,

And the tear that is wiped by a little address,
May be follow'd perhaps by a smile."

MY UNIFORM.

By a Damp but Determined Volunteer.

THE corps had been washed, newly-washed in a shower, Which, as usual, had spoiled our parade,

The plentiful moisture, poured down for an hour,

With our uniforms havoc had played.

My belts were all sodden, my shako so wet,

That it seemed to a fanciful view,

As if mere papier-maché 'twould prove, and forget
For what it had duty to do.

I hastily seized it, unfit as it was—

Poor shako-a shaking to stand!

And swinging it rudely, too rudely, alas !

The peak came off, limp, in my hand!

"And such," I exclaimed, "was the Dons* foolish act

With his helmet so neatly combined,

He exposed it to thwacks, which the joints rudely cracked, Not for use but appearance designed.

"This elegant cap, had I shaken it less,

Might have bloomed, 'neath its pompon awhile;
And accoutrements wiped with a little address
May adorn next Review's rank and file !"