The Rolliad Part 50

With saintly HILL divide your glory[4], No true King's friend, on such a Tory The peerage door will shut; Canting, he'll serve both Church and Throne, And make the Reverend Bench your own, By piety and s.m.u.t.

BANKS at his side, demure and sly, Will aptly tell a specious lye, Then speed the royal summons: He's no raw novice in the trade, His honour's now a batter'd jade-- PITT flung it to the Commons.

While THURLOW d.a.m.ns these cold delays, Mysterious diamonds vainly blaze, The impending vote to check; K.B. and Peer, let HASTINGS shine, IMPEY, with pride, will closely twine The collar round his neck.

Enn.o.bling thus the mean and base, Our gracious S--------'s art we trace, a.s.sail'd by factions bold; So prest, great FREDERICK rose in fame, On _pots de chambre_ stamp'd his name[5], And pewter pa.s.s'd for gold.

Should restive SYDNEY keep the seal, JENKY, still shew _official_ zeal, Your friend, your master, charm; Revive an ANGLO-SAXON place[6], Let GEORGE's feet your bosom grace, Your love will keep them warm.

[1] Mr. JENKINSON exhibited a laudable example of political conomy, by shutting up several of his windows at his seat near Croydon, on the pa.s.sing of the Commutation Act. His Majesty's _bon mot_ on this occasion should not be forgot. "What! what! (said the Royal Jester) do my subjects complain of?--JENKY tells me he does not pay as much to the Window Tax as he did before. Why then don't my people do like JENKY?"

[2] A beautiful oriental allusion, borrowed from Mr. HASTINGS's Ode, "And care, _like smoke_, in turbid wreathes, Round the gay ceiling flies."

[3] FINCHFIELD.--Co. ESs.e.x.----JOHN CAMPES held this manor of King EDWARD III. by the service of _turning the spit_ at his coronation.

_Camden's Britannia--article Ess.e.x._

[4] The King magnanimously refused to create either Sir RICHARD HILL, or Mr. BANKS, Peers, that the singular honour bestowed _solely_ by his Majesty might be more conspicuous, and that Mr. PITT's humiliation might no longer be problematic. Sir RICHARD had composed a beautiful sacred cantata on the occasion, dedicated to his brother, the Rev.

ROWLAND HILL. The first stanza alludes, by an apt quotation from the 68th Psalm, to the elevation and dignities of the family: "Why hop so high, ye little H_I_LLS?"

With joy, the Lord's anointed f_i_lls; Let's pray with one accord!

In sleepless visions of the night, NORTH's cheek I smote with all my might, For which I'm made a Lord, &c. &c.

[5] The King of PRUSSIA replenished his exhausted treasury in the war of 1756, by a coinage of pewter ducats.

[6] "Besides the twenty-four officer above described, there were eleven others of considerable value in the courts of the ancient Princes, the most remarkable of which was, that of the King's feet-bearer; this was a young gentleman, whose duty it was to sit on the floor, with his back towards the fire, and hold the King's feet in his bosom all the time he sat at table, to keep them warm and comfortable."

_Leges Wallicae, p.58.--Henry's History of Great Britain, v.2,p.275_

ODE _to_ SIR ELIJAH IMPEY.

aeli, vetusto n.o.bilis a Lamo, Quando et priores hinc Lamia ferunt Denominatos, &c.

ELI-JAH n.o.blest of the race Of [1]IMPS, from whom the IMPEYS trace, If common fame says true, Their origin; and that they found Their claim on just and solid ground, Refer for _proof_ to you--

You, who could post nine hundred miles, To fathom an old woman's wiles, Possess'd of _dangerous_ treasure; Could hurry with a pedlar's pack Of affidavits at your back, In quest of health and pleasure.

And all because the jealous JOVE[2]

Of Eastern climes thought fit to prove The _venom_ of his reign; On which, to minds of light esteem, _Some few severities_ might seem To leave a transient stain.

Soon [3] on your head from yon dark sky, Or WOODFALL'_s Hasty Sketches_ lye, The gather'd storm will break!

Deep will the vengeful thunder be, And from the sleep he owes to thee, Shall NUNDCOMAR awake!

Then arm against the rude attack, Recall thy roving memory back, And all thy proofs collect!-- Remember that you cannot gain A second hearing to _explain_, And [4] _therefore_ be correct.

[1] MILTON makes honourable mention of the founder of the family: "Fit vessel, fittest _Imp_ of Fraud."

_Paradise Lost, b._ IX.

It may be observed, in proof of the descent, as well as to the credit of the present Representative, that he has not degenerated from the characteristic "obliquity" of his Ancestor.

[2] Late Tyrannus.

[3] Demissa tempestas ab Euro Sternet--Nisi fallit Augur Anosa Cornix.

[4] See Declaration of Sir E---- I----, offered to the House by Mt. DEMPSTER.

SONG.

_To the Tune of_ "LET THE SULTAN SALADIN," _in_ RICHARD CUR DE LION.

I.

Let great GEORGE his porkers bilk, And give his maids the sour skim-milk; With her stores let CERES crown him, 'Till the gracious sweat run down him, Making b.u.t.ter night and day: Well! well!

Every King must have his way; But to my poor way of thinking, True joy is drinking.

II.

BILLY PITT delights to prose, 'Till admiring Grocers dose; Ancient Virgins all adore him, Not a woman falls before him; Never kissing night nor day: Well! well!

Every child must have its way; But to my poor way of thinking, True joy is drinking.

III.

You too, HASTINGS, know your trade!

No vile fears your heart invade, When you rove for EASTERN plunder, Making Monarchs truckle under, Slitting windpipes night and day: Well! well!

Governors will have their way; But to my poor way of thinking, True joy is drinking.

A NEW SONG, ENt.i.tLED MASTER BILLY'S BUDGET; OR, A TOUCH ON THE TIMES.

_To the Turn of_ "A COBLER THERE WAS," &c.

Ye b.o.o.bies of Britain, who lately thought fit The care of the state to a child to commit, Pray how do you like your young Minister's budget?

Should he take your last farthing, you never can grudge it.

Deny down, &c

A tax on your heads! there'd be justice in that; But he only proposes a tax on your hat; So let every ENGLISHMAN throw up his beaver, And hollo. Prerogative BILLY for ever!

Deny down, &c

Not being much favour'd with female applauses, He takes his revenge on their ribands and gauzes; Then should not each female, Wife, Widow, or Miss, To Coventry send master BILLY for this?

Deny down, &c

How oft has he told us his views were upright!