The Works of Thomas Hood; Vol. 01 (of 11): Comic and Serious, in Prose and Verse, With All the Original IllustrationsHood, Thomas
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The Works of Thomas Hood; Vol. 01 (of 11): Comic and Serious, in Prose and Verse, With All the Original Illustrations
Hood, Thomas
English poetry -- 19th century; English wit and humor; Humorous poetry, English
The check sustained by the mob proves to have been a reverse, the
constables are the sufferers. The cage is chopped to faggots, we
haven’t a pound, and the stocks are rapidly falling. Mr. Wigsby has
gone again to the Mayor with overtures, the people demand the release
of Dobbs and Gubbins, and the demolition of the stocks, the pound, and
the cage. As these are already destroyed, and Gubbins and Dobbs are at
large, it is confidently hoped by all moderate men, that his Worship
will accede to the terms.
Four o’clock.
The Mayor has rejected the terms. It is confidently affirmed that after
this decision, he secretly ordered a post-chaise, and has set off with
a pair of post horses as fast as they can gallop. A meeting of the
principal tradesmen has taken place, and the butcher, the baker, the
grocer, the cheesemonger, and the publican, have agreed to compose a
Provisional Government. In the mean time the mob are loud in their
joy,--they are letting off squibs and crackers, and rockets, and devils
in all directions, and quiet is completely restored.
We subjoin two documents,--one containing the articles drawn up by the
Provisional Government and Mr. Wigsby; the other, the genuine narrative
of a spectator.
DEAR CHARLES,
The events of the last few hours, since I closed my minute narration,
are pregnant with fate; and no words that I can utter on paper will
give you an idea of their interest. Up to the hour at which I closed
my sheet, anxiety regulated the movement of every watchful bosom; but
since then, the approaches to tranquillity have met with barriers
and interruptions. To the meditative mind, these popular paroxysms
have their desolating deductions. Oh, my Charles, I myself am almost
sunk into an Agitator--so much do we take the colour from the dye in
which our reasoning faculties are steeped. I stop the press--yes,
Charles--I stop the press of circumstances to say, that a dawn of the
Pacific is gleaming over the Atlantic of our disturbances; and I am
enabled, by the kindness of Constable Adams, to send you a Copy of the
Preliminaries, which are pretty well agreed upon, and only wait to be
ratified. I close my letter in haste. That peace may descend on the
Olive Tree of Stoke Pogis, is the earnest prayer of, &c.
H. J. P.
P.S.--Show the articles to Edward. He will, with his benevolence, at
once see that they are indeed precious articles for Stoke Pogis.
CONDITIONS.
1. That for the future, widows in Stoke Pogis shall be allowed their
thirds, and Novembers their fifths.
2. That the property of Guys shall be held inviolable, and their
persons respected.
3. That no arson be allowed, but all bonfires shall be burnt by the
common hangman.
4. That every rocket shall be allowed an hour to leave the place.
5. That the freedom of Stoke Pogis be presented to Madame Hengler, in a
cartridge box.
6. That the military shall not be called out, uncalled for.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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