The press, or literary chit-chat :: :: University of Virginia Library

The press, or literary chit-chat

A Satire [by J. H. Reynolds]

Reynolds, John Hamilton (1794-1852)

II.

II.

III.

IV.

VI.

VII.

VIII.

IX.

XI.

XII.

XIII.

XIV.

XV.

XVI.

XVII.

XVIII.

XIX.

XX.

XXI.

XXII.

XXIII.

XXIV.

XXV.

XXVI.

III.

PART III.

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XXVI.

The rest of Gog's puissant speech
My hearing strove in vain to reach,
For from a corner of the crowd
Ida thus spoke with accents loud—
“Zounds! does your kingship think we will
Submit to take your tyrannous pill?

The propriety of this medical simile cannot be called in question by those who have read “The Mohawks.”

No! at your great behests we scoff,
And, freeborn, I'll both sneeze and cough!”

“And so will I,” great Helen cried,
And so did many a voice beside;
Great Gog cried Treason! call'd his guard,
And offer'd half-a-groat reward
To those who would the traitors 'peach—
Alas! the infection spread to each
Who stood around—the king in vain
Strove to appease the angry train.
The march of Reason who can stop,
Who bid a Hume forbear to lop
Pension, and place, and sinecure,
With stroke as merciless as sure?
Vain, vain the hope; great Gog was wise
Nor longer task so hopeless tries,
Yields to the threat'ning storm, and throws
His prostrate form before his foes.
They hurl him like a wooden block
To what the Scotch would call a Loch,—
Great was the splash as in they threw!
But, ah! with Gog, Bas-Bleusia flew

To atoms primitive; the natives
Trembled just like detected caitiffs,
Then sought the air—again to fall
On Albion's shores where sea-gulls squall,
Or in some tree, by Time made hollow,
Conceal themselves like bat or swallow.