When Beaconsfield, at civic board, Uprose ’mid fellow-guests’ acclaim, This was the welcome London roared, Filling a bumper to his name―― Hail, Imperial, Imperial Statesman, hail! Thy majority shall never, never fail! Let Gladstone boast of silver axe, And prate of upas-trees cut down; Thine be the care of income-tax, And thine be Turnerelli’s crown. So hail, &c. ‘Great Gladstone, less astute than we, From place and power defeated fell; I taught an Empire to be free, And grow Conservative as well. Then hail, Imperial freedom, hail! My majority shall never fail. Me dissolution ne’er shall shock, Midlothian voters ne’er dismay; The epigrams I have in stock Will serve me in the coming fray. Then hail, &c. “_Libertas et Imperium_,” My watchword and my battle-call, Will silence, when the elections come, The loudest varlet of them all. Then hail, &c. Still more secure shall be my lease Of Downing-street and county votes, Whilst licensed victuallers increase, And borough members turn their coats. So hail, &c. Here, when November days come round, Is happiness enough for me: Blest halls, where every bowl is crowned With calipash and calipee! Then hail, &c. So Truscott,[22] when the circling year Has withered all thy civic bays, Again I’ll sip my turtle here, And sing again an Empire’s praise. Then hail, &c.’ COMMON PLEAS. _Second Prize._ When on us burst, at thy command, A party legend once again, This was the cry throughout the land―― At least the Liberals sang the strain―― Fools! how can ye, how can ye trust such shaves? Jingoes ever will be knaves! The motto duly blessed by thee, Great Earl, and by thy Tory class, Runs ‘Government and Liberty’ (_Imperium et Libertas_). Fools, &c. * * * * * (_Six stanzas omitted_). LINDENFIELD. _The World._ December 3, 1879. A so-called comic song, entitled “_Brickbats never will be Slates_,” was brought out about two years ago, but it possesses no literary interest as a parody. ―――― GOD SAVE THE KING.