A SMITH'S VICE.

When late—too late, indeed—it was found out,

That shoals of large Exchequer bills were spurious,

It made, no doubt,

The holders furious—

And indignation grew quite busy with

That fraudful felon, Edward Beaumont Smith,

When prosecuted, at the Queen's expense,

Guilty, he pleaded;

An act that surely did not show his sense,

And little needed,

While he had this defence:—

"Gentlemen,—any frauds by me display'd

Were in the way of trade;

I forged the bills, 'tis true; what then, I ask?

Pray was it, do you think, the sort of task

To earn for me a scourging?

For, since the days of Vulcan, I would know,

Up to this very last Exchequer go,

How could a Smith be great, except in forging?"

Fancy Portrait.
Forging by Bill Smith—hot work.

All pale and weak, before the beak,

Degraded Tom is taken;

He was too late to save his pate,

He is to save his bacon!

He stands and listens, sad and dogged,

To "fined five bob" for being grogged.

15. The Ladies at the Palace, hearing that at the expected birth Royal salutes were to be given, petitioned the Prince that they might not be overlooked in the arrangement.

24. A tidey overflow of the Thames.

The river o'erflow'd—to the grief of good fellers,

The tide soon invaded the publicans' cellars;

The buyers ne'er found that it injured their store,

For surely the gin was all water before.

30. Affair of the Caroline—M'Leod's acquittal.

It would have been almost beyond a joke

For such a cloud to end in aught but smoke;

But had he been sedate, discreet, and staid, he

Had never quarrell'd about any lady;

And Grog-an, grog had mix'd, in better quarters,

Than came of mixing up in troubled waters.

Mount! Eagle.

Making light of it.
A burning shame.