The Remarkable History of Sir Thomas Upmore, bart., M.P., formerly known as "Tommy Upmore"Blackmore, R. D. (Richard Doddridge)
General
The Remarkable History of Sir Thomas Upmore, bart., M.P., formerly known as "Tommy Upmore"
Blackmore, R. D. (Richard Doddridge)
Great Britain -- Politics and government -- 19th century -- Fiction; Satire
The alternate system, as Lady Twentifold called it, happily prevails in
the national England, as well as in the domestic. When one batch of
Statesmen has done a world of harm, and are getting skilful at it--as in
three years, or four at the outside, they are sure to learn to be--a cry
of "Turn them out" begins first in the gallery.
Then the people who pay more, look up, and soon become inclined to rap
their sticks. Before long, a general demand arises, for the room rather
than the company, of the individuals on the platform. If they are
gentlemen, they make their bow, and retire, heartily wishing bad luck to
their successors. But if they are--something that rhymes with Rads, they
pretend to hear nought, till a stunning row arises; and then they do
this, they call out--
"Policeman, let in all the public, who had got no tickets. They won't
have seen any part of our performance; and therefore they can judge
impartially."
This was the very thing going on just now. The Government had no leg
left to stand on,--a very good reason for their not going out,--but
sitting on the quarter, which had been well kicked (to keep Britannia's
in countenance) they were doing what we little boys in Maiden Lane were
clever at, (until the new system abstracted our material) that is to
say, making go-cartfuls of dust, to blow through a pipe at the inquiring
public.
Seven measures, of primary importance, had been promised; and hecatons
of wise rogues had been sent round, to inoculate the public with an itch
for home-dust, as a pleasant little change from the national mud-stains.
And a flourish of trumpets had filled the air of England, with a
Krakatoa volume of that fine material, which contains the germs of
everything. In the gracious speech from (their own cracks in) the
Throne, Ministers solemnly informed the Country, that internal repairs
were its urgent need, and the only way to make them was to pull it all
in pieces, and double all the stuff, with the blessing of the Lord. The
good old material had groaned at this; but what is the use of groaning,
with the hatchet in the air?
The first need of all was to get rid of landowners. Land belongs to
every one, and therefore to no one. Why have men got feet, except to
plant them where they like? Nature has implanted in the human heart a
profound desire for the ownership of land. This proves, that everybody
must own land. But how, without kicking every other body out? Towards
that, the first step is, to kick out present owners. When the others get
in, they must be kicked out too. There is no other way to have it
cultivated properly; but this will ensure a "succession of crops." A
narrow-minded man may fight hard to keep his foot upon what he has spent
his hands and mind in earning. But with a little patience, that evil
will die out.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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