“_Tales of Wonder_,” written and collected by M. G. Lewis, contained two ballads entitled “The Erl King” and “The Cloud King,” both written by Lewis in his accustomed style of grim horror, with thunder, shrieks, and fury, and in the same volume he inserted an anonymous burlesque of these entitled “The Cinder King,” the humour of which would not be very apparent unless the two first-named poems were reprinted in full. They are neither of sufficient interest to merit the space this would require. A somewhat similar parody may be found in “_The Blue Bag_: or Toryana.” London; Effingham Wilson, 1832. It is called “The Fire King, The Water King, and The Cotton King,” and relates the quarrels of some politicians, well-known sixty years since, but now well nigh forgotten. One more parody of Lewis remains to be noted, it occurs in an exceedingly scarce volume of poems, “_The School for Satire_.” London, 1802, and is exceedingly interesting on account of its allusions to Monk Lewis’s personal appearance, and his literary productions:―― THE OLD HAG IN A RED CLOAK. (_Inscribed to Matthew G. Lewis, Esq., M.P._) Mat Lewis was little, Mat Lewis was young, The words they lisp’d prettily over his tongue; A spy-glass he us’d, for he could not well see, A spy-glass he us’d, for near sighted was he. With his spy-glass once spying in Parliament Street, He chanc’d an old Hag in a red cloak to meet; When the Hag in a red cloak thus awfully said, “Pray give me a sixpence to buy me some bread.” “No sixpence I’ll give thee to buy thee some bread,” To the Hag in a red cloak Mat feelingly said; Then down to the House in a huff strutted he, Sure all the world knows little Mat’s an M.P. But as onward he strutted, and push’d thro’ the crowd, The Hag in a red cloak still curst him aloud; Strange words of mysterious intent struck his ear, And could he be frighten’d he’d then have known fear. “Though cold be thy heart, and thy feelings as cold, Though bold be thy mien, and thy language as bold, Ere the clock at St. Giles’s is heard to strike one, A deed to confound thee, a deed shall be done.” She spoke: and then vanish’d at once from his sight, In a cellar as dark as the darkness of night; But ev’ry five minutes this horrible strain Rush’d in fearful recurrence o’er Mat’s tortur’d brain. From the House about twelve to his house he repairs; To creak seem’d the doors, and to crack seem’d the stairs; He put out the candle, his clothes off he threw, When St. Giles’s struck one, and the door open flew. Then the Hag in a red cloak of Parliament Street, The Hag in a red cloak whom Mat chanc’d to meet, The Hag in a red cloak, who to him once said, Pray give me a sixpence to buy me some bread.