"They've London pull'd about one's ears; 'tis London now no more; "They've swallow'd up poor Swallow Street; behind is now before; "They've metamorphos'd Charing Cross; the Mews has pass'd away, "And Lewkner's Lane I seek in vain: 't has had its 'SETTLING DAY.' "St. Dunstan's Church they've built anew; oh! what a _Gothic_ feat! "The _Savages_, who beat the _Bells_, have beaten a retreat; "They've built another London Bridge; the old one's clear'd away; "For such destructive knaves I wish a speedy 'SETTLING DAY.' "The Watchmen mustn't cry the hour, nor in their boxes snore; "Their occupation's gone, and time with them is now no more. "They tell me, too, the little Sweeps no more must 'Soot, ho!' say: "I hope for such black deeds there'll come a _sweeping_ 'SETTLING DAY.' "Another thing doth sorrow bring, and maketh me to fret; "They talk about abolishing Imprisonment for Debt; "And next, alas! the time may come, there'll be no costs to pay, "For ev'ry man will get his own upon the 'SETTLING DAY.' "I mind me, when a little girl, I travell'd once to York; "And slow and stately did we ride; it was a three days' work; "But now they do it all by steam, so very fast, they say, "To Brummagem you'll go, and back, in half a 'SETTLING DAY.' "I heard them talk, awhile agone, about an air-balloon, "To come from France, and carry us a journey to the moon. "When folks become so impious, our duty 'tis to pray, "That such presumptuous doings soon may meet a 'SETTLING DAY.' "That horrid March of Intellect has prov'd a perfect bore; "I fear it killed poor St. John Long: his rubbing days are o'er; "But 'twas a gracious sight to see his funeral array, "And lords and ladies join the train, upon his 'SETTLING DAY.' "They've made the babes at infant schools so very wise indeed, "That they can read before they speak, and write before they read: "They're wiser than their grandmothers! you hear the people say, "I can't survive this awful shock;—this cruel 'SETTLING DAY.'" While thus the crone did make her moan, I pitied her full sore, And much I strove to comfort her, when she had given o'er; I begg'd of her to list to me, and I'd be bound to say, Some snug abuses I would find, without a "SETTLING DAY." For dirty courts and narrow lanes, I told her not to fret; To 'mind us of the good old times, there was a plenty yet: At East and West, 'mong gents and cits, there's many a crooked way, And holes and corners dark enough, without a "SETTLING DAY." I bade her look at Temple Bar,—that venerable pile; Its mould'ring stones and rotten gates, and then she gave a smile She thought upon the bleeding heads, and plaintively did say: "I hope for that dear obstacle there'll be no 'SETTLING DAY.'"