|
“HEALTH TO LORD MELVILLE,
Air—Carrickfergus.
“Since here we are set in array round the table,
Five hundred good fellows well met in a hall,
|
| SONG ON LORD MELVILLE’S ACQUITTAL. | 107 |
|
Come listen, brave boys, and I’ll sing as I’m able
How innocence triumphed and pride got a fall.
But push round the claret—
Come, stewards, don’t spare it—
With rapture you’ll drink to the toast that I give:
Here, boys,
Off with it merrily—
Melville for
ever, and long may he live!
|
|
“What were the Whigs doing when, boldly pursuing,
Pitt
banished Rebellion, gave Treason a string?
Why, they swore, on their honour, for Arthur O’Connor,
And fought hard for Despard against country and king.
Well, then, we knew, boys,
Pitt and Melville were true
boys,
And the tempest was raised by the friends of Reform.
Ah, wo!
Weep to his memory;
Low lies the pilot that weathered the storm!
|
|
“And pray, don’t you mind when the Blues first were raising,
And we scarcely could think the house safe o’er our
heads?
When villains and coxcombs, French politics praising,
Drove peace from our tables and sleep from our beds?
Our hearts they grew bolder
When, musket on shoulder,
Stepp’d forth our old Statesman example to give.
Come, boys, never fear,
Drink the Blue grenadier
Here’s to old Harry, and long may he live!
|
|
“They would turn us adrift; though rely, sir, upon it—
Our own faithful chronicles warrant us that
The free mountaineer and his bonny blue bonnet
Have oft gone as far as the regular’s hat.
We laugh at their taunting,
For all we are wanting
Is license our life for our country to give.
Off with it merrily,
Horse, foot, and artillery,—
Each loyal Volunteer, long may he live.
|
| 108 | LIFE OF SIR WALTER SCOTT. |
|
“’Tis not us alone, boys—the Army and Navy
Have each got a slap ’mid their politic pranks;
Cornwallis cashier’d, that watched winters to
save ye,
And the Cape called a bauble, unworthy of thanks.
But vain is their taunt,
No soldier shall want
The thanks that his country to valour can give:
Come, boys,
Drink it off merrily,—
|
|
“And then our revenue—Lord knows how they viewed it
While each petty Statesman talked lofty and big;
But the beer-tax was weak, as if Whitbread had brewed it,
And the pig-iron duty a shame to a pig.
In vain is their vaunting,
Too surely there’s wanting
What judgment, experience, and steadiness give;
Come, boys,
Drink about merrily,—
Health to sage Melville, and long may he live!
|
|
May Providence watch them with mercy and might!
While there’s one Scottish hand that can wag a claymore, sir,
They shall ne’er want a friend to stand up for their
right.
Be damn’d he that dare not,—
For my part, I’ll spare not
To beauty afflicted a tribute to give:
Fill it up steadily,
Drink it off readily,—
Here’s to the Princess, and long may she live.
|
|
“And since we must not set Auld Reikie in glory,
And make her brown visage as light as her heart;*
Till each man illumine his own upper story,
Nor law-book nor lawyer shall force us to part.
And some few good men, sir,
|
|
* The Magistrates of Edinburgh had rejected an application for illumination of the town, on the arrival of the news of Lord Melville’s acquittal. |
| POLITICS—1806. | 109 |
|
High talents we honour, slight difference forgive;
But the Brewer
we’ll hoax,
Tallyho to the Fox,
And drink Melville for ever, as long as we live!”
|
