When "loaves and fishes" form'd the only object of the chase, Sir, No dogs had better noses, or could go a better pace, Sir; And all excell'd in "giving tongue" whene'er they took their station, To growl about the grievances of this unhappy nation. Bow, wow, wow.
Small Bennet, Lushington, and Wood, engaged to raise the ghost of A certain Royal Funeral, already made the most of; While Wilson, in his grief at being laid upon the shelf, Sir, Thought the most important subject for discussion was--Himself, Sir. Bow, wow, wow.
Says Joseph Hume, "Though Croker's cuts have made an alter'd mon o' me, I'll still be foremost in the throng for preaching up economy; I'll hunt down all the charges in our armies and our navies"-- "And I will be your whipper-in," cries gallant Colonel Davies. Bow, wow, wow.
Then Curwen would repeal the tax on tallow, cheese, or leather. Says Calcraft, "I've a better plan, and let us pull together; Vansittart means to ease the Malt, so let us work the Salt Tax-- If Salt should be the word with him--why then we'll try the Malt Tax." Bow, wow, wow.
Young Normanby--surprising change!--the motley party graces, And wars against his flesh and blood, to prate at useless places; And Hobhouse swears that every place and placeman he will bark at, Except the first Commissioner for Nabob's debts at Arcot. Bow, wow, wow.
There's Joseph Yorke, while he a Lord of Admiralty flourish'd, No patriotic schemes of close retrenchment ever nourish'd; But since, O most unlucky day! his "stern was to the board room," He sternly vows for idle Lords we cannot now afford room. Bow, wow, wow.
Then Calvert, who, of course, opposes all unfair monopolies, Steps forth to regulate the sale of Bread in the metropolis. "The poor," he says, "shall never have their quartern loaf too dear, Sir, If they will only hold their tongues about the price of Beer, Sir." Bow, wow, wow.
Says Creevy, "I must needs confess, when I was at the India Board, I ne'er did much but read the news, or loll upon the window-board; But since my hopes of lolling there again are all demolish'd, I'll prove the whole concern so bad, it ought to be abolish'd." Bow, wow, wow.
"I care not who," says Lawyer Brougham, "from place or pension budges; What salaries ye lower, so ye leave alone the Judges; Who knows but I, by chance, may be hereafter for the Bench meant, Then _that_ is surely not a proper object for retrenchment." Bow, wow, wow.