You ne’er heard of excisemen then, and every house was free; Nor paltry base informing men that seek for fine and fee; No new beer shop, to guile the poor about the town you’d see. No tax on house or windows then, on spirits, or on tea. The fine, &c. I hope that all my brother bungs, residing in this land May have long life and enjoy themselves, and all join hand in hand To put down the informing crew, who are all a base band, And fearlessly, with heart and purse, against them make a stand. For the fine, &c. ANONYMOUS (written about 1820.) ―――― A FINE OLD HEAVY VILLAIN. Oh, I’m a deep died villain of a somewhat bygone age, When T. P. Cooke and N. T. Hicks were heroes of the stage; Such heroes old playgoers vow they look for now in vain, What thunders of applause in those old days I used to gain, When a fine old heavy villain Of the Drama’s palmy days. Now having rested silently for nearly fifty years, The very Deep Red Rover for a short time reappears, Although not quite so heavy pr’aps as in those days of yore, He’ll try to soothe the grief of those playgoers who deplore All the fine old heavy villains Of the Drama’s palmy days. Lines in “Deep Red Rover,” an O’piratic burlesque, by Westmacott Chapman. ―――― THE FINE OLD COMMON COUNCILMAN. I’ll sing you a fine new song at once, before it is too late, Of a very Common-Councilman who’s trembling for his state, Who guzzling at his hall comes out particularly great, But whom his friends in early life forgot to educate, Like a vulgar Common-Councilman, one of the present time. His wife so fine was hung about with feathers, lace, and bows, Contrived by city milliners, whose fashions no one knows, And though she dropped her H’s, yet she wore expensive clothes, And “wot’s the hodds,” she oft would say, “which way the money goes?” Of this fine old Common-Councilman, all of the present time. And when the Queen was to be seen he rushed into Guildhall, And took his wife, and his wife’s aunt, and daughters, sons, and all. And swore and push’d, perspired and crush’d, and fought his way about, And showed his wife Prince Halbert, when desired to ‘pint him hout,’ Did this fine old Common-Councilman, all of the present time.