Hoist the grim death’s head—
The Pirate’s head—
For a vessel heaves in sight!
That song was written for a concert-room, but it was soon in the streets, and ran a whole winter. I got only 1s. for it. Then I wrote the ‘Pirate of the Isles,’ and other ballads of that sort. The concert-rooms pay no better than the printers for the streets.
“Perhaps the best thing I ever wrote was the ‘Husband’s Dream.’ I’m very sorry indeed that I can’t offer you copies of some of my ballads, but I haven’t a single copy myself of any of them, not one, and I dare say I’ve written a thousand in my time, and most of them were printed. I believe 10,000 were sold of the ‘Husband’s Dream.’ It begins:
O Dermot, you look healthy now,
Your dress is neat and clean;
I never see you drunk about,
Then tell me where you’ve been.
Your wife and family—are they well?