This is THE MAN――all shaven and shorn, All cover’d with Orders――and all forlorn; THE DANDY OF SIXTY, Who bows with a grace, And has taste in wigs, collars, cuirasses, and lace; Who, to tricksters and fools, leaves the State and its treasure, And, when Britain’s in tears, sails about at his pleasure, Who spurn’d from his presence the Friends of his youth, And now has not one who will tell him the truth; Who took to his counsels, in evil hour, The Friends to the _Reasons of Lawless Power_; That back the _Public Informer_ Who would put down the _Thing_, That, in spite of New Acts, And attempts to restrain it, by Soldiers or Tax, Will poison the _Vermin_, That plunder the _Wealth_, That lay in the _House that Jack Built_. (_A crowd of starving people_.) These are the PEOPLE All tattered and torn, Who curse the day wherein they were born, On account of taxation too great to be borne, And pray for relief, from night to morn: Who, in vain, Petition in every form, Who, peaceably meeting to ask for Reform, Were sabred by Yeomanry Cavalry, Who were thanked by _The Man_, All shaven and shorn, all covered with Orders And all forlorn; THE DANDY OF SIXTY, Who bows with a grace, &c., &c. * * * * * The Report of Hone’s three Trials is an interesting work, full of curious parodies, of which a detailed account will be given in the Bibliographical Volume of this Collection. But for the present Leigh Hunt, William Hone, George Cruikshank, and George, Regent, and King, must be dismissed, and Thackeray’s burlesque Epitaph will fitly close this chapter. [Illustration] [Illustration: GEORGE IV.] He never acted well, by man or woman. And was as false to his mistress as to his wife. He deserted his friends and his principles. He was so ignorant he could scarcely spell; But he had skill in cutting out coats, And an undeniable taste for cookery. He built the palaces of Brighton And of Buckingham, And for these qualities and proofs of genius, An admiring aristocracy Christened him the “First Gentleman in Europe.” Friends, respect the King whose statue is here, And the generous aristocracy who admired him. W. M. THACKERAY. ―――― THE ROAST BEEF OF OLD ENGLAND. When mighty Roast Beef was the Englishman’s food, It ennobled our hearts, and enriched our blood; Our soldiers were brave, and our courtiers were good. Oh! the Roast Beef of Old England, And, oh! for Old England’s Roast Beef!