Lightly we speak of the "party" that's gone, Now all due respect has been paid him; Ah! little he reck'd of the lark that went on Near the spot where we fellows had laid him. As soon as our sable task was done, Nor a moment we lost in retiring; And we feasted and frolick'd, and poked our fun, Gin and water each jolly soul firing, Blithely and quickly we quaff'd it down, Singing song, cracking joke, telling story; And we shouted and laughed all the way up to Town, Riding outside the hearse in our glory. _Punch_, January 5, 1850. At the time when the above parody appeared there was an agitation on foot to reform the costliness and vain display at funerals. _Punch_, both in his cartoons and his letterpress, was exceedingly bitter against the undertakers. The matter was so energetically taken up by the press and the public, that funerals were soon shorn of their costly mummery, and are now conducted on much more sensible and economical principles than they were in 1850. In reference to the disputed authority of the ode "Not a drum was heard," the Rev. T. W. Carson, of Dublin, has kindly forwarded a _facsimile_ of the letter, (to which reference was made on page 105), from the Rev. C. Wolfe to his friend Mr. John Taylor. It varies slightly from the version already given, and seems conclusively to establish Wolfe's title as author of the poem. It runs thus:-- "I have completed the Burial of Sir John Moore, and will here inflict it upon you; you have no one but yourself to blame, for praising the two stanzas (?) that I told you so much;-- (_Here follows the poem._) "Pray write soon--you may direct as usual to College, and it will follow me to the country. Give my love to Armstrong, and believe me, my dear John, ever yours, (Signed) CHARLES WOLFE." This is addressed-- "JOHN TAYLOR, ESQ., At the Rev. Mr. Armstrong's, Clonoulty, Cashel." Date of postmark, Se, 6, 1816. The handwriting is small, neat, and clear, and there is only one slight verbal correction, which occurs in the last verse; in verses 3 and 4 a few end words have been torn off by the seal. There is a postscript, as it has no reference, however, to the poem, it is needless to reprint it. * * * * * FOOTNOTES: [Footnote 4: This appears to be a covert allusion to the lady-bird.] [Footnote 5: We shall not publish the vocabulary with this song.--ED.] Thomas Hood. 1798--MAY 3, 1845. In Hood's poems a rare blending is found of wit, fancy, humour and pathos; and as his personal character was amiable, gentle and good, his memory is cherished by Englishmen with peculiar affection and respect. Thomas Hood was born in London, and was the son of a member of the then well-known firm of booksellers, Vernor, Hood, and Sharp.