“Oh! for a glass of Max.”—Byron’s Don Juan.

A plague on those malty cove fellows,
Who’d have us in spirits relax;
Drink, they say, and you’ll ne’er burn the bellows,
Half-water instead of all max;
A glass of good max, had they twigg’d it,
Would have made them, like us, lads of wax;
For Sal swigg’d, and Dick swigg’d,
And Bob swigg’d, and Nick swigg’d.
And I’ve swigg’d, and we’ve all of us swigg’d it,
And, by Jingo, there’s nothing like max.
All-Max!
By Jingo, there’s nothing like max!

Here the tag-rag and bob-tail squad who do not care how the blunt comes or how it goes. Togs or no togs! but nevertheless, who must live at any price, and see a “bit of life,” let the world jog on how it will; yet who can drop a tear upon a sorrowful event—laugh heartily at fun—shake with cold—perspire with heat—and go to roost much sounder upon a dust-hill than many of the swells can snooze upon their feather dabs; likewise in comparing notes, feel happy in the presumption that there are hundreds worse off in society than themselves.

Enter SAILORS, DUSTY BOB, AFRICAN SAL, MAHOGANY MARY, MRS. and MISS LILLYWHITE, ROSIN, &c., &c., with gin measures, drinking—Mr. Mace in attendance.

Bob. Now, landlord, ’arter that ’ere drap of max, suppose ve have a drain o’ heavy vet, just by vay of cooling our chaffers—mine’s as dry as a chip—and, I say, do you hear, let’s have a twopenny burster, half a quarten of bees’ vax, a ha’p’orth o’ ingens, and a dollop o’ salt along vith it, vill you?

Mace. Here, Waiter! a burster and bees’vax—ingens and salt here. (Calling as he fetches the porter from the side wing). Now, then, here you are, Muster Grimmuzzle. (Holding out his right hand for the money, and keeping the porter away with the other).

Bob. That’s your sort; give us hold on it. (Takes Mace’s empty hand). Vy, vhere?

Mace. (Keeping the porter back). Vy, here.

Bob. Oh, you are afeard of the blunt, are you?

Mace. No, it ain’t that; only I’m no schollard—so I always takes the blunt with von hand, and gives the pot vith t’other. It saves chalk and prewents mistakes, you know.