Poet to town, my friend ANSTY, or if you refuse A visit in person, yet spare us your muse: Give her wing, ere too late for this city's election, Where much waits her comment, and more her correction. What novels to laugh at! what follies to chide! Oh! how we all long for a WESTMINSTER Guide! First, in judgment decisive, as OTTOMAN Califf, Aloft on the hustings, behold the HIGH BAILIFF! But we miss from the seat, where law rests on a word, The old symbols of justice--the scales and the sword-- As a symbol too martial the sword he discards, So 'tis lodg'd where it suits--in the hands of the guards; And doubting the poise of weak hands like his own, He suspended the scales at the foot of the throne.----
Turn next to the candidates--at such a crisis-- We've a right to observe on their virtues or vices. Hood founds (and with justice to most apprehensions) In years of fair services, manly pretensions; But his party to change, and his friend to betray, By some are held better pretensions in WRAY.
For the third, if at Court we his character scan, A dæmon incarnate is poor CARLO KHAN; Catch his name when afloat on convivial bumpers, Or sent up to the skies by processions of plumpers; He is Freedom's defender, the champion of Right, The Man of the People, the nation's delight. To party or passion we scorn to appeal, Nor want we the help of intemperate zeal; Let Time from Detraction have rescued his cause, And our verse shall but echo a nation's applause.
But hark! proclamation and silence intreated; The inspectors arranged--the polling clerks seated-- With Bibles in hand, to purge willing and loth, With the Catholic Test, and the Bribery Oath. In clamour and tumult mobs thicken around, And for one voice to vote there are ten to confound: St. GILES's with WAPPING unites Garretteers, HOOD and WRAY and PREROGATIVE, PITT and three cheers! 'Tis the day for the Court--the grand Treasury push! And the pack of that kennel well trained to the _brush_, Dash noisy and fearless through thick and through thin, The huntsman unseen, but his friends whippers-in.
Now follow fresh tribes, scarce a man worth a louse, Till put into plight at NORTHUMBERLAND HOUSE; Ten poll for one mansion, each proving he keeps it, And one for each chimney--he'll prove that he sweeps it-- With these mix the great, on rights equally fables, Great Peers from poor lodgings, great Lawyers from stables; Ev'n the Soldier, whose household's a centinel box. Claims a questionless franchise 'gainst Freedom and FOX; All dubbed and maintained upon influence regal Of the new H----E of C------S constituents legal.