Burlesque Plays and Poems :: DRURY LANE HUSTINGS. A NEW HALFPENNY BALLAD.

DRURY LANE HUSTINGS. A NEW HALFPENNY BALLAD.

By a Pic-nic Poet.

This is the very age of promise. To promise is most courtly and fashionable. Performance is a kind of will or testament, which argues a great sickness in his judgment that makes it.—Timon of Athens.

To be sung by Mr. Johnstone in the character of Looney M'Twolter.

"Mr. Jack, your address," says the prompter to me,

So I gave him my card—"No, that a'nt it," says he,

"'Tis your public address." "Oh!" says I, "never fear,

If address you are bother'd for, only look here." [Puts on hat affectedly.

Tol de rol lol, &c.

II.

With Drurys for sartain we'll never have done,

We've built up another, and yet there's but one;

The old one was best, yet I'd say, if I durst,

The new one is better—the last is the first.

Tol de rol, &c.

III.

These pillars are called by a Frenchified word,

A something that's jumbled of antique and verd,

The boxes may show us some verdant antiques,

Some bold harridans who beplaster their cheeks.

Tol de rol, &c.

IV.

Only look how high Tragedy, Comedy, stick,

Lest their rivals, the horses, should give them a kick!

If you will not descend when our authors beseech ye,

You'll stop there for life, for I'm sure they can't reach ye.

Tol de rol, &c.

Each one shilling god within reach of a nod is,

And plain are the charms of each gallery goddess,

You, brandy-faced Moll, don't be looking askew,

When I talked of a goddess I didn't mean you.

Tol de rol, &c

VI.

Our stage is so prettily fashion'd for viewing,

The whole house can see what the whole house is doing.

'Tis just like the hustings, we kick up a bother,

But saying is one thing and doing's another.

Tol de rol, &c.

VII.

We've many new houses, and some of them rum ones,

But the newest of all is the new House of Commons,

'Tis a rickety sort of a bantling I'm told,

It will die of old age when it's seven years old.

Tol de rol, &c.

VIII.

As I don't know on whom the election will fall,

I move in return for returning them all;

But for fear Mr. Speaker my meaning should miss,

The house that I wish 'em to sit in is this.

Tol de rol, &c.

IX.

Let us cheer our great Commoner, but for whose aid

We all should have gone with short commons to bed,

And since he has saved all the fat from the fire,

I move that the House be call'd Whitbread's Entire.

Tol de rol, &c.

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