A Song of a Settlement.
AIR—"The Death of Nelson."
Recitative.
Near NELSON's monument, with gloom opprest,
The rowdy mourns a Question, now at rest.
But ASQUITH's laurels shall not fade with years,
Whose canny settlement the public cheers.
Air.
'Twas in Trafalgar's Square,
We heard the spouters blare,
Each rough rejoicing then.
They scorned churl WARREN's yoke,
Of order made a joke,
And claimed the Rights of Men.
But ASQUITH came, the cool and brave,
And poured oil on the troubled wave.
His speech was just a beauty!
Along each line this meaning ran:—
"England respects true Rights of Man,
But means enforcing Duty."
No more rude mobs may roar,
A nuisance and a bore,
Where'er BURNS lead the way.
As victory is this claimed
By spouts, by cool sense tamed?
All right! Let them hooray!
But dearly is their conquest bought,
'Twas scarce for this mad GRAHAM fought
'Tis fair, though—there's its beauty.
All just claims met by this shrewd plan,
The speechifying Rights of Man,
Plus the Policeman's duty.
ASQUITH's clear, certain sound,
Will spread dismay around;
Some circles. "We believed!
ASQUITH was on our side,"
The roughs will say. "He's tried,
And we—well, we're deceived.
If we're permitted in this Square
To muster there, why should we care?
The game has lost its beauty!
Licence unfettered is our plan.
Who cares a cuss for Rights of Man,
Checked by that bugbear Duty?"