The Age Reviewed A Satire: In two parts: Second edition, revised and corrected [by Robert Montgomery] |
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 | The Age Reviewed |  |
“We'll make mechanics, Broughams of the age;
Birkbéck shall lecture, for an ev'ning treat,
Till cheapen'd Knowledge all her stores disclose,
And wond'ring masters feel their menials' toes: —
“Is ignorance bliss?—'tis folly to be wise!—
Exalt mechanics,—and myself will rise;
So shall I daunt the ministerial prig,
And Canning reverence a Scottish whig.
Till Archimedes ope your leaden eye,—
And art, and theory's illuming rays
Entice the torpid intellect to blaze;
Proceed! till Learning's wanton wings expand,
And wave exulting o'er the letter'd land;—
'Tis Brougham speaks!—no more let ign'rance soil,
But every finger ache with book-leaf toil.”
Never was there a more inconsiderate scheme than the Institution for Mechanics. Mr. Brougham, supported as he is by the Edinburgh Review, and joined by all the worst enemies to the country, has not been able to divest his sophistry of that betrayful spirit, that exposes the treachery of the demagogue amid the spuming verbiage of unexpensive philanthropy; though, perhaps, on the whole, if Mr. Brougham were a tory, he might share the “meed of large honours.” At present, he is gownless, and not a little hateful to the crown supporters. But what of this? is he not a friend of the people?—Will not his pamphlets sell rapidly, and his speeches be read with eagerness?—Will not his name be the glory of tap rooms, and be blessed by scientific tinkers? Will not every link-boy and lamp-lighter, sing praises to his name? This is enough to support the “friend of the people,” under all his losses—or rather, dreams of hope. My opinion is (I do not think it singular,) that Brougham is a capital specimen of Scotch talent, helped forward by Scotch impudence, and Scotch duplicity: there is no country like Scotland, for these two last qualities. In heart, he cares as much for the people as he does for the client, when he is paid highly for pleading his cause.
Birkbeck and Brougham are of a most congenial temperament, for illuminating the darkness of popular ignorance,—as they are pleased to call it. They are both Scotchmen; but, they found “the high road to England,” and then the road for every thing else. Apropos,—I suppose some little spiderly Aristarchus will tell me, Birkbeck's name is pronounced with the accent on the last syllable, and that Brougham is pronounced Broom; but, what's a name? I have used them just as they suited the measure; either way will do; semper fuit, ------ you know the rest,
| The Age Reviewed | |